Sesame seeds, whole
Checked by us One serving: 30 g (about 3 tablespoons) · 172 kcal
Lots of calcium, magnesium and iron. Rich in 3 more nutrients: see Good for.
Worth knowing: aflatoxins.
Worth knowing for some people: choking risk under age 4.
Good for
How we counted this
What one serving (30 g) gives you.
Your body needs enough of each of these. Past enough, more doesn’t help. Amounts are what the food databases list, not what your body absorbs, unless a row says it was measured.
The words: “A lot” means one serving gives 20% or more of Health Canada’s daily amount, “Some” 10% to 19%, “A little” 2% to 9%, “Almost none” under 2%. Strongest word first; within a word, protein and fibre lead, then the biggest share. ?
A milligram (mg) is a thousandth of a gram, and a microgram (µg) a thousandth of a milligram: 1,000 µg make 1 mg.
- A lot
Calcium
Builds your bones and teeth.
Learn more
293 mg in one serving: 29% of the 1,000 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, calcium fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Magnesium
Your muscles and nerves need it to work.
Learn more
105 mg in one serving: 26% of the 400 mg a day men need, 34% of the 310 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, magnesium fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Iron
Carries oxygen in your blood.
Learn more
4.37 mg in one serving: 55% of the 8 mg a day men need, 24% of the 18 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, iron fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Zinc
Your immune system and healing wounds depend on it.
Learn more
2.33 mg in one serving: 21% of the 11 mg a day men need, 29% of the 8 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, zinc fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents)
More than 400 of your enzymes need it to work.
Learn more
3.23 mg in one serving: 20% of the 16 mg a day men need, 23% of the 14 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, niacin fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Thiamin (B1)
Your cells use it to get energy from food, and so to grow and work.
Learn more
0.24 mg in one serving: 20% of the 1.2 mg a day men need, 22% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, thiamin fact sheet for health professionals
16 more nutrients below “a lot”
- Some
Protein
Your muscles, and every other tissue, are built and repaired from it.
Learn more
5.32 g in one serving: 10% of the 56 g a day men need, 12% of the 46 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- Some
Selenium
Your thyroid uses it to make its hormones.
Learn more
10.3 µg in one serving: 19% of the 55 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, selenium fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Vitamin B6
Helps you use protein, and your brain needs it to make its chemical messengers.
Learn more
0.24 mg in one serving: 18% of the 1.3 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B6 fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Fibre
Keeps your gut moving.
Learn more
3.54 g in one serving: 9% of the 38 g a day men need, 14% of the 25 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- A little
Folate
Your body needs it to make DNA and to divide new cells.
Learn more
29.1 µg in one serving: 7% of the 400 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, folate fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Omega-3: ALA
The one omega-3 your body can’t make: it must come from food. Your cells build it into their membranes and burn it for energy.
Learn more
113 mg in one serving: 7% of the 1,600 mg a day men need, 10% of the 1,100 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Riboflavin (B2)
Your cells use it to make energy and handle fats. It also helps turn tryptophan into niacin and activate vitamin B6.
Learn more
0.07 mg in one serving: 5% of the 1.3 mg a day men need, 6% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, riboflavin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Potassium
Your nerves, muscles and kidneys need it to work.
Learn more
140 mg in one serving: 4% of the 3,400 mg a day men need, 5% of the 2,600 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, potassium fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Choline
Your cells need it for their membranes, and to make acetylcholine, a messenger for memory, mood and muscle control.
Learn more
7.68 mg in one serving: 1% of the 550 mg a day men need, 2% of the 425 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, choline fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin E
Shields the fats in your cells from damage; your immune system uses it too.
Learn more
0.08 mg in one serving: 1% of the 15 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin E fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Omega-3: EPA + DHA
Long-chain omega-3s, built into your cell membranes. DHA is concentrated in your brain and retinas.
Learn more
0 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 250 mg a day.
Health Canada sets no daily amount for these fats, so the daily figure here is the European Food Safety Authority’s.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin A
Your eyes need it to see in dim light.
Learn more
Getting enough matters; more than enough doesn’t sharpen your sight.
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 900 µg a day men need, under 1% of the 700 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin A fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin B12
Your body needs it to make red blood cells and keep nerves working.
Learn more
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 2.4 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin C
Your body makes collagen with it, which wounds need to heal. It also helps you absorb iron from plants.
Learn more
0 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 90 mg a day men need, under 1% of the 75 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin C fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin D
Your body needs it to absorb calcium and keep your bones hard.
Learn more
Your skin also makes it in sunlight, so food is only one of its sources.
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 15 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin D fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin K1
Your blood needs it to clot.
Learn more
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 120 µg a day men need, under 1% of the 90 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin K fact sheet for health professionals
Watch out
How we counted this
Aflatoxins
Worth knowingRated on the lower bound only (none detected): adds nothing to EFSA's lower-bound adult average of 0.22-0.49 ng/kg body weight/day. The upper bound is missing because the report gives no detection limit and no sesame sample count, and the method needs both bounds, so it stays a flag, as corn tortilla does.
Learn more
Cadmium
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 2.7 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to use up what an average adult’s intake leaves under the limit.
Learn more
One serving carries 2.7 µg
How we got this
A serving a day adds 15% to what an average adult already takes in: a share of that intake, not of the limit. With that serving every day, an average adult would be at about 81% of the limit.
An average adult already takes in about 71% of the limit. One serving a day fits in the room left.
Counted from zero, with no allowance for what adults already take in from other food, 2,000 g a week would reach the limit.
Why this rating: Eating it daily comes to 210 g a week, which stays within the 570 g of room left before the limit.
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: under the limit
A daily serving adds 15% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap.
Checked for lead: fine at normal amounts.
Lead
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 39 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to double the lead an average adult already gets. No dose is known to be safe, so doubling is where we flag.
Learn more
A serving a day adds 2.6% to what an average adult already takes in. There is no limit to take a share of.
One serving carries 0.9 µg
How we got this
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake
Adds about 2.6% to EFSA's average adult intake of 35 µg a day. The mean is over the 9% of samples with a quantifiable result, so it overstates; the true mean including non-detects is lower.
For some people
Health Canada lists seeds among foods not safe for children under four; sesame is not named, so whole sesame falls under the category.
Worth knowing
No limit applies, so none is rated.
Sugar
0.1 g of sugar in a 30 g serving, natural and added together.
Learn more
Shown, not rated. The food tables we read give total sugar, and few give added sugar, so the site can’t yet tell sugar added in making a food from the sugar in fruit or milk.
Also measured in it
Figures from the dataset. None has a limit to be rated against, so none is a verdict.
Oxalate: 3,800 mg per 100 g in the sources we hold. · Siener 2021 · grade B
We haven’t rated this food for oxalate. We count only a figure that comes from a grade A or B source and says it was measured per 100 g of the food as eaten, and none of the figures here does both.
Phytate, as the source gives it: mean of 10 varieties 284.5 mg/100 g, 'wet base' (Table 3 title); reported as 'phytate' (wet base); 14.14 mg/g (= 1,414 mg/100 g), 'phytic acid' (not stated (fresh/dry not given)) · Deme 2017, Yang 2024 · grade A, B
These come from different samples and are given on different bases (as the food was analysed, or per gram of dry matter), so the figures can’t be compared with each other.
Phytate (also written InsP6, IP6 or phytic acid), the form in which plants store phosphorus, is found in whole grains, beans and nuts. It binds zinc in the gut and lowers how much zinc and plant (non-heme) iron you absorb. No limit applies.
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Zinc fact sheet · NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Iron fact sheet
Also checked (nothing to act on) · 3
Noted for context, or not measured in this food yet.
Not measured in this food yet. Cannot be rated: the EU primary documents (RASFF, Implementing Regulation 2020/1540 on EUR-Lex) were not reachable (empty responses), and no Canadian occurrence data was found. Only a secondary news report that Indian sesame seeds triggered recalls across Europe in 2020.
Shown as context, not rated: no agency sets a dose for Salmonella, and the agency rule, cooking, does not apply to sesame eaten as a topping. In CFIA's 2011-12 survey, Salmonella was not found in any of 595 sesame seed samples.
Shown as context: Ireland's food safety authority found Salmonella in 2 of 76 sesame seed samples collected in 2010; both led to recalls, with no illnesses reported.
Better options
How we counted this
“Better” here always means better at something the row names: more of one nutrient, more nutrients per serving, or the goal you pick. It never means better in every way.
