Sesame seeds grow in pods that burst open when ripe, a habit that still limits harvests. Breeders found a non-shattering mutant in 1943, yet shattering remains a problem for growers. The phrase “open sesame” comes from the tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. The French scholar Antoine Galland added it to his edition of the Arabian Nights in the early 1700s.
Sesame is one of the oldest oilseeds. Archaeologists found charred sesame at the Indus site of Harappa in a layer dated to 3050 to 3500 BC.
Half of the seed is fat: dried whole seeds have 49.7 g of fat per 100 g, which is 76% of the calories. Most of that fat is unsaturated. One tablespoon (9 g) has 52 kcal (calories) and 41% of the US Daily Value for copper. The seeds hold 714 mg of phytosterols (plant sterols) per 100 g, the most of the 36 foods on this site with phytosterol data.
Sesame also holds lignans (plant compounds) such as sesamin, which gut bacteria turn into enterolactone. In 33 overweight adults, eating 25 g of sesame a day raised urinary enterolactone and enterodiol about 8-fold.
Much of the human research below uses oil, tahini or sesamin capsules instead of seeds. Most trials are small, many of them from Iran and India, and each card says which form was tested. Sesame is also a major food allergen, covered below.
Health benefits of sesame seeds
The top findings from 32 studies, strongest evidence first
What the stars mean
- Strong. Several randomized trials, pooled in a meta-analysis, point the same way, or regulators (FDA or EFSA) have approved the claim.
- Moderate. Good randomized trials support it, but there are fewer of them, or their results vary.
- Limited. Small, short or single trials, or mixed results. Promising, but it needs confirmation.
Population and lab studies get no stars: they show a link or a mechanism, not proof.
How we rate evidence →- ★★Lower triglycerides, cholesterol results mixedAcross 10 trials, sesame lowered triglycerides slightly (by 0.24 mmol/L), but the drops in total cholesterol and LDL could be chance. A pooled analysis of 16 trials (908 people) also found total cholesterol fell.
- ★★Lower blood pressure, less in better trialsIn 8 trials with 843 people, systolic pressure (the top number) fell by 7.83 mm Hg. In the 4 higher-quality trials, it fell by only 3.23 mm Hg.
- ★★Lower long-term blood sugar and inflammation markersIn 13 trials (521 people), sesame products lowered HbA1c (long-term blood sugar) and the inflammation markers CRP and IL-6. In 8 trials of oil, sesamin and tahini, fasting glucose fell by 21.31 mg/dL.
- ★Less knee pain in knee osteoarthritisIn 50 people with knee osteoarthritis, 40 g of sesame a day for 2 months eased pain more than standard treatment alone. There was no placebo.
- ★Lower LDL and triglycerides in type 2 diabetesIn 10 trials in people with type 2 diabetes, sesame lowered LDL by 28.72 mg/dL and triglycerides by 37.61 mg/dL. Few trials were included.
All 32 studies, strongest evidence first
Sesame products lowered total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and weight
This meta-analysis (a study that pools many trials) covered 16 randomized trials in 908 people. It mixed sesame and its derivatives, so seeds, oil and extracts together. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, both blood pressure numbers, body weight, BMI, hip and waist size all fell. The results held in extra checks, but the authors say large, well-designed trials are still needed.
Across 10 trials, sesame lowered triglycerides 0.24 mmol/L, not cholesterol
This meta-analysis of controlled trials covered sesame seeds, oil and other sesame fractions. Total cholesterol fell 0.32 mmol/L (millimoles per liter) and LDL 0.15 mmol/L, but neither drop was statistically significant, so both could be chance. The trials disagreed widely, and the authors conclude that evidence for a cholesterol-lowering effect is insufficient.
Sesame cut systolic pressure 7.83 mm Hg, less in better trials
This meta-analysis of 8 controlled trials covered 843 people; systolic is the top blood pressure number. Diastolic pressure (the bottom number) fell 5.83 mm Hg, though the trials differed greatly. In the 4 higher-quality trials, the systolic drop was only 3.23 mm Hg, and the diastolic drop of 2.08 mm Hg was not significant. The authors call for larger, better trials.
