Sesame

Sesame may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. 

Open sesame! That magical phrase opens the door to a cave filled with hidden treasure in the book of folktales, One Thousand and One Nights. It also pays homage to the sesame plant’s pod-like fruits, which burst when ripe to reveal an abundance of oil-packed seeds. Since ancient times, humans have put the tiny seeds to use as food, medicine, and oil for lamplight in Asia, where historians believe the sesame plant was first cultivated.

Yes. Sesame is packed with the nutrients that babies need to thrive, including B vitamins, folate, and important minerals like copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and selenium. As one of the most oil-rich seeds available, sesame is also filled with healthy fats like lignans and phytosterols that hold antioxidant, anti-cancerous, and anti-inflammatory powers.   The tiny seeds also offer plenty of fiber and protein and are a good source of calcium, iron, and zinc, which are often low in infant and toddler diets.

★Tip: The nutritional benefits of sesame are most accessible when the tiny seeds are ground into paste or powder, making it easier for the body to absorb.

Yes, sesame is classified as a common allergen by the World Health Organization. In Southwest Asia and North Africa, studies have found it to be a common cause of anaphylaxis. For example, in Israel, sesame is the third most common food allergen. In the United States, sesame is now the ninth most common food allergen.

When introducing sesame for allergen introduction, it’s best to use ground sesame seeds or sesame paste (commonly sold as tahini). This is because whole sesame seeds are often not chewed well enough to expose the baby to the proteins within the seed. When choosing tahini for allergen introduction purposes, look for tahini made from unhulled sesame seeds, which will have a higher protein content and may expose baby to a wider variety of allergenic proteins (thereby allowing baby to develop tolerance to all these proteins).

As you would do with all new allergens, introduce sesame by serving a small quantity (such as 1/8 teaspoon of tahini mixed into applesauce) and watch closely. If there is no adverse reaction during the first few servings, gradually increase the amount over future meals.

★Tip: Read the fine print on labels when purchasing packaged products, as sesame is often used to thicken and flavor foods. For example, hummus contains tahini (sesame paste), which may not be advertised as an allergen on the label, but instead hidden in the ingredient list and many breadcrumb varieties, including Progresso, also contain sesame. Be sure to read ingredient labels each time you purchase a product, as ingredients may change without warning. As regulatory agencies have started mandating sesame labeling, some food manufacturers and restaurants have elected to deliberately add sesame flour as a minor ingredient into many baked goods, in an effort to bypass stringent regulations designed to prevent contamination and avoid recalls of their products. This means that some sesame-allergic individuals have experienced reactions to foods that were previously well-tolerated.

No. Sesame seeds present a low risk when safely prepared for a child’s age and developmental ability, though tahini (sesame seed paste) can form a sticky glob in the mouth, which does increase the risk of choking. To reduce the risk, serve tahini and sesame seeds in an age-appropriate way as described in the How to Serve section. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals. 

Learn the signs of choking and gagging and more about choking first aid in our free guides, Infant Rescue and Toddler Rescue.

No. Sesame oil tends to have small and inconsistent levels of sesame protein, the compound that triggers an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals. This makes sesame oil a less-than-ideal option for maintaining sesame exposure in the diet for the purposes of allergy prevention. For those seeking to maintain regular exposure in the diet, sesame-based foods with larger and more consistent amounts of seed protein are better choices, including sesame flour, sesame milk, and sesame tahini.