Every amount below is for the same weight, 30 g, the size of one serving of this food, so a swap compares like with like. A serving of another food can be bigger or smaller.
A food is listed only if it gives clearly more: at least a fifth more than this food, and at least 10% of the daily amount more.
More of what it’s good for
More magnesium
Pumpkin seeds150 mg in 30 g (this food: 105 mg) · but less calcium and iron
Amounts as listed, not adjusted for how much gets in.
For calcium: no other toppings we’ve checked give clearly more, in the same 30 g.
For iron: no other toppings we’ve checked give clearly more, in the same 30 g.
More nutrients per serving, counted together
The other toppings we’ve checked with more nutrients per serving than this one, counting at most 100 kcal. One score ranks them all, so the same few often lead.
Chia seeds, ground- More omega-3: ALA (5,349 mg vs 113 mg)
- More fibre (10.3 g vs 3.54 g)
- More selenium (16.6 µg vs 10.3 µg)
- Less iron (2.32 mg vs 4.37 mg)
- Less calcium (189 mg vs 293 mg)
1 food out of the 6 other toppings we’ve checked and could compare gives clearly more nutrients per serving.
Where the calcium card measured that less calcium gets in than from milk, calcium counts for less; everything else is as listed.
Your goal
Your goal changes only this list, not what the food gives you or what to watch.
Losing weight: fewer calories, and more nutrients, protein and fibre for each calorie.
- Chia seeds, ground
- More fibre (10.3 g vs 3.54 g)
- More omega-3: ALA (5,349 mg vs 113 mg)
- More selenium (16.6 µg vs 10.3 µg)
- Less iron (2.32 mg vs 4.37 mg)
- Less calcium (189 mg vs 293 mg)
Chia seeds- More fibre (10.3 g vs 3.54 g)
- More omega-3: ALA (5,349 mg vs 113 mg)
- More selenium (16.6 µg vs 10.3 µg)
- Less iron (1.81 mg vs 4.37 mg)
- Less vitamin B6 (0.06 mg vs 0.24 mg)
Parmesan- 118 kcal in 30 g (this food: 172)
- More vitamin B12 (0.36 µg vs 0 µg)
- Less magnesium (13.2 mg vs 105 mg)
- Less iron (0.25 mg vs 4.37 mg)
Building muscle: more protein and more calories, per 100 g.
Almonds, raw would lead this list, but it’s left out (Aflatoxins: go easy).
Why some foods aren’t suggested
Left out: Almonds, raw (Aflatoxins: go easy).
Bring a tracker export or describe your usual week. The same rules check all of it.
The numbers
Open every value
Name in the database: Sesame seeds, whole, dried
How the serving was set: Reference amount: nearest row. 30 g (Health Canada O.1, nuts and seeds not for use as snacks; reference amount '30 g shelled')
Listed nutrients, per 100 g
For each nutrient, the value this page uses is marked “used”. A row marked “second database” is another database’s figure for a matching food, kept so you can see how far databases disagree (they can differ in the samples analysed, lab methods and rounding). Its own cells are worked out from it, but none of the page’s words or scores are.