13 trials: sesame products lowered HbA1c, CRP and interleukin-6
This dose-response meta-analysis covered 13 trials (521 people, 4 to 12 weeks) of sesame products and compounds such as sesamin. HbA1c (long-term blood sugar) fell by a standardized 0.67, and the inflammation markers CRP by 0.51 and IL-6 by 0.74. Fasting blood sugar fell 0.57, a borderline result, and total cholesterol fell with doses of up to 10 g a day. The trials mix seeds, oil and capsules.
In high blood pressure, 6 trials suggested huge, very low-certainty drops
This meta-analysis covered 6 trials (465 people, 4 to 8 weeks) of sesame products in people with prehypertension or hypertension. Systolic pressure fell by 20.78 mm Hg and diastolic by 16.29 mm Hg, effect sizes the authors call implausible. GRADE, a system for rating evidence, rated every outcome very low certainty. The reasons were inconsistent results, small samples and weak methods.
Sesame products lowered fasting glucose 21.31 mg/dL and HbA1c
This meta-analysis covered 8 controlled trials of sesame oil, sesamin and tahini, lasting 45 days to 9 weeks. HbA1c fell 0.75, but fasting insulin and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) did not change significantly. The products differed from trial to trial, so the result does not show what seeds alone do.
In diabetes, sesame cut LDL 28.72 mg/dL, triglycerides 37.61 mg/dL
This meta-analysis covered 10 randomized trials in people with type 2 diabetes. Total cholesterol fell 32.69 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter of blood), while HDL, body weight and BMI did not change significantly. The authors note that few trials were included and call for larger studies.
7 trials: sesame lowered interleukin-6, not CRP or TNF-alpha
This meta-analysis of randomized trials covered 310 people. IL-6 fell by 0.90 units, though results differed notably between studies. CRP and TNF-alpha fell only in subgroups, such as people with higher starting levels or those taking sesamin capsules. The authors ask for longer and larger trials.
Sesame oil lowered fasting blood sugar 3.27 mg/dL and systolic pressure
This meta-analysis pooled clinical trials of sesame oil in adults, so oil and not seeds. Systolic pressure fell 2.68 mm Hg, and HbA1c, diastolic pressure, body weight and BMI also fell slightly, while insulin did not change significantly. The authors say further studies are needed to confirm the results.
Sesamin capsules lowered LDL 8.4 mg/dL and systolic pressure
This meta-analysis covered 7 randomized trials (212 people) of sesamin, the main lignan in sesame, taken as a supplement rather than as seeds. Systolic pressure fell 3.7 mm Hg and total cholesterol 10.89 mg/dL. Triglycerides, HDL, diastolic pressure and weight did not change significantly.
Sesame powder lowered LDL cholesterol by 10% in postmenopausal women
In this placebo-controlled crossover trial, 24 women ate 50 g of sesame seed powder a day for 5 weeks, far more than a usual serving. A placebo is a dummy product, and in a crossover trial everyone tries both in turn. Total cholesterol fell 5%, a marker of LDL oxidation fell 23%, and the ratio of gamma-tocopherol to cholesterol rose 73%. It was small, and sex hormone changes were only a trend.
Sesame did not change blood lipids or blood pressure in overweight adults
In this placebo-controlled crossover trial, 33 overweight or obese men and women ate 25 g of sesame a day for 5 weeks. Urinary enterolactone and enterodiol, made by gut bacteria from sesame lignans, rose about 8-fold. But CRP, interleukin-6, TNF-alpha and a marker of fat oxidation were unchanged too.
