Health Benefits Of Tahini.

Dips or sauces made with nuts or seeds add a rich taste to the dish. Tahini is one such dip or paste made of ground
sesame seeds and is quite popular in the Middle East. Tahini nutrition and benefits can be attributed to its primary
ingredient sesame seeds. Besides, the creamy condiment is rich in protein, fiber, polyphenols like lignans, and
magnesium. These nutrients may help reduce cancer risk and improve brain and bone health. Moreover, tahini is
also suitable for people with nut allergies. In this videos, we discuss further the health benefits of tahini.

1. May Reduce Cancer Risk.

Sesame, the primary ingredient of tahini, contains lignans (polyphenolic compounds) like sesamin, sesamol,
sesaminol and sesamolin. These compounds are known to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant
properties. Studies suggest that these lignans may prevent the rapid growth of cancer cells by inducing apoptosis
(programmed cell death of such cells) and arresting the cell cycle. This, in turn, may help reduce the risk of lung,
breast, prostate, colon, liver, cervical, blood, and skin cancers. Sesame seeds also contain bioactive compounds
like phytosterols, whose chemical structure is very similar to that of cholesterol. Hence, phytosterol-rich diets may
help reduce cholesterol levels, enhance the immune response, and decrease the risk of certain cancers (3).
Similarly, lignans have a similar structure to estrogen. Sesamin and sesamol can bind to estrogen receptors and
potentially protect against hormone-related cancers.

2. May Relieve Arthritis Pain.

Osteoarthritis, one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, is said to have affected 15% of the population.
However, sesame may help relieve the painful symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (a condition where the cartilage in
the knee degenerates). Studies found that sesame intake (40g/day), along with standard drug therapy, had reduced
the pain intensity in knee osteoarthritis patients. Hence, sesame may be a viable adjunctive therapy. In another
study, sesame oil supplement was found to attenuate early joint pains in rats by preventing muscular oxidative
stress.

3. May Promote Bone Health.

Magnesium deficiency may cause osteoporosis (weak and brittle bones) by directly acting on bone cells. Besides,
it may also weaken bones by affecting the activity of the parathyroid hormone. Consuming tahini, a good source of
magnesium, may help improve magnesium levels in the body and enhance bone health. In a study, women whose
magnesium intake was more than 422 mg/day had a significantly higher bone mineral density of the hip and the
whole body.

4. May Improve Brain Health.

Sesame lignans are known to have neuroprotective effects. A study suggests that they suppress age-related
cognitive decline in mice by reducing oxidative stress in the brain. Hence, long-term intake of lignan-rich tahini
may help improve brain health and prevent cognitive decline. However, more studies are warranted to further
understand this benefit.

Referensi:
https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/tahini-benefits/