Wonderful Superfoods To Nourish You – 3.Seeds

I have a glass jar full of mixed sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and Flax seeds. I use them on cereals, salads and soups mainly. I used to buy them separately and mix them but now I found a ready mixed pack at Julian Graves Health Store. Oh and I love heavily seeded bread mmm. So here are the benefits of each of these – they are too good for you to miss out of your diet!

Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds by Jane Thurnell-Read

(www.healthandgoodness.com) Pumpkin seeds are a great food. There are lots of good reasons to eat them. They are good sources of iron and zinc and of omega-3 fatty acids. Sounds impressive, but what does it mean?

Iron is an important mineral. Symptoms of iron deficiency include tiredness, cracking at corners of the mouth, recurrent mouth ulcers, sore tongue, poor hair growth, brittle nails and generalised itching.

Zinc is a mineral that is needed in much smaller quantities by the body than iron, but is still vitally important. If you’re short of zinc, you may have red, greasy skin on your face, other skin problems, poor hair growth, dandruff, difficulty seeing at night, an aversion to bright lights, brittle nails, white spots on your nails or a craving for chocolate. Find out if your getting enough zinc in your diet.

Benefits of Seseme Seeds by Holistic Nutrition Suite 101

(holistic-nutrition.suite101.com) Sesame seeds are high in these minerals:

• copper
• manganese
• tryptophan
• calcium
• magnesium

Sesame seeds also provide iron, phosporus, and zinc, vitamin B1(thiamin) and vitamin E. The minerals found in sesame seeds play a crucial role in health.

Copper

• Copper renders a reduction in swelling and pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, proving beneficial in relation to inflammatory systems.
• Copper supports blood vessels and bone health.

Magnesium

• Offers relief to those suffering from asthma attacks
• Reduces migraine
• Lowers blood pressure

Calcium

• Protects colon cells from carcinogenic chemicals
• Prevents migraine
• Can reduce bone loss

Sesame Seeds and Fiber

Sesame seeds contain sesamin and sesamolin, substances that are part of a group of fibers called lignans. Lignans render a cholesterol-lowering effect in humans. Sesamin also protects the liver from oxidative damage.

Sesame Seeds and Free Radicals

Sesame seeds can protect the body from free radicals, which have been implicated in development of cancer.

Sesame Seeds and Phytosterols

As reported by the Arthritic Association, in Health Benefits of Sesame Seeds and Wheat Germ, one of the greatest health benefits of sesame seeds is in relation to phytosterols. These compounds can lower blood cholesterol and improve heart health, enhance the immune system and decrease risk of malignancies. And the good news is that sesame seeds are highest in phytosterol content (400-413 mg per100grams).

Benefits of Sunflower Seeds by Gregorious

(www.hubpages.com ) There are many health benefits of sunflower seeds. They contain high levels of vitamin E, choline, betaine, and phenolic acids. Vitamin E may protect against cardiovascular disease, lignans may protect against some cancers, and choline has been shown to play a role in memory and cognitive functions. They are also among the best foods you can eat to get cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.

Sunflower seeds should be a part of any diet, especially of those people who are seeking economical, easily digested, youth-protecting proteins.

Benefits of Flax seed by Gloria Tsang

(HealthCastle.com) Its high content of alpha linolenic acids has made the ancient flax seed become our modern miracle food. Alpha linolenic acid is a type of plant-derived omega 3 fatty acid, similar to those found in fish such as salmon. Benefits of flax seed as shown in many studies include lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) levels. Other benefits show that flax seed may also help lower blood triglyceride and blood pressure. It may also keep platelets from becoming sticky therefore reducing the risk of a heart attack.

Other Benefits of Flax seeds

Aside from alpha linolenic acid, flax seed is rich in lignan. Lignan is a type phytoestrogen (antioxidant) and also provides fiber. Researches reveal that lignan in flax seed shows a lot of promise in fighting disease — including a possible role in cancer prevention especially breast cancer. It is thought that lignan metabolites can bind to estrogen receptors, hence inhibiting the onset of estrogen-stimulated breast cancer.

Recent studies also showed positive benefits of flax seed oil in IBD (Crohn’s Disease and Colitis). Flax seed oil seems to be able to heal the inner lining of the inflamed intestines.