Tahini / Sesame Seed Butter

Name: Tahini, or sesame seed butter — a smooth, slightly bitter paste made from ground sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum), hulled or unhulled, raw or toasted. In Arabic it is tahini or tahina.

Description

Sesame is one of the oldest oil crops, grown for thousands of years in Africa and India, and tahini is a staple of the Middle East, the Levant and the eastern Mediterranean. It is the key ingredient in hummus, baba ghanoush and halva, and is also drizzled over falafel and salads as a sauce. Tahini from hulled seeds is paler and milder, while unhulled is darker and a little more bitter.

Seed butters are made by grinding seeds into a smooth paste, and the best contain only seeds, with perhaps a little salt or oil. Tahini naturally separates, with oil on top, so it needs stirring.

Main nutrition value

Tahini is rich in healthy unsaturated fat, protein and fibre, and a good source of calcium (especially from unhulled seeds), magnesium, iron and copper.

How best to be consumed

Tahini is versatile, used in dips, dressings, sweets and baking.

1. Blend with chickpeas, lemon and garlic for hummus.
2. Whisk with lemon juice, water and garlic into a creamy dressing or sauce.
3. Drizzle over roasted vegetables, falafel or grain bowls.
4. Use in baking, halva and desserts, such as sesame cookies and brownies.
5. Stir well, and keep in a cool place or fridge after opening.

Overconsumption could cause…

Tahini is nutritious but energy-dense, and sesame is a major allergen.

1. Sesame allergy, which can be severe, and is now a recognised major allergen in many countries, so anyone allergic should avoid it and check labels.
2. Weight gain from large servings, since tahini is very calorie-dense.
3. Bitterness or digestive upset from a lot of unhulled sesame paste in some people.
4. Added sugar or oil in some flavoured or commercial products.

GroupsSeed ButtersHigh fibreHigh saturated fatLow sodiumRich in calciumRich in folateRich in zincMiddle Eastern and North African

Made fromSesame Seeds

Related foodsSunflower Seed ButterChia Seed ButterFlaxseed ButterHemp Seed ButterMixed Seed ButterPumpkin Seed Butter

Wikipedia — Tahini, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahini