Get Extra Nutrients Easy..Eat Your Seeds!
An easy way to load up on extra nutrients in your diet is to add roasted or raw seeds to your meals. I love roasting pumpkin, sunflower & sesame seeds and tossing them with my salads & / or on top of graIns. Raw hemp seeds are also very nutrient-rich and delicious sprinkled on most dishes. I keep my seeds in jars in the fridge, that way they are more readily available. Below are some of the healing benefits these whole foods offer you.
Pumpkin Seeds:
Pumpkin seeds are high in iron, a nutrient some people have trouble getting enough of, especially if you don't eat red meat. Anemia, a shortage of red blood cells in the body, is commonly caused by low dietary iron or strenuous exercise. Iron is lost as a result of crushed red blood cells due to intense muscle contractions. The more active the person, the more dietary iron is needed.
Sesame Seeds:
Sesame seeds are a great source of easily absorbable calcium. Calcium is important in the formation and maintenance of bones & teeth. Athletes and people living in warmer climates need extra amounts of dietary calcium as it is excreted in sweat. Sesame seeds are best ground up before eating to make them more digestible.
Sunflower Seeds:
Sunflower seeds are made up of about 22 % protein therefore offering a good amount of dietary substance. They are also rich in vitamin E, antioxidants & trace minerals all which are important for good health.
Hemp Seeds:
Hemp in its whole-food state is more alkaline than most proteins. Hemp's protein is complete, containing all 10 essential amino acids, making it a superior protein choice. Essential amino acids are the ones we must obtain from our diet, as the body doesn't produce them. Hemp's amino acid profile aids in boosting the body's immune system and speeds recovery. Hemp seeds also have anti-inflammatory properties, key for the quick repair of soft-tissue damage caused by physical activity. Edestin, an amino acid present only in hemp, is an essential part of DNA. It makes hemp the plant source closest to our own amino acid profile.
Eating your hemp seeds raw keeps their naturally occurring digestive enzymes intact, which in turn reduces the digestive strain. Raw hemp foods have high levels of vitamins, minerals, high-quality balanced fats, antioxidants, fiber and chlorophyll.
Hemp is important not only in muscle & tissue regeneration but also in fat metabolism. Protein, once ingested, initiates the release of a hormone that helps the body to utilize its fat reserve more effectively, which in turn improves endurance & facilitates fat loss.
Chia Seeds:
High in magnesium, potassium, calcium & iron, chia is very effective in replenishing minerals used in muscle contraction & lost in sweat. Chia contains about 20% high-quality protein & is packed with antioxidants making it an ideal food to help speed recovery after exercise. Chia helps maintain energy during a workout, & the seeds are extremely easy to digest. Next to flax, they are the highest source of omega-3 fatty acids.