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3: ALA | 0.376 g | 0.11 g | 0.07 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Calcium | 975 mg | 292.5 mg | 170.16 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 670 mg | 201 mg | 116.93 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| 989 mg | 296.7 mg | 172.6 mg | copy of USDA · not used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #2521 | C | |
| Carbohydrate | 23.45 g | 7.04 g | 4.09 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Choline | 25.6 mg | 7.68 mg | 4.47 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Energy | 573 kcal | 171.9 kcal | – | FDC Energy (kcal) used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) | – |
| Omega-3: EPA + DHA | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Fat | 49.67 g | 14.9 g | 8.67 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 58 g | 17.4 g | 10.12 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 6.957 g | 2.09 g | 1.21 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Fibre | 11.8 g | 3.54 g | 2.06 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Folate | 97 µg | 29.1 µg | 16.93 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 97 µg | 29.1 µg | 16.93 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Iron | 14.55 mg | 4.37 mg | 2.54 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 10.4 mg | 3.12 mg | 1.82 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Magnesium | 351 mg | 105.3 mg | 61.26 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 370 mg | 111 mg | 64.57 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents) | 10.764 mg | 3.23 mg | 1.88 mg | listed used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #2521 | C |
| Phosphorus | 629 mg | 188.7 mg | 109.77 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 720 mg | 216 mg | 125.65 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Potassium | 468 mg | 140.4 mg | 81.68 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 570 mg | 171 mg | 99.48 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Protein | 17.73 g | 5.32 g | 3.09 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 18.2 g | 5.46 g | 3.18 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.247 mg | 0.07 mg | 0.04 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 0.17 mg | 0.05 mg | 0.03 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Selenium | 34.4 µg | 10.32 µg | 6 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Sodium | 11 mg | 3.3 mg | 1.92 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 20 mg | 6 mg | 3.49 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Sugars | 0.3 g | 0.09 g | 0.05 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 0.4 g | 0.12 g | 0.07 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.791 mg | 0.24 mg | 0.14 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 0.93 mg | 0.28 mg | 0.16 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.79 mg | 0.24 mg | 0.14 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 0.75 mg | 0.23 mg | 0.13 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Vitamin E | 0.25 mg | 0.08 mg | 0.04 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 2.53 mg | 0.76 mg | 0.44 mg | second database · not used · 10.1× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Vitamin K1 | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Water | 4.69 g | 1.41 g | 0.82 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 4.6 g | 1.38 g | 0.8 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Zinc | 7.75 mg | 2.33 mg | 1.35 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 5.3 mg | 1.59 mg | 0.92 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C |
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-carotene | 5 µg | 1.5 µg | 0.87 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 6 µg | 1.8 µg | 1.05 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Copper | 4.082 mg | 1.22 mg | 0.71 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 1.46 mg | 0.44 mg | 0.25 mg | second database · not used · 2.8× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Ash | 4.45 g | 1.34 g | 0.78 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Theobromine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Energy | 2,397 kj | 719.1 kj | 418.32 kj | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Vitamin A, IU | 9 iu | 2.7 iu | 1.57 iu | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Carotene, alpha | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0 iu | 0 iu | 0 iu | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Folic acid | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Folate, food | 97 µg | 29.1 µg | 16.93 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Folate, DFE | 97 µg | 29.1 µg | 16.93 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Tryptophan | 0.388 g | 0.12 g | 0.07 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Threonine | 0.736 g | 0.22 g | 0.13 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Isoleucine | 0.763 g | 0.23 g | 0.13 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Leucine | 1.358 g | 0.41 g | 0.24 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Lysine | 0.569 g | 0.17 g | 0.1 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Methionine | 0.586 g | 0.18 g | 0.1 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Cystine | 0.358 g | 0.11 g | 0.06 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Phenylalanine | 0.94 g | 0.28 g | 0.16 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Tyrosine | 0.743 g | 0.22 g | 0.13 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Valine | 0.99 g | 0.3 g | 0.17 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Arginine | 2.63 g | 0.79 g | 0.46 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Histidine | 0.522 g | 0.16 g | 0.09 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Alanine | 0.927 g | 0.28 g | 0.16 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Aspartic acid | 1.646 g | 0.49 g | 0.29 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Glutamic acid | 3.955 g | 1.19 g | 0.69 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Glycine | 1.215 g | 0.36 g | 0.21 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Proline | 0.81 g | 0.24 g | 0.14 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Serine | 0.967 g | 0.29 g | 0.17 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Vitamin E, added | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| SFA 4:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| SFA 6:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| SFA 8:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| SFA 10:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| SFA 12:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.124 g | 0.04 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| SFA 16:0 | 4.441 g | 1.33 g | 0.78 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| SFA 18:0 | 2.09 g | 0.63 g | 0.36 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| MUFA 18:1 | 18.521 g | 5.56 g | 3.23 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| PUFA 18:2 | 21.375 g | 6.41 g | 3.73 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.376 g | 0.11 g | 0.07 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.149 g | 0.04 g | 0.03 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.07 g | 0.02 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Phytosterols | 714 mg | 214.2 mg | 124.61 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 18.759 g | 5.63 g | 3.27 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 21.773 g | 6.53 g | 3.8 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| Manganese | 2.46 mg | 0.74 mg | 0.43 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 1.5 mg | 0.45 mg | 0.26 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Niacin (B3, preformed) | 4.515 mg | 1.35 mg | 0.79 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 5 mg | 1.5 mg | 0.87 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.05 mg | 0.02 mg | 0.01 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 2.14 mg | 0.64 mg | 0.37 mg | second database · not used · 42.8× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C | |
| Retinol | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170150 | C |
| 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #14-844 | C |
Change the amount to rescale the first column. Nutrients a database doesn't list are missing, not zero.
