Sesame is cultivated in many tropical regions throughout the world for its edible seeds. Known to some as benne, sesame is a flowering plant in the Sesamum genus.

Sesame is an ancient oilseed crop dating back to over 4000 years ago. It also has one of the highest oil contents of all seeds.

Giving a nutty flavor, sesame is a common ingredient in Asian and middle eastern food. Sesame seeds can be purchased with their seed coat removed – known as being decorticated – and are often used to top savory and sweet baked goods.

Sesame allergy

Both sesame seeds and sesame oil can be a serious allergen, with a varying percentage of people affected from country to country. For example, in the United Kingdom, reactions were found to affect around 0.04% of adults, while variations from 0.5% in Switzerland to 8.5% in Australia have also been recorded. Sesame allergy is common in people already exhibiting allergic reactions to other foods.

The onset of symptoms has been recorded to occur up to 90 minutes after ingesting as little as 100 mg of sesame seed or flour and 3ml of oil.

Many processed foods contain sesame derivatives in their ingredients and allergy sufferers should also be careful of absorbing the substance through medical applications or cosmetics.

A cross-reactivity often exists between the following foods; sesame, peanut, rye, kiwifruit, poppy seed, and various tree nut allergens.

Symptoms of sesame allergy can include:

  Abdominal cramps
  Anaphylaxis
  Diarrhea
  Narrowing of the throat
  Nausea or vomiting
  Rash or hives
  Swelling of the face or lips

Sufferers of sesame allergy should avoid:

  Sesame seeds
  Tahini
  Sesame oil

Sesame sensitivity (or intolerance) is where a person presents digestive symptoms shortly following the consumption or contact with related products. Usually, these symptoms are less severe than a sesame allergy, but the condition can still be distressing and uncomfortable for the person.

Symptoms of sesame intolerance or sesame sensitivity include:

  Bloating
  Diarrhea
  Gas
  Nausea
  Tiredness

Sesames provide quite a high number of calories (573 calories per 100g) and are composed of, 23% carbohydrates (including 12% fiber), 50% fat, 18% protein and 5% water. The seeds are rich various nutrients such as; B vitamins, iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc. Sesame oil is also a good source of protein.

It is important to replace sesame with other foods in your diet when undertaking either a short or long term elimination diet to ensure that you maintain nutrient balance.

Below are good examples of nutritional alternatives when eliminating sesame:

B Vitamins

Brewer’s yeast, oats, buckwheat, brown rice, rye, whole wheat, mushrooms, soybean flour and soybeans, split peas, sunflower seeds, lentils, chickpeas, broccoli, peppers

Calcium

Watercress, kale, broccoli, pak choi, tofu, sugar snap peas, almonds

Iron

Rye, oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chicken liver, oysters, mussels, clams, cashews, pine nuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds, beef, lamb, lentils, white beans, soybeans, kidney beans, chickpeas, lima beans, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, dark chocolate

Manganese

Rye, oats, brown rice, barley, quinoa, mussels, lima beans, chickpeas, aduki beans, lentils, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pineapple, spinach, kale, tofu, soybeans, sweet potato, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries

Phosphorus

Brown rice, oats, rye, whole wheat, quinoa, poultry, pork, liver, sardines, scallops, salmon, mackerel, crab, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews

Zinc

Rye, spinach, beef, lamb, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashew nuts, cocoa powder, pork, chicken, chickpeas, mushrooms

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