Tahini: Why To Eat It and How · Thrive Again With Kelli

Tahini: Why To Eat It and How

If you are looking for simple ways to increase your calcium and overall mineral intake, tahini is one of the foods I regularly recommend.

Tahini is simply sesame seeds that have been ground into a smooth, creamy paste. It has a rich, nutty, slightly earthy flavour and a thick, creamy texture. It can be savoury or sweet, which makes it surprisingly versatile.

Hulled or unhulled?

You will see both types of tahini:

Hulled tahini has the outer skin of the sesame seed removed. It is lighter in colour, smoother and has a milder, creamier flavour.

Unhulled tahini keeps the outer seed covering. It is darker, stronger and more earthy, sometimes with a slight bitterness. Because the hull contains a significant proportion of the minerals, unhulled tahini is generally higher in calcium and some other minerals.

If your main goal is mineral intake, I particularly like unhulled tahini.

How can you use it?

You don't need to eat it by the spoonful!

Try adding 1 tablespoon to:

Dairy-free yoghurt
Smoothies
Porridge
Overnight oats
Chia puddings
Protein or bliss balls
Salad dressings
Dips and sauces
Vegetable stews
Curries

PS.For cooked dishes, stir it through at the end of cooking. This gives you the creamy texture and nutty flavour without unnecessarily exposing its delicate unsaturated fats to prolonged high heat.

Why is tahini so nutrient-dense?

Sesame seeds provide a combination of protein, fibre, healthy fats and a wide range of minerals, making tahini much more than just a spread.

A typical 20 g serve (about 1 generous tablespoon) provides approximately:

Protein 4.6–4.7 g

Total fat 11–12 g

Fibre 1.7–2.3 g

Calcium 120–231 mg

Magnesium~50 mg

Iron~0.9–1.3 mg

Zinc~1–1.5 mg

Copper~0.2 mg

Manganese~0.2 mg

Potassium~90 mg

*Calcium varies considerably between hulled and unhulled tahini and between brands.

Have you tried tahini?

Did you know tahini was such a rich source of calcium and minerals? Have you tried it, and if so, how do you like to use it? Share your favourite ways below. I’d love to hear your ideas!

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