Absorption studies
Studies of how much of a nutrient gets in; those done in animals are marked. This page quotes a figure only from a study that passes our screen: adults, graded A, of this food in this preparation, with a test dose on record and a source that has passed our evidence check. The exception is calcium on our calcium card: its figure comes from the card’s own study, checked with the card, and is marked “used” even where that study misses a step of this screen. The others are listed so nothing is hidden, each with the first check it fails.
No study of this food passes the screen yet, so no absorption figure is quoted.
| Study | Nutrient | Absorbed | Test dose | People | Grade | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooney et al. 2001: sesame seeds not stated · sesame seeds baked into muffins · 5 mg gamma-tocopherol a day for 3 days from sesame seeds in muffins (stated as "equivalent amounts" across seed, walnut and soy-oil muffins) abstract only | Vitamin E | – | not reported | 9 | A | Not used: it measures something other than the share absorbed. |
Hazard rows as the dataset rates them
- Aflatoxins · Worth knowing · Rated on the lower bound only (none detected): adds nothing to EFSA's lower-bound adult average of 0.22-0.49 ng/kg body weight/day. The upper bound is missing because the report gives no detection limit and no sesame sample count, and the method needs both bounds, so it stays a flag, as corn tortilla does. · CFIA 2015–2016 · A
- Cadmium · Nothing to watch: under the limit · A daily serving adds 15% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap. · CFIA 2018–2019 · B
- Choking risk under age 4 · Worth knowing · Health Canada lists seeds among foods not safe for children under four; sesame is not named, so whole sesame falls under the category. · Health Canada, Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants: Recommendations… · B
- Ethylene oxide residues · Not rated yet · Cannot be rated: the EU primary documents (RASFF, Implementing Regulation 2020/1540 on EUR-Lex) were not reachable (empty responses), and no Canadian occurrence data was found. Only a secondary news report that Indian sesame seeds triggered recalls across Europe in 2020. · Foodsafetynews 2020 · B
- Lead · Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake · Adds about 2.6% to EFSA's average adult intake of 35 µg a day. The mean is over the 9% of samples with a quantifiable result, so it overstates; the true mean including non-detects is lower. · CFIA 2018–2019 · B
- Salmonella · Context · Shown as context, not rated: no agency sets a dose for Salmonella, and the agency rule, cooking, does not apply to sesame eaten as a topping. In CFIA's 2011-12 survey, Salmonella was not found in any of 595 sesame seed samples. · CFIA 2011–2012 · A
- Salmonella · Context · Shown as context: Ireland's food safety authority found Salmonella in 2 of 76 sesame seed samples collected in 2010; both led to recalls, with no illnesses reported. · FSAI 2012 · A
- Sesame allergy · Worth knowing · Sesame is a Health Canada priority allergen; can cause anaphylaxis. · Health Canada, priority allergens · A
Oxalate, phytate and gut-tolerance measurements
- fodmap excess fructose: 0.28 g/100 g · g/100 g of oven-dried ground seed (moisture not stated) · raw (unprocessed) sesame seeds, oven-dried at 50 C for 24 h, then ground · grade A · Alowo 2025
- fodmap excess fructose: 0.41 g/100 g · g/100 g of oven-dried ground seed (moisture not stated) · sesame seeds dry-roasted on a hot plate at 90-100 C for 10 min, then ground (laboratory roast, not a commercial roast) · grade A · Alowo 2025
- fodmap fructan: low FODMAP up to 51 g; moderate fructans from 52 g (Monash thresholds as of August 2026, read second-hand) g per serve (thresholds, no concentration) · as eaten · sesame seeds (white, per older Monash notes) · grade B · George Eats, Low FODMAP nuts and seeds
- fodmap fructan: 0.83 g/100 g · g/100 g of oven-dried ground seed (moisture not stated) · raw (unprocessed) sesame seeds, oven-dried at 50 C for 24 h, then ground · grade A · Alowo 2025
