Nutrition of Sesame Seeds

The United States Department of Agriculture's Food Pyramid says that men and women ages nine and older should consume 5 to 6 ounces of meat, beans, nuts and seeds every day. Sesame seeds can be found atop bagels, in crackers and ground up into a paste as a peanut butter substitute. Sesame seeds can be part of a healthy diet.

General Nutritional Information

A suggested serving size of sesame seeds is 1/4 cup or 4 tbsp. However, it may be more realistic to assume the average consumption is 1 tbsp. The nutritional information for 1 tbsp of sesame seeds is calories: 52; calories from fat: 40 g; fat: 4.5g; saturated fat: 0.6 g; cholesterol: 0 mg; sodium: 1 mg; carbohydrates: 2.1 g; fiber: 1.1 g; protein: 1.6 g.

Vitamins

Sesame seeds are an adequate source of B vitamins, especially thiamine, niacin and B6, as well as folate. A tbsp of sesame seeds contains small amounts of vitamin A, most B vitamins, vitamin E and folate. Consumed in combination with other foods, sesame seeds can help to round daily nutritional values up.

Minerals

Sesame seeds contain more minerals than vitamins. Minerals are just as important as vitamins, but they are often overlooked. Sesame seeds are high in calcium, copper, magnesium and manganese. They also contain fair amounts of iron, phosphorus and zinc, as well as trace amounts of selenium and potassium.

Benefits

Sesame seeds are a good source of copper, so they may increase better bone health. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculature and Skin Diseases says, "Copper helps certain enzymes and local regulators function properly so that we can form the optimal bone matrix or structure for bone strength."

Moreover, sesame seeds provide 88 mg of calcium per 1 tbsp. Calcium is used by the body to strengthen bones and teeth, as well as to keep muscles and blood vessels healthy. World's Healthiest Foods warns that hulled seeds can contain less calcium. If tahini (a peanut butter substitute made of ground sesame seeds) is your main source of sesame seed consumption, take this fact into consideration.

Uses

Sesame seeds are found in many dishes, but not always noticed. A lot of Asian cuisine contains sesame seeds or oil. Some Asian cultures serve desserts made from ground sesame seeds. Many bread products, such as bagels and crackers, have sesame seeds on or within them. You can double up on your sesame consumption by putting tahini paste on crackers that are made of sesame seeds.