4 types of seeds for a balanced diet
Among the seeds we will find snacks and at the same time natural and balanced food. There is only one condition: the cultures should be professionally grown and should not contain residues of protection agents. Seeds are concentrates of natural nutrients (proteins, minerals, vitamins and often contain rare essential substances that we get less and less from food). Folk medicine has always used seeds.
People eat the most seeds in bread and pastries, although this type of food can be part of the daily diet. They have a similar number of calories as stone fruits because 100 grams of seeds have about 600 kcal. Fats are more than half of the content – high-value oils (which contain a small part of saturated and a large part of unsaturated fatty acids). Proteins are well represented, so they can reach up to 25% of the content (pumpkin seeds). Also concentrated are those minerals (up to 5%) that people lack the most in overly processed food (magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron and others). The seeds are also rich in dietary fiber (as much as 11% in sesame), they have vitamins but less than minerals.
Flax seeds contain oil of exceptional quality. Everything else is similar to the composition of other seeds. In research, lignins have been shown to be useful in reducing the risk of breast and ovarian cancer (because they reduce the activity of estrogen – the main female sex hormone – a potential instigator of malignant growth. Flax seeds contain 57% alpha linolenic acid, which, through a metabolic change, gives omega 3 fatty acids (useful due to its multiple medicinal effects). That is why flaxseed oil (cold-pressed and unrefined as it is in the seeds) can replace fish in the diet. For the same reason, flaxseed oil has an effect on blood cholesterol levels, inflammatory processes and blood clotting. It is recommended that drink (by the spoonful) or add to salads. Nutritionists especially recommend this oil to children, the elderly, people with a lower body weight than normal, convalescents. It has a preventive effect on everyone. This almost perfect oil has one flaw (it spoils quickly), so experts make efforts to solve the problem and prevent spoilage.
Pumpkin seeds are a tasty and high-calorie food. They contain 46% oil, 24% protein and 18% carbohydrates. By removing the oil with squeezing, it will remain defatted and a very interesting low-calorie product rich in magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, iron and beta carotene. Pumpkin seed oil is very useful because it contains a rare source of alpha linolenic acid. The rest of 30% belongs to saturated small acids. The natural preservative vitamin E is also useful. Pumpkin seed oil is of the highest quality in raw seeds, but the oil obtained by cold pressing is also considered a source of good oil. Pumpkin oil has healing properties due to the essential fatty acids contained in the oil, which are often lacking in the human daily diet.
Sunflower seeds are popular snacks. They are eaten raw and deep fried. In everything, they are similar to pumpkin seeds (23% protein, 50% oil, 18% carbohydrates, 100 gr-600 kcal). They are rich in magnesium and calcium. Sunflower oil is very well composed – 50% is linoleic, and the percentage of polyunsaturated and saturated acids is 83% to 17%.
Sesame seeds contain 50% oil, 18% protein of high biological value and 23% carbohydrates, but also magnesium, iron, zinc. If the oil is removed from the sesame seeds, what remains is a cake which, when ground, yields excellent flour. Sesame oil (raw and unrefined) is the oldest spice oil of the East. It has a nice and mild aroma. Linoleic and oleic acids make up 40% each (of all fatty acids), while saturated fatty acids make up 20%.
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