Modern people are concerned about nutrition and healthy diet, but the problem is that many people do not know how to eat in order to get the right nutrition, for example, seed fiber diet is less people eat, but very important for health food.
There are a variety of seeds, including the well-known pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and in recent years, the more popular health food chia seeds, flax seeds and so on.
Botanically speaking, grains, many nuts, legumes, cocoa and coffee are all considered seeds.
But for the sake of simplicity, let’s focus here on seeds that can be used in cooking to see what health benefits they have, how they should be eaten and how much of them should be eaten.
Rich in fiber
Seeds are nutritious and rich in fiber. They contain nutrients that the body needs for the heart, bones, muscles, brain and immune system. But many of us don’t eat nearly enough of them.
In the UK, for example, more than 90 percent of adults do not consume enough fiber. Fiber can reduce people’s risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, bowel cancer and other diseases. It can also improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
The average daily intake of fiber for adults in the UK is 18 grams, but the ideal amount recommended by the NHS should be 30 grams.
Rich in healthy fats
Many seeds contain healthy, unsaturated fats, and the NHS says there is good evidence that replacing saturated fats such as butter, lard, ghee, fatty meats and cheese with unsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol levels and maintain heart health.
Omega-3 fatty acids (Omega-3 fats) are important for heart health. Some seeds contain the omega-3 fat ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) that can be converted by the body into the more beneficial EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) fats. These fats are found in oily fish, but of course it is better to eat oily fish because this fat is converted more slowly and only small amounts of EPA and DHA are formed.
Chia seeds, flax seeds and hemp seeds are rich in ALA, but ALA is mainly in the shell of flax seeds, which is not easy to digest. Therefore, it is best to buy ground flaxseed to best benefit.
In addition, unlike many other plant proteins, hemp seeds and chia seeds contain the nine essential amino acids that the body needs. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Protein is important for muscle maintenance and development. Hemp seeds and chia seeds contain complete plant proteins.
Seed Foods and Immunity
Seeds contain many vitamins and minerals that are important for maintaining proper immune function.
Selenium is critical for the production of new immune cells, which help fight infection, according to Steiner, scientific director of the British Nutrition Foundation.
But according to a British National Diet and Nutrition Survey, 47 percent of women and 25 percent of men have a selenium intake below the recommended level (LRNI). And nuts and seeds, especially sunflower seeds, are rich in selenium.
Another mineral, zinc, also helps the body produce new immune cells and form “natural killer cells” to fight viruses and support communication between immune cells, according to Steiner. communication between immune cells.
Men need 9.5 milligrams of zinc daily; women need 7 milligrams. 20 grams of pumpkin seeds contain 1.5 milligrams of zinc.
Copper helps protect and fuel immune cells, Steiner continued. adults aged 19-64 years need 1.2 mg of copper per day, and 20 grams of sesame seeds will provide nearly half of that amount (0.5 mg).
Steiner also says that folic acid (vitamin B9) also plays an important role in the production of new immune cells. Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flax seeds are all rich in folic acid.
Vitamin B6 also helps produce new immune cells and helps process antibodies, and helps immune cells communicate. Sesame seeds are rich in B6.
Minerals for healthy bones
Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium are key nutrients for maintaining healthy bones. However, 22% of women in the UK aged between 11 and 18 years have a calcium intake below the recommended amount.
Meanwhile, in the same group, 50% of women and 27% of men had insufficient magnesium intake.
Chia seeds, flaxseed noodles, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are sources of these three nutrients.
How to cook and eat seeded foods?
In fact, it is easy to consume seeds by adding them to a variety of daily meals: soups, stir-fries, salads, breads, muffins and crackers to add flavor, nutrition and different textures to foods.
They can also be added to porridge, breakfast cereals, and smoothies.
Roasting sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in the oven is also good as a snack.
Alternatively, sesame seed paste can be spread directly onto pancakes or used as a dressing for cold dishes and in salad dressings.
You can increase your fiber intake simply by adding some seeds to your daily meals. For example, 20 grams of chia seeds contain 6.8 grams of fiber; 20 grams of flax seeds have 5.4 grams of fiber; and 20 grams of pumpkin seeds have 1.3 grams of fiber.
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