Have you ever walked in to a local restaurant that served Middle Eastern Cuisine? Were you introduced to an array of dips and sauces unsure of what they are or might taste like? Among those is a wonderful dip named Tahini that might offer more then just its great taste as a reason to why its worth trying. Tahini is a butter made from sesame seeds that are hulled, ground, and toasted. It is commonly used in North African, Greek, Turkish, and Middle Eastern cuisine. If you’ve ever tried hummus you’ve definitely had Tahini. New research provided by Medical News Today explains in depth possible health benefits found in Tahini.
Sesame seeds are an excellent source of copper, a very good source of manganese, and a good source of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, molybdenum, vitamin B1, selenium, and dietary fiber. But because of the hard outer layer of the sesame seeds, it makes it difficult for our bodies to completely absorb the nutrients. Consuming the seeds in the paste form of tahini allows to better absorb the nutrients.
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, a 2-tablespoon serving of tahini from roasted sesame seeds contains 178 calories, 16 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbohydrates (3 grams of fiber and 0 grams of sugar) and 5 grams of protein.
A 1 oz. serving of sesame seeds contains three times more iron than 1 oz. of beef liver, which is commonly known as a high-iron food. Sesame seeds also contain more phytosterols than all other nuts and seeds, which are important for their cholesterol-lowering and anticancerous effects.
Anyone that suffers from high cholesterol might also benefit from this super food. Nutrition Research published a study in which subjects consumed 1.5 ounces of tahini a day. After 4 weeks, the subjects’ average total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol decreased by 6.4% and 9.5%, respectively.
Who knew that something as packing a small portion of tahini in to your lunch could make such a huge difference to your heart. The best part is: this is a natural alternative to lowering cholesterol! No drugs or monitoring required. So maybe the next time your shopping for groceries you may find its worth throwing a jar of tahini in your cart for a family snack.
Written by Charlie Marquez
Sourced from Medical News Today.