White sesame seeds lowered total and LDL cholesterol in high blood lipids
In this randomized trial, 38 patients with high blood lipids (hyperlipidemia) all stayed on the same drug treatment. The seed group ate 40 g of white sesame seeds a day for 60 days and dropped 240 kcal from the rest of their diet. A marker of fat oxidation fell and antioxidant enzyme activity rose, while weight and BMI did not change. It was a small trial from Tabriz, Iran.
Unground whole sesame seeds did not change blood lipids in postmenopausal women
In this randomized crossover trial, 16 women ate food bars with 25 g a day of whole sesame, flaxseed or both, for 4 weeks. Fats and lignans from the whole seeds were absorbed, and serum gamma-tocopherol rose with sesame, but most antioxidant markers were unchanged. The authors conclude that 25 g of unground seed is not enough to change blood lipids.
Black sesame capsules lowered systolic pressure from 129.3 to 121.0 mm Hg
This randomized placebo trial included 30 adults with prehypertension (22 women and 8 men, 15 per group). The sesame group took capsules with 2.52 g of black sesame meal a day for 4 weeks. The figures are before and after in that group. A marker of oxidative damage fell and vitamin E rose, but it was a small trial with a small dose.
Sesame eased knee pain in people with knee osteoarthritis
This controlled trial included 50 patients in northwest Iran. Twenty-five ate 40 g of sesame a day for 2 months on top of standard drug therapy. The other 25 had standard treatment only, with no placebo. Pain, the KOOS knee questionnaire and the Timed Up and Go walking test were better with sesame than without.
Knee osteoarthritis: sesame beat placebo on IL-6, not on CRP
This randomized trial included 50 patients with knee osteoarthritis, 25 per group. They took 40 g of sesame or placebo powder daily for 2 months, on top of standard care. CRP and oxidative stress markers did not differ between groups: MDA and hs-CRP fell within the sesame group, but not more than on placebo. It is from the same research group as the pain trial above.
50 g of tahini lowered diastolic pressure and pulse after 4 hours
This single-meal study measured 20 healthy men (average age 28) before and 4 hours after eating tahini, with no comparison food. Flow-mediated dilation, a measure of blood vessel function, improved, while blood triglycerides rose. It shows the effect of one portion, not a long-term benefit.
Whole sesame raised urinary lignans as much as whole flaxseed
In this randomized crossover study, postmenopausal women ate food bars with 25 g of unground sesame, flaxseed or both, for 4 weeks each. Mammalian lignans in urine are made by gut bacteria from lignans in the seeds. They rose to 65.1 to 81.0 µmol (micromoles) a day, with no difference between the seeds. The study measured lignan output, not health outcomes.
In type 2 diabetes, sesame oil gave small, mixed differences against canola
This triple-blind randomized crossover trial in Yazd, Iran, swapped people’s regular oil for sesame oil, canola oil or a sesame-canola blend. Between 92 and 95 adults with type 2 diabetes finished each 9-week period. Canola gave higher ApoA-1 than the blend, and the blend lowered diastolic pressure in men. In women, HDL was higher after sesame oil than after the blend.
Oil blends with sesame lowered LDL 4.16%, no more than olive oil
This randomized trial included 143 Chinese adults aged 50 to 70 with borderline high LDL. For 8 weeks they used 30 g a day of olive oil or of one of two blends of rice bran, flaxseed and sesame oils. All three oils lowered LDL, total cholesterol (3.47%) and triglycerides (10.3%), with no difference between them. Funders listed for the paper include Wilmar International, an agribusiness company.
Sesame oil as sole cooking oil lowered blood pressure in 40 people
This open-label pilot study gave adults aged 45 to 65 with diabetes and hypertension sesame oil as their only cooking oil for 45 days. They knew what they used and were already taking atenolol and glibenclamide; there was no separate control group. When they were switched to palm or groundnut oil for 45 days, blood pressure rose again. Plasma glucose, HbA1c and LDL also fell on sesame oil.
Sesamin capsules lowered systolic pressure 3.5 mm Hg in mild hypertension
In this double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial, 25 people took 60 mg of sesamin a day in capsules, not seeds, for 4 weeks. Neither the people nor the researchers knew who got the real capsules. Diastolic pressure fell 1.9 mm Hg. It was a small trial of a supplement.
