Sesame Oil

Common questions

Is Sesame Oil healthy?

Sesame Oil scores 65/100 on Scout's independent analysis of ingredients, additives, and lab results — a fair-to-good score — solid, with tradeoffs. Sesame oil is a processed culinary ingredient that is extracted from sesame seeds, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids.

How processed is Sesame Oil?

Sesame Oil is NOVA Group 2: Processed Culinary Ingredients.

Which ingredients drive Sesame Oil's score?

In Scout's ingredient-by-ingredient analysis, Toasted Sesame Seed Oil is flagged as an ingredient of concern. The full breakdown, with why each one matters, is in the Key ingredients section on this page.

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Sesame Oil

Kikkoman
65 Fair

Analysis updated September 2026 · How Scout scores

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At a glance

Beneficial ingredients 0
Harmful ingredients 1
Category Cooking Oils
Summary

Sesame oil is a processed culinary ingredient that is extracted from sesame seeds, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids. While it is a seed oil and can promote inflammation if consumed in excess, it is less processed than many industrial seed oils. However, compared to oils like extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil is less favorable due to its omega-6 content and potential degradation during extraction.

Key ingredients 1

Toasted Sesame Seed Oil
Very Bad

Toasted sesame seed oil is classified as a seed oil, which is high in omega-6 fatty acids that can promote inflammation when consumed in excess. The oil is extracted through processes that may involve high heat and chemical solvents, potentially degrading its nutritional quality. Compared to oils like olive or avocado, sesame oil is less favorable due to its omega-6 content.

Risks

High omega-6 content may promote inflammation and imbalance omega-3 to omega-6 ratio in the diet.

Benefits

Contains antioxidants such as sesamol and sesamin that may offer some health benefits, though these are outweighed by the risks associated with high omega-6 content.

Processing

Group 2 · Culinary ingredients

Processed Culinary Ingredients

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