Tahini is one of the richest vegan foods in protein. It has 17 grams of protein per 100g. Protein in tahini is highly bioavailable, and it has a great amino acid profile.
How much protein in tahini?
Tahini has about 17 grams of protein per 100g. It’s a great plant-based source of protein.
Just a tablespoon has 2.6 grams of protein, while 1 oz has 5 grams of protein!
The protein content varies slightly by tahini type. Processing methods and sesame varieties affect protein content.
Do other spreads have more protein?
Actually, other favorite spreads have more protein than tahini.
The richest common spread in protein is peanut butter. Peanut butter has 24 grams of protein per 100g. A tablespoon has 3.6 grams of protein. Peanut butter has 40% more protein than tahini! However, tahini has a superior nutritional value to peanut butter.[1]
Almond butter is another favorite spread with more protein than tahini. It has 21 grams of protein per 100g, or 3.1 grams of protein per tablespoon. Almond butter has 22% more protein than tahini.
Cashew butter has a similar protein content to tahini. It has 17.6 grams of protein per 100g.
But, other common spreads, such as mayonnaise, ketchup, or mustard have negligible amounts of protein. They don’t contribute to the daily protein intake.
Tahini has more protein per serving than cheese & butter
Furthermore, tahini has more protein per serving than many cheeses. For instance, tahini has more protein than cottage and cream cheese, which are key ingredients in toasts, sandwiches, or other snacks.
Cow’s butter is a poor dietary source of protein as well. It’s almost 100% fat.
What’s the amino acid profile of tahini?
Tahini has a great amino acid profile as compared to other plant-based foods.
Above all, tahini is high in sulfur amino acids! Also, it’s an excellent dietary source of leucine and tryptophan.
However, tahini isn’t a complete protein. It has low amounts of certain amino acids, such as isoleucine, valine, and lysine.[2]
Do we absorb protein of tahini?
Protein in tahini is highly bioavailable. Tahini has relatively high protein digestibility of over 83%.
How to eat tahini to increase protein intake?
We should eat tahini with other foods high in protein. Tahini helps increase the total protein status of a meal.
But, we should consume a wide variety of foods in order to get all essential amino acids. Especially if we follow a plant-based diet.
All animal-derived foods are complete protein. They contain all 9 essential amino acids.
On the other hand, there are only a few plant-based foods with complete protein. For instance, quinoa, soy, buckwheat, hemp, chia seeds, and amaranth are plant-based foods containing all essential amino acids. We can eat them with tahini in many recipes and snacks. Combine these foods for a high-quality, protein-rich, vegan meal.
In addition, we could eat tahini as part of a well-balanced diet. Eating lots of healthy foods provides all essential amino acids. Each food has a different protein profile.
For instance, you could eat a tahini toast with whole-grain bread, seeds, or nuts.
Moreover, you could add tahini to many recipes. A famous traditional tahini recipe is falafel. It’s made of tahini and chickpeas. Both are high in protein.
Also, tahini tastes great in dressings.
Tahini is one of the richest vegan foods in protein!
Certainly, tahini is one of the best plant-based protein sources. Only beans, mushrooms, and certain nuts have more protein per serving than tahini.
Eating beans is the healthiest way to boost your daily protein intake. For instance, lentils and chickpeas have up to 18 grams of protein per serving.
Even certain fruits, like avocado, have some protein!
Can we depend on tahini for protein?
Tahini has a great nutritional value. It’s one of the most nutrient-rich foods you can eat. For instance, tahini is the richest vegan food in calcium and one of the richest foods in iron!
In fact, when consumed in moderation, tahini supports weight loss.
Tahini is more than protein, though. It has various minerals and vitamins, as well as fiber.
Tahini is the ultimate must-to-eat food for vegans and vegetarians!
But, tahini has too many calories. We can’t depend on it for increasing protein intake. Most people should eat only 1–2 handfuls of tahini per day. Higher dosages can make you gain weight.
