Nutritional Facts on Sesame Seeds

Nutritional Facts on Sesame Seeds
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According to the United States Department of Agriculture, it is important to include fish, nuts and seeds into your diet because they boost your intake of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which most of the fat in your diet should come from. Sesame seeds are in the meat and bean food group in the food pyramid. The daily recommendation for consumption of food in the meat and beans food group is between 5 and 6 oz., depending on your age, sex and level of physical activity. The values are based on 1 tbsp. whole, dried sesame seeds.

Basic Nutrition

Just 1 tbsp. sesame seeds contains 52 calories, 2 g of total carbohydrates and 1 g of dietary fiber. Based on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, these measurements represent 1 percent of the recommended daily value, or DV, for carbohydrates and 4 percent for dietary fiber. Additionally, 1 tbsp. provides 2 g of protein.

Calories

You will find 52 calories in 1 tbsp. of sesame seeds; this is 3 percent of the recommended daily value. Of this, 37 calories are from fat while the remaining calories are from carbohydrates and protein.

Fats

The total fat content is 4 g, which represents 7 percent of the recommended daily value; however only .6 g of this fat is saturated fat. The other fat comes from healthy unsaturated fats. One serving provides 1.7 g of monounsaturated fats and 2 g of polyunsaturated fats. You'll also gain heart-healthy fatty acids; 34 mg of omega-3 and 1,924 mg of omega-6.

Vitamins

Sesame seeds contain vitamins including vitamin A, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6 and choline. A tablespoon contains 8 mg of folate, which represents 2 percent daily recommended value.

Minerals

Sesame seeds are an excellent source of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, representing 9 percent, 6 percent and 8 percent daily recommended value, respectfully. Other minerals found in sesame seeds include iron, potassium, zinc, copper and selenium.

References

Article reviewed by Jessica Lyons Last updated on: Sep 28, 2010

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