The 5 best seeds for your healthy diet

Posted on sustenance

Give your diet new impetus with these 5 healthy super seeds (chia pudding is now regularly on our menu!).

Despite the fact that they are very small, seeds have an incredible amount of nutrients. The trend of these superfoods, such as chia, linseed and hemp seeds, is not just hype. These small kernels are high in fiber, protein, healthy fats, and tons of antioxidants.

Here are 5 of the most nutritious and healthy seeds for your diet, which you should now use to refine your dishes:

1. chia seeds
Although these are tiny, they provide a huge amount of nutrients to our diet. Just think of iron, folate, omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fiber — what more could you want? These soil-tasting seeds are full of healthy bone calcium, high-quality protein and lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. So it's no wonder that the Aztecs loved chia seeds.

How to cook them:
It is best to add chia seeds to smoothies, granola, muffins, salads or overnight in puddings (this is how you get the fascinating frog egg consistency). The ginger lemon chia cups from The Full Helping are prepared with pistachios and goji berries as a topping and not only look delicious, but also taste great.

2. pumpkin seeds
What helps best when you're irritated? A handful of pumpkin seeds — because they replenish your stores with iron, zinc, B vitamins, magnesium and protein. Pumpkin seeds are rich in antioxidants that protect our cells from free radicals and have a high concentration of tryptophan, an amino acid that reduces anxiety.

How to cook them:
You can roast them, season them or candied them — pumpkin seeds are very versatile. You can also use it as a garnish for soups, salads, rice puddings and baked goods. Auf The Kitchn Find a recipe for a sweet potato tempeh stew with pumpkin seeds as a garnish.

3. sesame seeds
These small nutrient-rich powerhouses are among the oldest, cultivated plants in the whole world and contain an incredible amount of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, selenium and fiber. Sesame seeds are also rich in antioxidants and protein, and have been shown to be effective in reducing cholesterol and high blood pressure. In particular, the abundant zinc content is a real benefit for our diet and not only for our bones, but also for men's sexual health (zinc stimulates the production of testosterone and sperm).

How to cook them:
When you roast them, these flat, oval seeds get nice and crispy — perfect for salads, for example. Try this delicious and colorful sesame chicken salad from The Pioneer Woman!

4. flaxseed
Nutty flaxseeds are the richest source of alphalinolic acid (plant-based omega-3 fatty acids) in the world. This healthy superfood (sometimes called linseed) is also the number 1 source of cancer-killing lignans (sesame is in second place). Flaxseeds are important for our diet because they are rich in fiber but low in carbohydrates, you feel optimally satiated after consumption. Flaxseeds also contain soluble fiber and lower cholesterol.

How to cook them:
Ground flaxseeds are ideal for smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, bread, and other baked goods. These peanut butter and linseed pankcakes from The Minimalist Baker They are now on our baking list!

5. hemp seeds
Say hello to the perfect protein. Hemp seeds not only contain 20 amino acids, but also each of the nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce on their own. As if this unique property wasn't enough, hemp seeds also contain essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and phytosterol (lowers cholesterol). Perhaps you have already discovered one or the other hemp oil in beauty products? This penetrates the inner layers of the skin and promotes healthy cell growth for beautiful and soft skin.

How to cook them:
From energy bars to baked goods to salads and dressings, there are many different ways to incorporate hemp seeds into your diet. Prepare this soft superfood as a hemp protein bar (see Nutrition Stripped ) for your next gym trip.

Posted on sustenance