Most people remember it only during fasting periods, but few people know its real benefits, since it is a food of excellent nutritional value, with good biological value protein, beneficial fatty acids and essential minerals and trace elements for good health and balance of the body.
Diet, as we know, determines to a large extent our health and our appearance. Tahini, according to studies of recent years, is an aid in this effort. It is a primary foodstuff that is 100% ground sesame and is produced without chemical processing or other additives.
In addition, it is a plant food with beneficial characteristics, such as high protein content and healthy fats.
The tahini is widely used in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine, as well as in North African dishes.
Tahini: Nutritional value
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, one serving of tahini (2 tablespoons) of toasted sesame seeds contains:
- 178 calories
- 16 grams of fat
- 6 grams of carbohydrates (3 grams of fibre and 0 grams of sugar) and
- 5 grams of protein
It also provides the:
- 30% of daily human thiamine requirements
- 24% in magnesium
- 22% in phosphorus
- 14% in iron and
- 12% in calcium
Don't worry about the amount of fat in tahini, since only 2 of the 16 grams are saturated, the rest are mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which are known to be beneficial for the heart and general health.
30 grams of sesame seeds contain three times more iron than the same amount of beef liver. Sesame seeds also contain more phytosterols than all other nuts and seeds, which makes them very beneficial for lowering cholesterol and fighting/preventing cancer.
Sesame seeds provide many nutrients, but they are difficult for the body to absorb because of the hard outer wall (seed hull). Eating sesame in paste (tahini) form allows the body to better absorb these nutrients.
Tahini: Possible health benefits
Health of the heart
Sesame seeds contain the unique lignans, sesamin and sesamol, which have been shown to lower cholesterol. The journal Nutrition Research published a study in which participants consumed 40 grams of tahini per day. After 4 weeks, their average total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol decreased by 6.4% and 9.5%, respectively. When the participants returned to their normal diet without tahini, over the next 4 weeks their cholesterol returned to its original levels.
As we have seen above, tahini is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Studies have shown that consuming these types of fats can reduce harmful cholesterol levels, as well as the risk of heart disease and stroke.
The calcium and magnesium it contains can also lower blood pressure naturally.
Cancer
Lignans, chemical compounds found in some plants, have a similar structure to estrogens. The lignans, sesamin and sesame oil in tahini bind to estrogen receptors and protect the body from hormone-related cancers.
Arthritis
Research published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, looked at patients with knee osteoarthritis who were given either glucosamine and Tylenol twice a day (a standard treatment for osteoarthritis) or 2 tablespoons of tahini per day.
Researchers found that those who consumed tahini had better test results for knee osteoarthritis, reported less pain and did not naturally have the negative side effects associated with Tylenol.
Bone health
The high magnesium content of tahini is beneficial for maintaining healthy bones. Adequate magnesium intake is associated with greater bone density and a reduction in the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
