Chia seeds, flax, pumpkin, sunflower, wheat germ … these foods that have become very fashionable in recent years have very interesting properties for health as long as they are integrated into a healthy diet. I mean, they don’t work miracles . If you eat insanely, a tablespoon of seeds is not going to work magic. Miracle foods do not exist.
Flax or linseed seeds contain omega 3 fatty acids (good fats for the heart) and are rich in fiber; those of chia also have omega 3 and the nine essential amino acids; pumpkin seeds are rich in B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, iron and zinc; Wheat germ contains B vitamins and is rich in fiber and sunflower seeds (sunflower seeds) are a source of vitamin E , as well as protein and good fats.
If you have decided to introduce the seeds in your diet or you already take them, but you are not sure if you consume them properly, do not miss what Julia Jiménez, dietician-nutritionist and director of the Consultation of Psiconutrition No, has told us about it. I know what to eat. “To consume the seeds and take advantage of their nutrients, as a general rule, it is essential to grind them and if not, at least hydrate them . Let’s think about what a seed is. It is about the way in which a plant ensures the survival of the species. It is perfectly designed by nature so that birds and other animals ingest them, but do not digest them, so that they then expel their feces in another place where that seed, which is still whole and undigested, will open, germinate and a new one will grow plant. In this way, most plants ensure their territorial expansion and survival, and the seeds of the plants we consume (chia, hemp, flax, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower…) are no exception “.
” We do not need to grind sunflower, pumpkin or hemp seeds because we already consume them stripped of their shell , that is, peeled, so we can access their nutrients. However, chia, sesame and flax seeds, being smaller we cannot peel them, and we must consume them ground, or at least hydrated or toasted, because this is the way to open the seed to be able to access its internal content, which is where its fatty acids and trace elements reside ”.
Now, if what we are looking for is an aid to improve intestinal transit , the recommended thing, according to the expert, would be to ingest the seeds without grinding or hydrating, for example, sprinkling on a salad, a smoothie, a cream, a yogurt … ” Of course, it is important to consume enough water so that plugs do not form in our digestive tract, ”says Jiménez.
Therefore, taking the seeds as they are is not bad for your health, only that by doing so we will not benefit from the nutrients that are hidden inside, but from their transit regulating power, a good weapon to combat annoying constipation. Choose your goal and take the seeds in the right way to achieve it.
