1) CHIA SEEDS
Serving Size = 1 Tsp
Consider these facts about
Chia seeds:
-
2.5 times more protein
than kidney beans
-
3 times the antioxidant
strength of blueberries
-
3 times more iron than
spinach
-
6 times more calcium
than milk
-
7 times more vitamin C
than oranges
-
8 times more omega-3
than salmon
-
10 times more fiber than
rice
-
15 times more magnesium
than broccoli
The seeds are loaded with
vitamins and minerals, are an excellent source of fibre,
protein and antioxidants, and are the richest plant source
of omega-3 fatty acids.
Consumption of chia seeds could
help reduce joint pain, aid in weight loss, deliver an
energy boost and protect against serious ailments such as
diabetes and heart disease.
The seeds are gluten-free, which
also makes them appealing to people with celiac disease or
an aversion to gluten.
Consumption of chia seeds may
increase blood levels of the long chain omega-3 EPA by 30%,
says a new study from the Appalachian State University and
the University of North Carolina.
Chia seeds are a source of
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of “short-chain” omega-3
fatty acid, whereas fish is a source of the “long-chain”
fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA).
While growing research has
linked consumption of EPA and DHA to heart health, improved
brain function and possible other health benefits such as
improvement in depression or rheumatoid arthritis, studies
are now suggesting that ALA may bring about redistribution
associated with heart and liver protection.
Consumption of chia seeds as a source of alpha-linolenic
acid (ALA) may bring about
redistribution associated with heart and liver protection.
The top benefits of chia seeds are far reaching and as
far as superfoods go, this is undeniably one of the top ten.
2) HEMP SEEDS
Serving Size = 1 Tbsp
More people are discovering the
nutritional benefits of hemp seed, nut and oil.
Hemp contains:
-
All 20 amino acids,
including the 9 essential amino acids (EAAs) our
bodies cannot produce.
-
A high protein
percentage of the simple proteins that strengthen
immunity and fend off toxins.
-
Eating hemp seeds in any
form could aid, if not heal, people suffering from
immune deficiency diseases. This conclusion is
supported by the fact that hemp seed has been used
to treat nutritional deficiencies brought on by
tuberculosis, a severe nutrition blocking disease
that causes the body to waste away.
-
Nature’s highest
botanical source of essential fatty acid, with more
essential fatty acid than flax or any other nut or
seed oil.
-
A perfect 3:1 ratio of
Omega-6 Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 Linolenic Acid -
for cardiovascular health and general strengthening
of the immune system.
-
A superior vegetarian
source of protein considered easily digestible.
-
A rich source of
phytonutrients, the disease-protective element of
plants with benefits protecting your immunity,
bloodstream, tissues, cells, skin, organs and
mitochondria.
-
The richest known source
of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids.
According to the hemp growers
industry, industrial hemp grown for food, fuel and natural
fibers contains virtually no THC (less than .3%).
In fact, when hemp is processed
into hemp seed oil and hemp seed milk, for example, it
further reduces the minute amount of THC in hemp.
And yet, there's still a
stigma due to the long-standing idea that hemp and
marijuana are one in the same.
Hemp is actually
categorized with marijuana as part of the Controlled
Substances Act of 1970 and is therefore illegal to grow
in the US.
The best way to insure the body
has enough amino acid material to make the globulins is to
eat foods high in globulin proteins. Since hemp seed protein
is 65% globulin edistin, and also includes quantities of
albumin, its protein is readily available in a form quite
similar to that found in blood plasma.
Eating hemp seeds gives the body
all the essential amino acids required to maintain health,
and provides the necessary kinds and amounts of amino acids
the body needs to make human serum albumin and serum
globulins like the immune enhancing gamma globulins. Eating
hemp seeds could aid, if not heal, people suffering from
immune deficiency diseases.
This conclusion is supported by
the fact that hemp seed was used to treat nutritional
deficiencies brought on by tuberculosis, a severe nutrition
blocking disease that causes the body to waste away.
3) POMEGRANATE SEEDS
Serving Size
= 1/2 Cup
Pomegranates are a rich source of antioxidants. Therefore,
it helps to protect your body's cells from free radicals,
which cause premature aging.