- fodmap fructan: 0.49 g/100 g · g/100 g of oven-dried ground seed (moisture not stated) · sesame seeds dry-roasted on a hot plate at 90-100 C for 10 min, then ground (laboratory roast, not a commercial roast) · grade A · Alowo 2025
- fodmap gos: 1.93 g/100 g · g/100 g of oven-dried ground seed (moisture not stated) · raw (unprocessed) sesame seeds, oven-dried at 50 C for 24 h, then ground · grade A · Alowo 2025
- fodmap gos: 2.46 g/100 g · g/100 g of oven-dried ground seed (moisture not stated) · sesame seeds dry-roasted on a hot plate at 90-100 C for 10 min, then ground (laboratory roast, not a commercial roast) · grade A · Alowo 2025
- fodmap polyols: < quantification limit g/100 g · g/100 g of oven-dried ground seed (moisture not stated) · raw (unprocessed) sesame seeds, oven-dried at 50 C for 24 h, then ground · grade A · Alowo 2025
- oxalate soluble: 350 mg/100 g (as oxalic acid) · not stated · pulverised dried sesame seeds; free oxalic acid extracted into boiling water; ion chromatography · grade A · Ishii 1994
- oxalate total: 1750 mg/100 g (as oxalic acid) · not stated (extracted from the pulverised dried seed as it is; no dry-weight conversion given) · pulverised dried sesame seeds in a blender; total oxalic acid extracted into 0.1 M HCl; ion chromatography · grade A · Ishii 1994
- oxalate total: 1212–2415 mg/100 g (as oxalic acid; converted from 12.12-24.15 mg/g) · not stated; the detection limit/quantification limit are given on a defatted-sample mass basis, the basis of the results is not stated · whole sesame seed samples, HCl extraction at 80 C, HPLC (Zorbax SB-Aq, 0.1% phosphoric acid) · grade B · Wang 2025
- oxalate total: 3800 mg/100 g · not stated · not stated · grade B · Siener 2021
- phytate: mean of 10 varieties 284.5 mg/100 g, 'wet base' (Table 3 title); reported as 'phytate' · wet base · whole seed, cleaned of impurities and broken seeds, ground to powder; dehulling not mentioned · grade A · Deme 2017
- phytate: 14.14 mg/g (= 1,414 mg/100 g), 'phytic acid' · not stated (fresh/dry not given) · sesame seed, crushed in a 30 mg sample; 0.4 mol/L HCl extraction; modified iron-precipitation method · grade B · Yang 2024
- phytate: 11.63 mg/g (= 1,163 mg/100 g), 'phytic acid' · not stated · sesame seed; same modified iron-precipitation method · grade B · Yang 2024
Sources
- Alowo D, Olum S, Mukisa IM, Ongeng D. Effect of thermal and non-thermal processing on fermentable oligo-di-monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs) content in millet, sorghum, soybean and sesame varieties. Front Nutr 2025;12:1520510. · doi:10.3389/fnut.2025.1520510 · PMID 40135222
alowo-2025-fnut· full text read · CC BY 4.0 - CFIA, Aflatoxins in Selected Spices, Oilseeds, Rice and Rice Products, April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016
cfia-aflatoxins-2015-2016· page · Government of Canada terms (not checked) - CFIA, Pesticides and Metals in Selected Foods, April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019 (targeted survey report; Table 3, nut/seed products n = 470)
cfia-metals-2018-2019· page · Government of Canada terms (not checked; Open Government Licence not confirmed for the report page) - CFIA, 2011-2012 Salmonella and Generic E. coli in Tahini and Sesame Seeds
cfia-salmonella-sesame-tahini-2011-2012· page · Government of Canada terms (not checked) - Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File 2026 (14th edition)
cnf-2026· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - Public Health England, Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID) 2021
cofid-2021· dataset · Open Government Licence v3.0 - Deme T, Haki GD, Retta N, Woldegiorgis A, Geleta M. Mineral and anti-nutritional contents of niger seed (Guizotia abyssinica), linseed (Linum usitatissimum) and sesame (Sesamum indicum) varieties grown in Ethiopia. Foods 2017;6(4):27 · doi:10.3390/foods6040027
deme2017· full text read · licence not recorded - USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, 2018-04
fdc-sr-legacy-2018-04· dataset · CC0 1.0 (public domain) - Food Safety News, Multi-country recalls due to ethylene oxide in sesame seeds, 2020-09-30
