The Best Seeds for Your Health
Small but mighty, seeds can be a tremendous source of nutrition. As some of the most popular superfoods, seeds are now readily available in a variety of forms and are easy to incorporate into your diet. If you’re lacking vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, protein and amino acids, consider adding seeds to your meals and snacks. We’re sharing the best seeds for your health to help jump-start your healthy seed habit.
Chia Seeds: Currently one of the hottest superfoods, Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, calcium and folate. The tiny black seeds are easy to use in baking or to add to nutritious smoothies.
Flax Seeds: This healthy seed is packed with alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid that is stellar for reducing inflammation. Plus it has magnesium and fiber that may help keep you full and may lower cholesterol. The best way to eat flax seeds is ground as they are more bio-digestible than whole flax.
Pomegranate Seeds: This juicy, crunchy and slightly bitter fruit seed is chock-full of antioxidants that support healthy cells, as well as Vitamin C, potassium, Vitamin K and iron.
Pumpkin Seeds: Also called pepitas, pumpkin seeds boast a good deal of protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins with a light, subtle flavor. Toasted and seasoned, keep this snack in mind year round, not just during pumpkin season.
Hemp Seeds: Another tremendous source of omega-3 fatty acids, hemp seeds are a stand out because they contain all 9 essential amino acids. Those are the ones our bodies don’t create themselves so they are vital to consume through food sources.
Sesame Seeds: They may not look like much but sesame seeds are filled with fantastic nutrients like calcium, copper, manganese and thiamin, as well as lignans that are believed to lower cholesterol.
Sunflower Seeds: Sunflower seeds are among the most popular seeds because they are readily available and simple to eat. They contain important antioxidants including Vitamin E for skin and bone health. You can make sunflower seeds into sun butter as an alternative to nut butters.
Sacha Inchi Seeds: The little-known sacha inchi seed is perhaps the holy grail of seeds. It contains 17 times the omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and a ton of protein and essential amino acids too. They have a slightly nutty flavor and make a great addition to salads.
The best seeds for your health are delicious, nutritious and easy to eat every day! Enjoy!!
Sources: Huffington Post, Prevention and Best Health Magazine
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