Sesame oral immunotherapy fully desensitized 88.4% of allergic patients
This non-randomized study followed 60 patients aged 4 or older with proven sesame allergy who started immunotherapy. None of the 15 who kept avoiding sesame were desensitized. Reactions occurred with 4.7% of hospital doses and 1.9% of home doses, and the authors say it should be done only in specialized centers. This is a medical treatment, not a diet.
An estimated 0.49% of Americans report a current sesame allergy
This survey asked 78,851 people (40,453 adults and 38,408 children) in 2015 and 2016. Of them, 0.23% had symptoms that fit a true IgE-mediated allergy. Of those with a convincing sesame allergy, 23.6 to 37.2% had a severe reaction and 33.7% had used epinephrine. Most (81.6%) had at least one other food allergy, and the data come from questionnaires.
Only 0.10% of Canadians reported a sesame allergy, against 1.00% for peanut
This random telephone survey reached 3,613 Canadian households (9,667 people) in 2008 and 2009. Tree nut allergy was reported by 1.22%, and probable sesame allergy by 0.09%. Confirmed allergy was much lower, because few people had confirmatory tests. These data are older than the US survey above.
Children with peanut plus tree nut reactions: 10.2 times sesame odds
This review of past charts covered 191 children who had skin prick tests for sesame. A positive peanut test went with an odds ratio of 6.7 for sesame sensitization, and a positive tree nut test with 10.5. Allergy to coconut did not follow peanut or tree nut allergy.
1 mg or less of sesame protein caused no objective reaction
This analysis covered oral food challenges in 250 allergic patients at an Israeli hospital, including 338 positive and 158 safe-dose challenges. No challenge at that dose caused an objective (observable) reaction. The dose expected to trigger a reaction in 1% of this group was 0.8 mg of sesame protein, and in 5% it was 3.4 mg. Itchy mouth followed doses of 1 mg or less in 11.6% of patients.
In lab cells, sesamin cut inflammation marker ICAM-1 35 to 70%
This lab study used human aortic endothelial cells, which line the main artery. Sesamin at 10 or 100 µM (micromolar) reduced TNF-alpha-induced ICAM-1 by 35 or 70%. In apolipoprotein-E-deficient mice, it reduced thickening of the artery wall. Cell doses like these are not what people get from eating seeds.
In rats, sesamin raised liver fat-burning enzymes over 10-fold
Rats ate diets with 0 to 0.5% sesamin for 15 days. On the highest dose, 0.5%, peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation rose more than 10-fold and mitochondrial activity almost doubled, while fatty acid synthase activity fell. The authors link this to sesamin lowering blood lipids in rats.
Sesamin improved blood fats and fatty liver in fat-fed rats
These were Sprague-Dawley rats with fatty liver caused by a high-fat diet, given the pure compound. Sesamin lowered serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and free fatty acids, more at higher doses, and raised HDL. Liver X receptor alpha and PPAR-alpha signaling changed too.
A sesame oil diet reduced atherosclerotic lesions in mice
Female LDL-receptor knockout mice ate an atherogenic diet or the same diet made with sesame oil for 3 months. Sesame oil lowered plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, and changed liver genes involved in cholesterol handling. Mice are not people.
Who should be careful with sesame seeds
Most people can eat sesame seeds freely. Take a little care if one of these applies:
- Sesame allergy. Sesame has been a labeled major allergen in the US since January 1, 2023. The EU lists sesame seeds among its 14 labeled allergens. In a US survey, 0.23% of people had a convincing sesame allergy, and 23.6 to 37.2% of them had had a severe reaction. So read labels every time, including tahini and spice blends that name sesame.
- Peanut or tree nut allergy. Sesame allergy often goes along with them. In a chart review of 191 children, those with both peanut and tree nut reactions had 10.2 times the odds of a sesame reaction. Ask your allergist before trying sesame.
