Flaxseed vs sesame seeds: which is healthier?

They are about equally nutrient-dense: flaxseed scores 58/100 and sesame seeds 55/100, so pick by your goal. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Flaxseed

58/100Moderate nutrient density

534 kcal per 100 g. 1 tbsp ground: 7 g

Sesame seeds

55/100Moderate nutrient density

573 kcal per 100 g. 1 tbsp: 9 g

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesAbout even534 vs 573 kcal per 100 g
More proteinAbout even18 vs 18 g per 100 g
More fiberFlaxseed27 vs 12 g per 100 g
Less sugarSesame seeds1.6 vs 0.3 g per 100 g
More potassiumFlaxseed813 vs 468 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatFlaxseed3.7 vs 7 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Flaxseed, 100 g	Sesame seeds, 100 g	Flaxseed, 7 g	Sesame seeds, 9 g
Calories	534 kcal	573 kcal	37 kcal	52 kcal
Protein	18 g	18 g	1.3 g	1.6 g
Carbohydrates	29 g	23 g	2 g	2.1 g
Sugars	1.6 g	0.3 g	0.1 g	<0.1 g
Fiber	27 g	12 g	1.9 g	1.1 g
Fat	42 g	50 g	3 g	4.5 g
Saturated fat	3.7 g	7 g	0.3 g	0.6 g
Vitamin C	0.6 mg	0 mg	<0.1 mg	0 mg
Vitamin A	0 µg	0 µg	0 µg	0 µg
Potassium	813 mg	468 mg	57 mg	42 mg
Iron	5.7 mg	15 mg	0.4 mg	1.3 mg
Calcium	255 mg	975 mg	18 mg	88 mg
Magnesium	392 mg	351 mg	27 mg	32 mg
Sodium	30 mg	11 mg	2.1 mg	1 mg

Last updated October 8, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

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