Nuts and seeds

Sesame seeds nutrition, and why the portion matters.

Weigh out 1 tbsp of sesame seeds and you are looking at 52 calories, with 1.6 g of protein inside them. In USDA’s database this is “Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried”. Set the serving below and the panel works it out, with the full nutrient table following your choice.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Numbers come from USDA FoodData Central records 170150, 170151 and are worked out locally, with no sign-up.

Calories in sesame seeds, serving by serving

USDA puts 1 tbsp of sesame seeds at 52 calories and 100 g at 573. Other household measures follow, each with its weighed gram figure.

How much protein does sesame seeds provide?

Expect 1.6 g of protein from 1 tbsp of sesame seeds, roughly 3 percent of a 50 g day. You would not choose sesame seeds for protein: just 12 percent of its calories come from it.

Of every 100 calories, 12 come from protein, 73 from fat and 15 from carbohydrate.

Sesame seeds, method by method

Each line compares 9 g of sesame seeds, prepared a different way.

What to know before you buy sesame seeds

Look for raw unhulled seeds for a bitter, complex taste, or hulled white ones for a milder flavour. Black sesame seeds offer a distinct, earthy depth. Avoid seeds that smell dull or dusty. Fresh seeds should have a faint, sweet, nutty aroma. Purchase them from shops with high turnover to ensure freshness.

Toasting releases the essential oils, changing the flavour from grassy to rich and nutty. Use a dry frying pan on moderate heat. Shake the pan constantly. The biggest mistake is walking away, as these tiny seeds scorch in moments. Burnt seeds turn intensely bitter and must be discarded.

Press raw seeds onto fish or tofu before searing to create a crunchy, textured crust. In Middle Eastern cookery, grind them into tahini paste. In East Asian kitchens, sprinkle toasted black seeds over rice dishes or incorporate them into sweet pastries. They pair exceptionally well with soy sauce, ginger, and honey.

Micronutrients in sesame seeds

The table follows the selector above, so change the serving or the method and every row updates. Values are per serving, not per 100 g, unless you pick 100 g.

Sesame seeds packs 12 g of fibre into 100 g, covering 42 percent of what the label rules call a day’s worth.

Sesame seeds against a daily budget

1 tbsp of sesame seeds uses 3 percent of a 2,000 calorie day and returns 3 percent of the protein reference. Your own budget is probably not 2,000; the TDEE calculator works it out, and the macro calculator splits it into protein, carbs and fat.

Three recipes built around sesame seeds

Each of these comes from the Calorie Counter Team, and each carries nutrition worked out from its ingredients’ USDA entries rather than estimated from the finished dish.

Side · Mediterranean

Homemade Tahini Paste

A thick paste made from toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil for use as a dip or ingredient.

15 min · serves 6

235kcal

5.9gprotein

22gfat

7.8gcarbs

Ingredients

• 200g sesame seeds 200 g
• 30g sesame oil 30 g
• 2g table salt 2 g

Method

1. Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add the sesame seeds and stir constantly for 5 minutes until they turn light brown.
3. Transfer the toasted seeds to a food processor and blend for 3 minutes until a powdery paste forms.
4. Add the sesame oil and salt to the food processor.
5. Blend for another 2 minutes until the mixture is uniform and pourable.

3 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Dinner · Chinese

Sesame Crusted Tofu

Firm tofu blocks coated in sesame seeds and pan-fried until the seed crust is browned and crisp.

25 min · serves 2

445kcal

22gprotein

34gfat

20gcarbs

Ingredients

• 300g firm tofu 300 g
• 80g sesame seeds 80 g
• 20g soy sauce 20 g
• 15g wheat flour 15 g
• 15g vegetable oil 15 g

Method

1. Cut the tofu into 8 equal rectangular pieces and pat them dry with paper towels.
2. Brush each tofu piece with the soy sauce.
3. Combine the wheat flour and sesame seeds on a flat plate.
4. Press each piece of tofu firmly into the seed mixture to coat all sides.
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
6. Fry the coated tofu for 3 minutes on each side until the seeds are golden brown.

Built from 5 USDA ingredient records. A cooked dish never matches its raw sum exactly, but it stays close.

Snack · Greek

Sesame Honey Bars

A traditional Greek snack made by boiling clover honey and mixing it with sesame seeds.

30 min · serves 4

329kcal

6.8gprotein

19gfat

40gcarbs

Ingredients

• 150g sesame seeds 150 g
• 150g clover honey 150 g
• 1g table salt 1 g

Method

1. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Heat the clover honey and table salt in a saucepan until it boils, then simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Stir the toasted sesame seeds into the hot honey until fully combined.
4. Pour the mixture onto a sheet of baking paper and press it down to a 1-centimetre thickness.
5. Let the mixture cool for 20 minutes, then cut it into 12 rectangular bars.

Summed from 3 USDA records and divided by servings. Heat alters weight and a few nutrients, so read it as a close figure.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

One meal, costed: sesame seeds

A sample plate, not a prescription: sesame seeds plus two sides, each line sourced and the sum shown.

How sesame seeds compares with similar foods

Compared gram for gram, with the form of each food stated. Follow any link for that food’s full page.

Questions about sesame seeds

How many calories does 1 tbsp of sesame seeds have?

1 tbsp of sesame seeds is 52 calories. That comes from the USDA record “Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried” (FDC 170150), which is 573 calories per 100 g.

How much protein does sesame seeds have?

1.6 g in 1 tbsp of sesame seeds, or 18 g per 100 g. That is 3 percent of the 50 g Daily Value.

Does sesame seeds fit a calorie deficit?

That depends on the rest of the day, not on sesame seeds. For planning: 1 tbsp of sesame seeds is 52 calories and 1.6 g of protein, 12 percent protein by energy, useful alongside a protein source rather than as one.

How should sesame seeds be stored to keep them fresh?

Because they contain delicate oils, these seeds easily turn rancid. Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard. For longer preservation, keep the container in the fridge or freezer.

Can raw sesame seeds be substituted for toasted ones in a recipe?

Substituting raw seeds for toasted ones alters the dish significantly. Raw seeds lack the deep, smoky aroma and nutty crunch of toasted ones. They also remain soft. Toast them yourself in a pan before adding them to your dish.

Sources

• Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, roasted and toasted — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170151
• Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170150
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9