How to choose, store and eat sesame seeds
- Whole or ground: in 16 women eating 25 g of unground seeds a day, fats and lignans were absorbed but blood lipids did not change. The two trials with LDL drops used 40 and 50 g a day.
- Hulled or unhulled: 100 g of whole dried seeds has 975 mg of calcium in USDA data, against about 60 mg for dried hulled kernels.
- Tahini: CDC (the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) traced two separate US Salmonella outbreaks to tahini. The first caused 8 cases in 4 states (2018 to 2019) from Achdut products, and the second 4 cases in 3 states (2019) from Karawan. Check recall notices.
No trial here compares white and black seeds or brands, so choose by taste and a clear label. One residue episode is on record. In autumn 2020 the EU found ethylene oxide above its legal limit of 0.05 mg/kg in sesame seeds from India. These seeds, and products made from them, reached 24 member states and 9 other countries.
The Commission then proposed mandatory pre-export testing and checks on 50% of consignments from India.
Sources
- Allergic to sesame? Food labels now must list sesame as an allergen. US Food and Drug Administration.
- An update on sesame allergen labeling on food packages. FDA Voices. 2023.
- Allergies. European Commission, Food Safety.
- Warren CM, Chadha AS, Sicherer SH, Jiang J, Gupta RS. Prevalence and severity of sesame allergy in the United States. JAMA Netw Open. 2019.
- Stutius LM, Sheehan WJ, Rangsithienchai P, et al. Characterizing the relationship between sesame, coconut, and nut allergy in children. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2010.
- Dreskin SC, Koppelman SJ, Andorf S, et al. The importance of the 2S albumins for allergenicity and cross-reactivity of peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame seeds. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2021.
- Coulman KD, Liu Z, Michaelides J, Quan Hum W, Thompson LU. Fatty acids and lignans in unground whole flaxseed and sesame seed are bioavailable but have minimal antioxidant and lipid-lowering effects in postmenopausal women. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009.
- Wu WH, Kang YP, Wang NH, Jou HJ, Wang TA. Sesame ingestion affects sex hormones, antioxidant status, and blood lipids in postmenopausal women. J Nutr. 2006.
- Alipoor B, Haghighian MK, Sadat BE, Asghari M. Effect of sesame seed on lipid profile and redox status in hyperlipidemic patients. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2012.
- Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried (SR Legacy, FDC 170150). USDA FoodData Central.
- Seeds, sesame seed kernels, dried (decorticated) (SR Legacy, FDC 169412). USDA FoodData Central.
- 2018 Salmonella infections linked to tahini from Achdut Ltd.: final update. CDC. 2019.
- Food safety alert: Salmonella outbreak linked to Karawan brand tahini. CDC. 2019.
- Achdut recalls multiple brands of tahini because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. US Food and Drug Administration.
- Food and Feed Crisis Coordinators meeting of 9 October 2020 on high levels of ethylene oxide detected in sesame seeds imported from India: summary record. European Commission.
History of sesame seeds
Sesame is among the oldest crops grown for oil. In a 1986 review, Bedigian and Harlan report charred sesame from Harappa. It came from a layer at this Indus civilization site dated to 3050 to 3500 BC.
They also argue that the Mesopotamian oil plant written še-giš-Ì was sesame. They say the crop and one of its oil names, ellu, came from India.
Sesame reached Egypt early. According to Wikipedia, baskets of it were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, from about 1350 BC. It also appears in the Ebers Papyrus of about 1550 BC, the same source says. Where it was first domesticated is still discussed: the species name indicum means “of India,” while some researchers think Ethiopia.
The word itself is old. English sesame comes through Latin sesamum and Greek sēsamon from ancient Semitic words such as Akkadian šamaššamu. In the American South the seed is also called benne. That name was first recorded in English in 1769, from the Gullah word benne.