In simple words, pomegranate
juice pumps the level of oxygen in your blood. The
antioxidants fight free radicals and prevents blood clots.
This eventually helps the blood to flow freely in your body
in turn improving the oxygen levels in your blood.
Pomegranates are especially high in polyphenols, a form of
antioxidant purported to help reduce the risk of cancer and
heart disease. In fact, pomegranate juice, which contains
health-boosting tannins, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid, has
higher antioxidant activity than green tea and red wine.
The pomegranate, with its edible seeds inside juicy sacs, is
high in vitamin C and potassium, low in calories (80 per
serving, which is just under one-third of a medium fruit),
and a good source of fibre.
The
antioxidant properties of a pomegranate prevent low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol from oxidizing. This essentially
means that pomegranates prevent the hardening of the artery
walls with excess fat, leaving your arteries fat free and
pumping with antioxidants.
"Mice that drank pomegranate
juice were able to
significantly reduce the progression of atherosclerosis,
[by] at least 30 percent," said study co-author Dr.
Claudio Napoli, a professor of medicine and clinical
pathology at the University of Naples School of Medicine
in Italy.
Pomegranate
health benefits run bone deep; it can
reduce the damage on the cartilage for those hit with
arthritis.
This fruit
has the ability to lessen the inflammation and fights the
enzymes that destroy the cartilage.
4) FLAX SEEDS
Serving Size = 1-2 Tsp (ground)
Dietary fiber from
flaxseed suppresses rises in blood levels
of lipids after a meal and modulate appetite.
University of Copenhagen researchers report that
flax fiber suppresses appetite and helps support weight loss.
Flax has been cultivated for centuries and has been
celebrated for its usefulness all over the world.
Hippocrates wrote about using flax for the relief of
abdominal pains, and the French Emperor Charlemagne favored
flax seed so much that he passed laws requiring its
consumption!
The main health benefits of flax seed are due to its rich
content of Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA), dietary fiber, and
lignans.
The essential fatty acid ALA is a powerful
anti-inflammatory, decreasing the production of agents that
promote inflammation and lowering blood levels of C-Reactive
Protein (CRP), a biomarker of inflammation. Through the
actions of the ALA and lignans, flax has been shown to block
tumor growth in animals and may help reduce cancer risk in
humans.
Lignans are
phytoestrogens, plant compounds that have
estrogen-like effects and antioxidant properties.
Phytoestrogens help to stabilize
hormonal levels, reducing the symptoms of PMS and menopause,
and potentially reducing the risk of developing breast and
prostate cancer.
The fiber in flax seed promotes healthy bowel function. One
tablespoon of whole flax seed contains as much fiber as half
a cup of cooked oat bran. Flax's soluble fibers can lower
blood cholesterol levels, helping reduce the risk of heart
attack and stroke.
Ground flax seed provides more nutritional benefits than
does the whole seed. Grind the seeds at home using a coffee
grinder or blender, and add them to cereals, baked goods and
smoothies.
5) PUMPKIN SEEDS
Serving Size = 1/2 Cup
They are the
only
seed that is alkaline-forming in this world of
highly acidic diets.
Add pumpkin
seeds to your list of foods rich in protein. 100 grams of
seeds on a daily basis provide 54 percent of the daily
requirement in terms of protein.
Most of us pop pills to replenish deficiency of vitamin
B-complex, try pumpkin seeds next time. Pumpkin seeds are a
good source for vitamin B like,
-
thiamin
-
riboflavin
-
niacin
-
pantothenic acid
-
vitamin B-6
-
folates
For those who
are down in the dumps, pumpkin seeds can help fight through
depression. The chemical component L-tryptophan is the
secret ingredient to boost your mood.
Did you know
that pumpkin seeds can prevent kidney stones? Studies
suggest that pumpkin seeds can help prevent certain kidney
stone formations like calcium oxalate kidney stone.
Pumpkin seeds
even hold the secret to fighting parasites, especially
tapeworms.
