Health benefits of seeds and nuts
Welcome readers, today we will talk about seeds,its benefits and how to consume them.
Seeds have suddenly become the latest health trend if you’ve been to a grocery store in the past couple of years you’ve probably noticed the different varieties of seeds that are available you can also find these seeds and beverages stand alone packs and health bars so what exactly are these seeds that we’re talking about seeds are a plant’s unit of reproduction their sources are just as diverse as their sizes and colors each seed is different from the other and has its own unique nutritional benefit they are an excellent alternative to nuts as they’re often less rich and easier to digest.
Today we’ll be telling you about the different types of seeds with maximum health benefits
1- Chia seeds are the most popular ones amongst all the seeds although they’re native to Central America they can now be found everywhere they’re a nutritional powerhouse containing fiber protein calcium magnesium manganese and phosphorus on top of this they also contain a decent amount of zinc vitamin b3 potassium and vitamin b1 this makes them one of the world’s best sources of nutrients.
- Rich in antioxidants which helps slow down aging signs resulting in younger looking skin and healthier hair
- They even reduce the risk of cancer being one of the few rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids
- Chia seeds helps fight depression improve sleep and reduces the risk of heart disease
- It’s fiber helps weight loss by making you feel fuller longer
2- Pumpkin seeds you might have seen these hard white seeds when carving a pumpkin they’re green flat and oval-shaped pumpkin seeds contain nutrients like fiber carbs protein fat vitamin K iron zinc and copper which are very good for your health:
- Diets rich in pumpkin seeds can reduce the risk of stomach breast lung prostate and colon cancers due to the rich presence of magnesium which is needed for more than 600 chemical reactions in your body
- Pumpkin seeds are helpful in controlling your blood pressure reducing your heart disease risk forming and maintaining healthy bones as well as regulating blood sugar levels
You can eat pumpkin seeds raw or dry roast them as a snack you can also use them in baking or as a garnish for soups salads yogurt and granola
3- Flax seeds have emerged as a superfood scientific research has pointed out their various health benefits they’re packed with omega-3 fatty acids which helps them in fighting inflammation it also makes them beneficial for people suffering from high blood pressure and hypertension they contain protein carbs fiber iron and calcium all the way to vitamin b1 b6 potassium and phosphorus
- This makes them great in lowering your cholesterol and protecting your heart.
- Flax seed contains high levels of lignans which help it to defend against prostate and breast cancer the lignans build insulin resistance and regulates blood sugar which assists in preventing diabetes.
- Flaxseed is most beneficial when eating grounded rather than as a whole seed or oil this is because grinding it allows your body to absorb the nutrients.
You can mix it with water cereal a shake or smoothie in the beverage form as a food you can add it to homemade bakery items yogurt or even salads.
4- Sesame seeds the power of the sesame seed dates back thousands of years ago when it was used by the Egyptians as a medicine it’s rich in many complex B vitamins like thiamine niacin and folic acid
- It is very good for your hair skin and your eyes
- Great source of calcium and zinc playing a key role in maintaining strong healthy bones
- Eating sesame seeds on a regular it can help prevent osteoporosis making them a popular part of a diet
- For older individuals studies have shown that regularly eating sesame seeds can help decrease high cholesterol and triglycerides which are risk factors for heart disease
You can also add sesame seeds to a lot of dishes as it provides a nutty flavor and a subtle crunch to the dish you can enhance the flavor and nutrient availability of sesame seeds by roasting them at 350 degrees for a few minutes stirring periodically until reaching light golden brown you can then add it to smoothies salads stir-fries crackers even hummus.
5- Hemp seeds are seeds from hemp plants they’re considered a superfood containing about 35% of essential fatty acids and 33% plant protein they also have all 9 essential amino acids as well as dietary fiber one of the nine amino acids arginine plays a vital role in the body’s production of nitric oxide
- It causes the blood vessels to dilate and relax lowering blood pressure this reduces your risk for heart disease
- They’re a good source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber soluble fiber can add bulk to your stools helping you keep your digestion intact the mixture of soluble and insoluble
- Fiber also aids in the growth of beneficial bacteria in your with high fat content particularly fats like alpha linolenic acid omega-3 inline olynyk acid omega-6
- Hemp seeds are frequently used in cosmetics because they have the ability to penetrate through layers of the skin to promote cell growth eating these seeds on a regular basis can help repair and moisturize dry and damaged skin
You can add hemp seeds to your diet by blending it into smoothies topping it on a salad or making your own and milk
6- Sunflower seeds popular among birds and animals sunflower seeds are now gaining popularity with health freaks they can have a calming effect on your brain
uplifting your mood this property of sunflower seeds is due to the high content of tryptophan present in the seeds when you have foods containing tryptophan it effectively increases your brain serotonin serotonin reduces tension creating a relaxed feeling the choline content.
- In these seeds plays a vital role in memory and vision functions
- It also has high amounts of betaine protecting you against heart disease the lignans keep your blood cholesterol at appropriate levels preventing heart attacks and atherosclerosis
You can use it in muffins cookies bread and homemade granola as well as sprinkling it on your salads and serial
7- Poppy seeds is the oil seed obtained from the infamous opium poppy but let’s make one thing clear these seeds do not contain narcotic properties in fact they’re very nutritious and healthy in the amount of iron.
- In poppy seeds can increase your hemoglobin production and your blood flow proper amounts of oxygen and iron in your brain can lead to improved cognitive performance and a decrease in cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
- It can also help you sleep better with its high content of magnesium it’s a mineral that is directly linked to improving the quality duration and tranquility of your sleep poppy seeds regulate your metabolism reducing sleep disorders and the occurrence of insomnia
- The presence of copper and iron in these seeds make them effective against diseases like anemia fatigue and muscle weakness these minerals also form new red blood cells
You can bake it with bagels breads buns and rolls you can also add it to cakes muffins salad dressings as well as granola
8- Pomegranate seeds appearing as small red jewels you find after cutting open a pomegranate these seeds are a world of good for your body studies have shown that the severity of our arthritis and joint inflammation are significantly reduced with consumption of pomegranate seeds.
- These seeds are rich in antioxidants called flavonoids which act as anti-inflammatory agents reduce arthritis and joint pain
- Pomegranate seeds can inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells they contain punic acid an Omega 5 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid that’s been shown to inhibit breast cancer proliferation
- Pomegranates contain hundreds of different bioactive compounds which stimulate probiotic bacteria in your body this enhances the beneficial effects of fighting bacterial infections
You can scoop out fresh seeds from a cup pomegranate and add it to your salads yogurt oatmeal desserts or whatever you want to have.
Now did you tried any of these seeds would you consider it after reading this article, share your experience in comment section below, found this article useful please share with your family and friends.