Health Benefits of Adding Seeds to Your Meals

Are flax, chia, and hemp seeds just trendy diet foods, or do they have significant health benefits? Maybe you’ve snacked on options like roasted pumpkin seeds or shelled sunflower seeds. Still, all the nutritional value of recipes with seeds can be surprising.

For example, you may choose seeds as a natural therapy for losing hair. Research suggests that hemp-derived extract may promote hair growth, although more research is needed.

Besides adding seeds to meals, you can include them as part of a healthy diet. Research suggests that seeds may help reduce blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.

In addition, a diet that includes seeds may benefit individuals recovering from weight loss surgery. They can be low-calorie, high-protein, and satisfying.

Here are some of the considerable health benefits of including edible seeds in your three square meals.

Seeds Are a Good Source of Dietary Fiber

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the human body cannot digest. The good carbs can help control blood sugar and prevent hunger.

Due to their high fiber content, seeds may also improve digestion and help reduce constipation. It’s a good reason to toss them into soups and salads.

However, conflicting research exists about whether a higher-fiber diet improves or worsens constipation. Some types of fiber may have a laxative effect. Hence, more research is necessary.

Studies on fiber's benefits for the digestive system are more consistent. Dietary fiber absorbs water in the intestine. The undigested fiber produces “bulk” that helps remove waste from the body.

Seeds with the highest fiber content include:

● Flax

● Poppy

● Sesame

● Sunflower

● Pumpkin

Seeds Are High in Healthy Fat

In past decades, many diets were low-fat to promote weight loss. However, in recent years, researchers have focused on so-called “good fat” and “bad fat.”

Healthy fats are known as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. All trans fat and high saturated fat are considered “bad” fats.

Seeds are a good source of polyunsaturated fat. So, consider burger buns with sesame seeds.

Research shows that a balanced diet high in healthy fats may improve body composition and reduce inflammation. However, more research is needed.

Seeds Contain Major and Trace Minerals

The body needs major (macromineral) and trace (micromineral) minerals. Major and trace minerals are essential for the human body. That said, they differ in the amount that you need.

Seeds contain various minerals, including:

● Copper

● Magnesium

● Potassium

● Phosphorous

● Selenium

● Zinc

Since different seeds have different types and amounts of minerals, consuming several varieties of seeds can help maintain a balanced diet. For dessert, consider cookie bars with flax seeds, poppy seed muffins, or fat bombs with hemp seeds.

Seeds May Help Control Cholesterol Through Plant Sterols

Seeds contain phytosterols (plant sterols). Phytosterols are chemical compounds in plant cell membranes. Plant sterols have a cholesterol-like structure in the human body.

Consuming a diet with plant sterols may help maintain good heart health, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Changing your eating habits can help lower cholesterol levels. Options include increasing healthy fat, fiber, and phytosterols.

Here’s how seeds’ phytosterols may help lower cholesterol. Plant sterols are similar in structure to cholesterol. So, they compete for the digestive system to absorb them.

Phytosterols can block the body’s cholesterol absorption, lowering cholesterol levels.

Research shows that eating heart-healthy phytosterols may lower total cholesterol by up to 10%. Eating high-phytosterol foods like seeds may also lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol by up to 14%.

Try adding flax, chia, or hemp seeds to fruit smoothie recipes.

Seeds May Help Reduce Inflammation

You may have heard the term “anti-inflammatory,” but what exactly does it mean? Inflammation is the human body’s natural response to infection or injury. The process occurs when damaged tissues release signal-sending chemicals to trigger the repair of white blood cells.

In some situations, low-grade chronic inflammation spreads throughout the body. Chronic inflammation can damage body tissue. Inflammation may increase the risk of:

● Heart disease

● Stroke

● Diabetes

● Liver/Kidney disease

● Cancer

Researchers are studying the potential effects of diet on inflammatory diseases. However, seeds may help reduce inflammation because they’re plant-based and higher in omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3s are a type of fat that the body cannot produce by itself. Translation: you must get these fats from food and supplements. Foods high in omega-3s include:

● Seeds

● Nuts

● Olive oil

● Avocados

● Fatty fish

● Shellfish

● Cod liver oil

When selecting high-omega-3 seeds, the best options include flax, chia, and hemp.

If “chia” sounds familiar, the ceramic figurines known as Chia Pets feature the sprouted seeds. Chia seeds originated in Central America, and the ancient Aztecs consumed them.

Double up on omega-3 by preparing dishes like salmon with fennel seeds.

Seeds May Help Promote Weight Loss

Research isn’t conclusive on whether seeds can help with weight loss. For example, chia seeds are high in healthy fat and fiber, which are associated with weight loss.

Some research suggests that chia seeds can promote weight loss in overweight individuals. However, more research is needed.

Final Thoughts

Research suggests that seeds may help improve health factors like those related to cholesterol, digestion, and inflammation. Several studies suggest that adding more seeds to your meals is a good idea.

The options include oatmeal with flax seeds, pumpkin seed veggie burgers, and broccoli with sesame seeds. Seeds can be the start of something new in your daily meals.