6) APRICOT SEEDS
Serving Size = 1/4 Cup
Apricot kernels are, like most nuts and seeds, very
nutritious. Among the nutrients they contain is one called
amygdalin, which is also known as vitamin B17. This attacks
cancer cells, and thus can help prevent cancer from breaking
out in our bodies.
Amygdalin (vitamin B17) is
contained in many hundreds of foods, but ones that are
particularly rich in amygdalin have disappeared to a large
extent from our Western diet.
People throughout the world who
still eat a traditional diet, have been found to be largely
free from cancer. These diets are rich in foods containing
amygdalin.
Apart from apricot kernels,
examples of other amygdalin rich foods are bitter almonds (amygdalin
tastes bitter - sweet almonds do not contain it, and apricot
kernels that are not bitter do not contain it). Other foods
containing amygdalin are apple pips, grape seeds, millet,
broad beans, most berries, cassava and many other seeds,
beans, pulses and grains - but not ones that have been
highly hybridized.
For prevention, however, Dr Ernst T Krebs Jr., the
biochemist who first produced laetrile (concentrated
amygdalin) in the 1950s, recommended that if a person would
eat ten to twelve apricot kernels a day for life, then
barring the equivalent of Chernobyl, he is likely to be
cancer free.
7) SESAME SEEDS
Serving Size = 1/4 Cup
Sesame seeds may be the oldest condiment known to man. They
are highly valued for their oil which is exceptionally
resistant to rancidity.
Not only are sesame seeds a very good source of manganese
and copper, but they are also a good source of calcium,
magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary
fiber. In addition to these important nutrients, sesame
seeds contain two unique substances: sesamin and
sesamolin.
Both of these substances belong
to a group of special beneficial fibers called lignans,
and have been shown to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in
humans, and to prevent high blood pressure and increase
vitamin E supplies in animals.
Sesamin has also been found to
protect the liver from oxidative damage.
8) SUNFLOWER SEEDS
Serving Size = 1/4 Cup
Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E, the
body's primary fat-soluble antioxidant.
Vitamin E travels throughout the
body neutralizing free radicals that would otherwise damage
fat-containing structures and molecules, such as cell
membranes, brain cells, and cholesterol.
Sesame seeds have some of the highest total phytosterol
content of seeds. Phytosterols are compounds found in plants
that have a chemical structure very similar to cholesterol,
and when present in the diet in sufficient amounts, are
believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the
immune response and decrease risk of certain cancers.
Sunflower seeds are a good source of magnesium.
Numerous studies have
demonstrated that magnesium helps reduce the severity of
asthma, lower high blood pressure, and prevent migraine
headaches, as well as reducing the risk of heart attack and
stroke.
9) CUMIN SEEDS
Serving Size = 1 Tbsp
Cumin is a seed that has been used since antiquity. This
traditional herb is known for its health benefits and
medicinal uses for hundreds of years.
Cumin is useful for digestive
disorders and even as an antiseptic. The seeds themselves
are rich in iron and help boost the power of the liver.
Cumin also helps relieve
symptoms of common cold. If you have a sore throat, try
adding some dry ginger to cumin water, to help soothe it.
Cumin juice makes for a great tonic for the body even if you
don’t have a specific ailment. It is said to increase the
heat in the body thus making metabolism more efficient.
It is also considered to be a
powerful kidney and liver herb which can help boost the
immune system.
It’s also believed that black
cumin seeds can treat asthma and arthritis.
10) GRAPE SEEDS
Serving Size = 1-2 Tbsp
Grape seeds have a great concentration of,
-
vitamin E
-
flavonoids
-
linoleic acid
-
polyphenols
Grape seed extract
may prevent heart diseases such as high blood pressure and
high cholesterol. By limiting lipid oxidation, phenolics
in grape seeds may reduce risk of heart disease, such as by
inhibiting platelet aggregation and reducing inflammation.
A study published in the
journal Carcinogenesis shows that
grape seed extract (GSE) kills squamous cell carcinoma cells,
while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
Grape seeds may even reduce the infectivity of
Norovirus
surrogates according to
research published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