foodsafetynews-eto-sesame-2020· page · Publisher copyright - Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Bacteriological and Chemical Safety of Ready-to-Eat Dried Seeds and Ready-to-Eat Nuts (10NS1), August 2012
fsai-10ns1-2012· full text read · unknown - George Eats, Low FODMAP nuts and seeds (dietitian page reproducing Monash University thresholds; header dated 29/03/2023 and 12/08/2026)
georgeats-lowfodmap-nuts-seeds· page · unknown (secondary reproduction of Monash data) - Health Canada, Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants: Recommendations from Six to 24 Months
hc-infant-nutrition-6-24-months· page · Government of Canada terms (Crown copyright; not OGL) - Health Canada, Common food allergens (priority allergens list)
hc-priority-allergens· page · Government of Canada terms (Crown copyright; not OGL) - Ishii Y, Takiyama K. Extraction of calcium, oxalate and calcium oxalate crystals from sesame seeds. Bunseki Kagaku 1994;43(2):151-155 · doi:10.2116/bunsekikagaku.43.151
ishii1994· abstract only · J-STAGE free access (licence terms not checked) - Cooney RV, Custer LJ, Okinaka L, Franke AA. Effects of dietary sesame seeds on plasma tocopherol levels. Nutr Cancer 2001;39:66-71. · doi:10.1207/s15327914nc391_9 · PMID 11588904
pmid:11588904· abstract only · licence not recorded - Siener R. Nutrition and kidney stone disease. Nutrients 2021;13(6):1917 (secondary table; sesame value attributed to Hönow & Hesse 2002, Food Chem 78:511-521) · doi:10.3390/nu13061917
siener2021-kidney-stones· full text read · CC BY 4.0 (MDPI; not checked on the page) - Wang D, Wu Z, Shi H, An H, Jiang Y. Determination of oxalic acid in sesame seed and sesame paste by high performance liquid chromatography. Zhongguo Youzhi 2025;50(4):133-139 (in Chinese) · doi:10.19902/j.cnki.zgyz.1003-7969.230614
wang2025-oxalate-hplc· abstract only · unknown (AGRIS record of a DOAJ-provided abstract) - Yang X, You J, Zhou R, Fang S, Zhang Y, Wu Z, Wang L. Establishment of high-throughput detection method for phytic acid content in sesame seeds and screening of low phytic acid germplasms. Scientia Agricultura Sinica 2024;57(12):2282-2294 · doi:10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.2024.12.002
yang2024-phytate-sesame· abstract only · unknown
Body map 2026-10-25.1: each nutrient’s job comes from an agency fact sheet, linked beside it under Good for.
The plain words: “a lot” means one serving (100 g when the food has no serving size) gives at least 20% of the daily amount (the reference intake), “some” at least 10%, “a little” at least 2% (the cut-offs are ours, one set for every page: 20% and 10% are borrowed from the US labelling terms “high” and “good source” and applied to Health Canada’s daily amount, whereas Health Canada’s own shopper rule says 15%; provisional: they may change in a later method version). The daily amount is Health Canada’s Dietary Reference Intake for adults 19–30; where men and women need different amounts we use the higher one (protein: 56 g for men, 46 g for women). The percentage printed under each nutrient is the printed amount as a share of that daily amount, rounded to the nearest whole number, and the word is read from that percentage, so the amount, the percentage and the word always agree. Calcium with a measured absorption is scaled by how well it gets in compared with milk.
The scale: “Nothing to watch” means a serving a day stays under the limit at ordinary amounts; “Go easy” means a serving a day can push past the limit for adults who already take in the most, or fewer than 2 servings reach it; “Limit it” means once a week or less. The dataset’s own rating is under “How we got this”. Provisional: the scale may change in a later method version.
Measured absorption under Good for: grade-A studies in adults that tested this preparation of this food, as a share of the listed amount (the share digested, for protein), quoted once each source has passed our evidence check; animal studies and other variants stay in the table above. Provisional: this screen may change in a later method version.