Nut and Seed Butters: Why I Switched to Tahini (2024)

FAQs

Nut and Seed Butters: Why I Switched to Tahini? ›

Tahini is also a versatile ingredient because it's flavor is more neutral than most nut butters. Few people have seed allergies. It's a great to have a jar in your refrigerator (sesame seeds can spoil easily so refrigeration is recommended).

Tahini is lower in carbohydrates and sugars than peanut butter is making it a better choice for people who follow low-carb diets, Politi notes. Both foods are predominantly fat, though peanut butter has a little more protein, Young adds.

"One easy way to incorporate more sesame seeds into your diet is to replace your usual spread with tahini—an earthy nut butter alternative that's great on sandwiches or drizzled over roasted vegetables." It's easy to make your own tahini, says Yawitz.

Substitute butter with tahini in cookies

No more last-minute grocery runs when you're rushing to make cookies for a bake sale. Use tahini instead of butter in chocolate chip cookies or oatmeal raisin cookies. Replace every ½ cup of butter with a ½ cup of tahini and 1 tablespoon of water.

The seeds are ground until they form a thin paste-like sauce—it's the same process for making any type of nut butter, except that instead of cashews or almonds, you're using sesame seeds! Tahini is vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free; unless you have a sesame allergy, it's totally safe to eat.

Tahini offers multiple health benefits as evidenced by scientific studies and research. Its enormous nutritional value makes it an essential component of our daily diet.

Tahini also has selenium. It acts as an antioxidant and helps lower inflammation in the body. Studies show sesamol, a natural chemical found in sesame seeds and sesame oil, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging benefits. Other studies suggest it also has strong anti-cancer effects.

Do you need to refrigerate tahini? We recommend storing your tahini in a cool and dry area, away from heat and moisture. Ideally, a pantry a cabinet would be ideal. Like peanut butter, you can also store tahini in the refrigerator if you like it thicker.

How Does Tahini Taste? Tahini has a very earthy flavor and is slightly bitter, but not overpowering. Although the spread resembles peanut butter and other nut butters, it does not have a similarly sweet flavor profile. The toasted sesame seed flavor shines through in this creamy, rich ingredient.

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, which gives it a nutty, toasty and slightly bitter flavor. This means that it actually works really well in baking to balance out the sweetness of the bakes. I personally think that it pairs wonderfully well with chocolate and coffee aromas!

Why is tahini so expensive? ›

At the heart of every tahini jar lies the sesame seed. The quality of these seeds significantly influences the price. High-quality, ethically sourced sesame seeds can be pricier, contributing to the overall cost of the final product.

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds.

It's vegan, gluten-free, tastes nutty, and is incredibly simple to make. Store-bought jars of tahini can be expensive. Homemade tahini is not only cheaper, but it also tastes amazing.

Tahini with unhulled sesame seed contains more phytonutrients than peanut butter, and, for many people, is easier to digest than almond butter. Tahini is also a versatile ingredient because it's flavor is more neutral than most nut butters.

"Of all the nut butters, walnut butter has the most omega-3 fatty acids," Andrea says. The healthful fat ratio helps lower LDL cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol, and reduce inflammation.

When comparing the nutrition facts of almond butter to tahini, the two condiments are similar. Almond butter, while slightly higher in calories and fat, contains fewer carbohydrates and more protein. 4 You can use almond butter in a one-to-one ratio.

What makes tahini beneficial? Just like other seeds and nuts, sesame seeds within the sauce help lower cholesterol, provide dietary fiber for digestion, improve blood pressure, balance hormones and more.

Tahini is rich in polyunsaturated fats and bioactive plant compounds called lignans that have been shown to improve insulin secretion. In human studies, sesame consumption has been linked to improved serum glucose, hemoglobin A1C and insulin concentrations in patients with diabetes.