Seeds are such nutrient dense foods and so versatile they can pretty much be added to anything to give it that extra boost of healthiness, texture, flavour and help you feel fuller for longer.
They contain such a variety of heart, bone, muscle, brain and immune supporting nutrients it is time to stock our cupboards and include them in our diets everyday.
Popular seeds include: pumpkin; sunflower; sesame; flaxseed and chia; most of which can be found in most supermarkets, health stores and in abundance in wholefood grocery stores.
Health highlights
Seeds are packed with fibre - Most of us eating a Western diet don't consume enough fibre. Adding seeds to meals is an easy way to up your fibre intake and can help with:
reducing levels of cholesterol and blood pressure
regulating blood sugar levels by slowing the rate at which sugars are absorbed into the blood and delaying the rate at which your stomach empties the food
helping you feel fuller and satisfying your appetite
Seeds contain healthy fats - Replacing some saturated fat from animal sources with healthy unsaturated fat from plant sources can reduce LDL cholesterol levels and your risk of cardiovascular disease. The superstars of the healthy fats are omega-3 fats which are associated with brain, heart and mental health and can be found in Chia, flax and hemp.
A complete plant-based protein - Protein is important for muscle maintenance and development. Some plant-based proteins are complete proteins, such as hemp and chia seeds, meaning they are a protein source that contain adequate amounts of all nine essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) that we need to obtain through our diet.
Seeds for immunity - Many of the vitamins and minerals that are important for normal immune function are found in seeds. Selenium and zinc have been linked to new immune cell production and communication and antibody response, and can be found in sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flaxseeds.
Seeds provide minerals for bone health - Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium are key nutrients for bone health. Chia, ground flaxseed, pumpkin and sesame seeds are sources of all three nutrients. Tahini, a sesame seed paste, is a key ingredient in hummus which is always a family favourite!
Cooking with seeds - Seeds can be added to smoothie bowls, muesli and granola. Popular seed recipes include breakfast bars and energy balls. Try:
using ground flaxseeds as an egg replacement in recipes such as vegan ‘meatless’ balls
sprinkling pumpkin seeds over soups and salads, pop them in muffins or onto bread. You can also toast them for a healthy snack
Adding sesame seeds to stir-fries, fried rice.
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