Ripe sesame capsules split open and spill their seed. So farmers often cut the plants and stand them upright to let the rest drop out. A non-shattering mutant was found in 1943, but shattering still limits production.
The phrase “open sesame” entered European literature through Antoine Galland. He included the story of Ali Baba in his French edition of the Arabian Nights (1704 to 1717). He had heard it from the Syrian storyteller Hanna Diyab.
In 2024 the world grew about 6.7 million tonnes of sesame. Wikipedia lists India, Myanmar and Sudan as the top three producers, together about a third of the total. Scientists sequenced the sesame genome in 2014. They found about 27,148 genes, with an expansion of genes linked to oil production.
Sources
- Bedigian D, Harlan JR. Evidence for cultivation of sesame in the ancient world. Econ Bot. 1986.
- Wang L, Yu S, Tong C, et al. Genome sequencing of the high oil crop sesame provides insight into oil biosynthesis. Genome Biol. 2014.
- Sesame. Wikipedia.
- Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Wikipedia.
Frequently asked questions about sesame seeds
Are sesame seeds good for you?
For most people, yes, in small amounts. One tablespoon (9 g) has 52 kcal, 1.1 g of fiber and 41% of the US Daily Value for copper. Trials of seeds, tahini and oil hint at lower triglycerides and blood pressure. But they are small, no sesame finding here reaches strong evidence, and the main risk is allergy.
Do sesame seeds lower cholesterol or blood pressure?
Not clearly. Across 10 controlled trials, sesame lowered triglycerides by 0.24 mmol/L but did not significantly change total or LDL cholesterol. In 24 postmenopausal women, 50 g a day lowered LDL by 10%, yet 25 g a day changed nothing in 33 overweight adults.
For blood pressure, pooled trials show a 7.83 mm Hg systolic drop, but only 3.23 mm Hg in the better-designed ones. A 2025 analysis rated that evidence very low certainty.
How many sesame seeds should you eat a day?
No study here sets an ideal amount, but trials used 25 g, 40 g or 50 g of seeds a day. Others used 2.52 g of black sesame meal in capsules, or 50 g of tahini once. A tablespoon is 9 g, so 40 g is a little over 4 tablespoons and roughly 230 kcal. If you are allergic, avoid sesame at any amount.
Are sesame seeds high in calcium?
Whole seeds are, hulled ones much less so. Whole dried seeds have 975 mg of calcium per 100 g, and one tablespoon (9 g) has 87.8 mg, 7% of the US Daily Value. USDA data for dried hulled kernels show about 60 mg per 100 g. No study here measured how well the calcium is absorbed.
Is tahini healthy?
It is ground sesame, so it carries the same nutrients and the same allergen. The one tahini trial here, in 20 healthy men, found lower diastolic blood pressure and pulse 4 hours after 50 g. But blood triglycerides rose, and the study had no comparison food. Check recall notices: tahini caused US Salmonella outbreaks, 8 cases from Achdut products in 2018 to 2019 and 4 from Karawan in 2019.
Are black or white sesame seeds healthier?
No trial here compares them: black sesame meal was used in a 30-person blood pressure trial. White seeds were used in a 38-person trial in people with high blood lipids. Color is a separate question from hulling, which changes calcium. Whole seeds have 975 mg per 100 g, and dried hulled kernels about 60 mg.
Is sesame a nut, and can people with nut allergies eat it?
Sesame is a seed, and the FDA lists it as its own major allergen, apart from peanuts and tree nuts. The allergies often overlap. In a chart review of 191 children, those with both peanut and tree nut reactions had 10.2 times the odds of a sesame reaction. If you have a nut allergy, ask your allergist before eating sesame or tahini.
Are sesame seeds high in protein?
Moderately. Dried whole seeds have 17.7 g of protein per 100 g, about 12% of their calories, but a tablespoon has only 1.6 g. Lysine is the limiting amino acid, giving a protein completeness score of 63 out of 100. Fat supplies 76% of the calories, so sesame works best as an addition to meals.