Sesame

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Blood fat levels¹⁰

  In people, eating sesame lowered blood triglycerides but did not change cholesterol.

• Open question

  Food poisoning from imported seeds¹³

  Salmonella has been found in imported sesame seeds and has caused outbreaks worldwide.

• Benefit

  Blood pressure in people¹⁵

  In people with high blood pressure, cooking with sesame oil brought their blood pressure down to normal.

• Benefit

  Blood sugar and cholesterol¹⁸

  In people with type 2 diabetes, cooking with a sesame oil blend lowered blood sugar and cholesterol.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Heart and liver health²²

  In animal and lab studies, sesame seeds had antioxidant and cholesterol-lowering effects and protected the heart and liver.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Heart health¹⁹

  Sesamol, found in sesame oil, is being studied for how it may help protect the heart.

• Benefit

  Heart and brain health²⁰

  Sesame oil has nutrients that may help with heart and brain health, but it has not received enough research.

• Open question

  Food poisoning risk²¹

  Salmonella was found in sesame products like halvah, tahini and raw sesame seed sold for cereals.

Allergies and intolerances

These are about people with an allergy, an intolerance or coeliac disease. The signal is about the ingredient itself, and these are about the person eating it, so the signal does not count them.

• Allergy prevalence estimate²

  Sesame allergy affects 0.1 to 0.2 percent of people where sesame is eaten.

• Lifelong food allergy³

  Sesame can cause allergic reactions, and most children with sesame allergy do not outgrow it.

• Allergic reaction severity⁴

  Sesame can trigger allergic reactions in some people, ranging from mild symptoms to severe ones.

• Cross-reactive food reactions⁵

  Sesame can trigger allergic reactions, and it may also react in people allergic to peanut or tree nuts.

• Seed allergy risk⁶

  Sesame is the seed most often linked to allergic reactions, though scientists say it is still rarely reported.

• Food allergy in children⁷

  Sesame is now the ninth major food allergen in the US, affecting children.

• Long-lasting food allergy⁸

  In children, sesame allergy often lasted for years, especially when the first reaction was severe.

• Allergic reactions in children⁹

  Sesame was found in many Lebanese foods that did not list it, and eating these may trigger reactions in allergic children.

• Severe allergic reaction¹¹

  Sesame allergy is becoming more common, and the most frequent reaction is a severe, life-threatening one.

• Food allergy risk¹²

  Sesame allergy is being reported more often, and sesame can trigger serious allergic reactions in some people.

• Reaction to tiny doses¹⁴

  Some sesame allergic people reacted to very small amounts of sesame protein during food challenges.

• Severe food allergy in babies¹⁶

  In babies, sesame caused serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis in some under one year old.

• Food allergy in young children¹⁷

  Sesame was one of the most common food allergies in young Israeli children.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.