Grinding sesame seeds makes a paste called tahini that has a similar consistency and texture to peanut butter. Tahini contains around 85 calories from a single tablespoon and 7.2g of fat, according to Food.com. You can purchase tahini as a fresh product or from a jar, so you'll want to read labels carefully to determine if the tahini product contains additional ingredients such as oils which may increase the calorie and fat content. If you follow a weight loss diet and want to eat tahini regularly, you will need to take careful measures to help you reach your goal weight.
Step 1
Make a salad dressing with tahini. This allows you to get the taste of the tahini without needing to use a large quantity. Blend tahini with flavors such as garlic and lemon for a bright burst of flavor that will dress up your salad. Make sure that you don't overload your salad with the dressing. Instead, add a small amount to the salad, just enough to moisten the lettuce and other components.
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Step 2
Use as a flavoring. Instead of using tahini as a replacement for peanut butter on a slice of bread, try using tahini in a dish. Add a small amount to hummus as a dip for carrots, celery, cucumbers or other vegetables. You can also add a small amount to a marinade or sauce for stir fry.
Step 3
Keep track of what you eat, including an estimate of your tahini consumption. Each time you have a meal or a snack, take time to write down not only what you ate but the serving size as well in a food journal. If you made a dressing or marinade from tahini and other ingredients, break down the components and list what you used. These items add calories and fat to your diet, so you need to include them in your daily calculations.
Step 4
Evaluate your weight loss and diet. Once you have a week or two of a food journal you can examine how well your eating works for weight loss. If you show a weight loss, your diet may work well for you, but if you show significant gain in weight you may need to cut more fat and calories from your diet. You do not need to cut out the foods such as tahini, but you may need to reduce your intake to help you meet your goals.
Tip
Instead of eating tahini frequently, make tahini a treat such as with special occasions or when you reach a particular goal in your weight loss journey.
Warning
Consuming significant amounts of fat such as that found in tahini could increase your risk for high cholesterol levels and complications such as heart disease.
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