FAQs

Our tahini pairs so well with a variety of foods. Try it as a cracker/chip/veggie dip. Use it as a spread on any sandwich. Pour it on top of any salad. Add it to cooked rice and vegetables. Put it on top of salmon as a sauce. Instead of ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise, try it as a healthy condiment alternative on your hamburger, chicken, hot dog or veggie burger. We love to learn about the different ways our customers eat their Green Tahini.  Contact Us to let us know how you eat yours!

Besides the organic ground and roasted sesame seeds, the main ingredients in Green Tahini are the fresh green herbs, cilantro and parsley, which gives Green Tahini its natural green color. (Our Parsley flavor does not contain cilantro – only parsley, but the double amount of fresh parsley in it makes it just as green as the other flavors!)

Funny you should ask that! Actually, we just came out with a new flavor, Beet Tahini, which is still based on the organic ground and roasted sesame seeds, but we use organic beets as our other main ingredient. This flavor does not contain cilantro nor parsley. Our Beet Tahini has a deep maroon color. Due to the beets, it is a bit sweeter than the Green Tahini flavors, but just as delicious! It also pairs well with the same types of foods as our Green Tahini flavors.

While our tahini is not yet USDA-certified organic, all of the ingredients used in our tahini are organic. For a list of our flavors and ingredients, see our tahini.

Yes, our tahini is vegan – it has not been processed with any animal products. For a full list of all our ingredients for each flavor, see our tahini.

Yes, our tahini is gluten free. For a full list of all our ingredients for each flavor, see our tahini.

Yes. Our tahini can be bought and stored frozen or refrigerated. When bought at Black Cat Organic Farm Stand, all farmers markets, and for all home deliveries, all tahini containers are delivered and sold frozen. When bought from Lucky’s, it is delivered frozen and put in their refrigerated cooler for sale. When buying any Green Tahini container, please read the front label for storage and handling instructions. When frozen, thaw in the refrigerator and stir before serving. It will separate slightly after being frozen. This is normal – stirring returns it to a homogenous mixture.

In general, our tahini lasts up to one year in the freezer. Once thawed in the refrigerator, it lasts about 7-10 days. Please note that the expiration date can vary, depending on the temperature of the cooler in which it is stored. Due to the fact that our tahini is a natural product, does not contain any artificial preservatives and does contain fresh green herbs, it is a temperature-sensitive product that must be stored in a cooler that does not exceed 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If left out in warmer temperatures for an extended period of time, or if stored at higher temperatures, the quality of the product and its expiration date will be compromised.

Our tahini does not contain any FDA-recognized food allergens, including peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, and shellfish. That said, the main ingredient in our tahini is sesame seeds, so anyone with an allergy or sensitivity to sesame seeds should not consume our tahini.

Our tahini is a natural food product, free from any chemical preservatives or additives. Sometimes, you might notice a slight separation in the product. This is completely normal and not does not indicate any spoilage. Simply stir before serving, which returns it to a homogenous mixture.

We have had several customers tell us that they don’t like cilantro, but they like the Green Tahini flavors that contain cilantro. That said, for those of you who are not keen on cilantro, try our Parsley flavor! There is no cilantro in that one (only parsley). It is just as flavorful and pairs well with so many foods.

We only use organic, raw garlic in all of our tahini flavors.

The Spicy Green Tahini flavor contains organic red cayenne pepper, which makes its green color a little less green than the other flavors (with additional specks of red).

Citric acid is a widely used ingredient in foods and beverages to provide a tart flavor and to help control pH. Citric acid is found naturally in citrus fruits. However, the citric acid that is added to foods and beverages is generally produced commercially through the microbial fermentation of a carbohydrate. The citric acid added to our tahini is 100% pure food grade non-GMO Project Verified, and makes up less than 2% of our total ingredient mix. We use citric acid to add a tart flavor and to help naturally preserve and maintain the freshness of our tahini.

Yes! Our tahini containers and lids are made of recyclable, polypropylene food grade plastic.

We think so! There are several studies out there that believe it is, too. Tahini contains powerful antioxidants and healthy fats to your diet, as well as several vitamins and minerals. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and its health benefits may include reducing risk factors for heart disease and protecting brain health. Sesame seeds contain up to 20 percent protein and 55 percent good fat. Consuming tahini is also a great way to obtain B vitamins, like thiamine. The vitamin Bs in tahini are important for metabolic functions, dealing with stress, and many cognitive processes. Tahini also includes magnesium, copper, phosphorus, manganese, iron, and zinc. The amount of iron in tahini is impactful, which helps prevent anemia, iron deficiency and fatigue.  And besides all of that, it is delicious!

Tahini came from Persia, where it was called “ardeh”. References to tahini as a sesame seed paste can be found as far back as the 13th century. Tahini is found in Israeli, Middle Eastern, African, Chinese, Japanese, Iranian, Turkish and Korean cuisines. In the 1940s, tahini began to appear in health food stores in the United States.

The ancient Greeks used sesame as a medicine as well as food. The original doctor, Hippocrates, is said to have recommended sesame for its nutritional values. India’s traditional medicine uses the sesame seed to nourish and make the body healthy. During World War II, scientists thought that including tahini in the daily diet of the Turkish pilots made them bigger, stronger, and smarter than their counterparts in other countries, and that their daily dose of tahini was the source of their superior abilities.