Health Benefits and Risks of Consuming Tahini
A two-tablespoon roasted tahini serving contains 178 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrates (3 grams of fibre and 3 grams of sugar) 16 grams of fat, and 5 grams of protein. This is according to data provided by the USDA National Nutrient Database. Moreover, the same serving provides 30% of the daily thiamine needs, 24% of magnesium, 22% of phosphorus, 14% of iron, and 12% of calcium. 14 grams of the fats are mono- and poly-unsaturated fats that are beneficial to the heart and overall health. Consuming tahini in paste form is recommended as it allows the body to better absorb the nutrients they provide.
Incorporating Tahini into the Diet
Tahini is a sesame seed butter that is used as the main ingredient in the cooking of in hummus and baba ghanoush as well as other North African, Greek, Iranian, Turkish, and Middle Eastern cuisine dishes. There are however numerous instructions on how to make raw tahini making it part of your healthy diet plan. Tahini can be added to salads, smoothies and soups enriching them with a variety of minerals and nutritional components. It can be used for topping salads, as a salad dressing or as a dipping sauce for vegetables. When storing tahini paste, ensure that it is kept in a container upside down in a refrigerator and that it is stirred before use. There are a variety of healthy and delicious recipes that have incorporated tahini such as carrot soup with tahini, cinnamon tahini protein smoothie etc.
Benefits of Consuming Tahini
Tahini is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that lower harmful cholesterol levels thus lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. Tahini also contains unique lignans sesamin and sesamol, from the sesame seeds, that are useful in lowering the body’s cholesterol levels. These lignans are also beneficial in binding estrogen receptors, which can protect against hormone-related cancers. According to a study published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, tahini also helps relieve pain associated with arthritis. Tahini also contains high levels of magnesium content that is beneficial for maintaining healthy bones and decreasing the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Risks of Consuming Tahini
incorporating tahini into a regular diet makes one gain unhealthy body weight because tahini contains high calories and fat content. A handful of sesame seeds contains 590 calories and 8 grams of saturated fat, which is about 40% of the recommended daily fat intake. Regular consumption of tahini in excess amount can cause inflammation to the colon resulting in colon cancer. Also, excessive tahini use can cause diverticulitis that causes cramping, abdominal pain, and constipation. Most people always exhibit allergic reactions such as digestive issues, eye inflammation, runny nose, asthma, when they incorporate tahini into their diet. The allergic reactions if not caught in time could progress into serious ailments such as wheezing, hypotension, chest tightness and gradual blockage of the throat and airway of the person that may result in death.
