Black sesame is growing more popular in the US. Is it actually good for you?
The nutty seed is an essential dessert flavor in Asia and is now forecasted to be a top food trend in the US this year
In many parts of Asia, black sesame is an essential dessert flavor. The nutty, mildly bittersweet seed appears in ice-cream parlors and doughnut shops alongside matcha and ube – offerings as standard as chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry are stateside, says Sophie Hung, a California-based registered dietitian nutritionist who grew up in Hong Kong.
Now, black sesame’s popularity is growing in the US, with Yelp naming it a top food trend for 2026 based on user data (searches for “black sesame matcha” are up almost 150% since 2023). Yet, beyond its appealing flavor and striking color, what exactly are you getting nutritionally when you add black sesame to your diet?
What is the nutritional profile of black sesame?
“I love sesame seeds because they pack a nice nutritional punch without a lot of volume,” says New York-based registered dietitian nutritionist Robin Foroutan.
Black sesame is “really high in specific minerals, like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium”, says Foroutan. “These are nutrients important for bone health specifically, but also for cardiovascular health and balanced blood pressure.”
A 2025 review analyzing data from 521 adults found that eating a tablespoon, or about 10 grams, of sesame products a day for eight weeks led to modest improvements in markers of heart and metabolic health, such as blood sugar and cholesterol levels, though the authors caution that these observed effects may not reliably “reflect true clinical benefits”, so, take them with a grain of salt.
A serving of sesame is roughly one tablespoon of whole seeds, with dietitians recommending between one and three servings per day. The particular nutritional profiles of sesame products differ depending on whether you’re consuming whole seeds or denser sesame products such as ground sesame or blended tahini paste, which comes in black or white varieties. For instance, a tablespoon of tahini is about 90 calories, while a less dense spoonful of whole sesame seeds is about 60 calories. Black, brown, and white varieties of sesame have similar macronutritional profiles – low in protein and carbohydrates, high in unsaturated fat – though black sesame contains more minerals, antioxidants, and slightly more fiber than paler counterparts. If you’re eating sesame for its mineral content, be sure you’re buying the seeds with the calcium-rich hull on, rather than just the translucent inner kernel often seen atop burger buns.
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