I host a monthly Successful Aging series at our “active adult” clubhouse. My friend, Betty P, gave an interesting presentation about how she and her husband, Duane, incorporate seeds into their daily diet. Adding seeds sounds like another chore but Betty taught us how to do it quickly and easily.
She starts with 1/4 cup of hemp, chia, and flax seeds along with some walnuts. A few seconds of chopping in a mini-food processor is all it takes. Freshness is one of the desired qualities in the seed mixture but you can prepare a week’s worth of seeds/nuts at a time.
So now that you have a jar of seeds and nuts, how do you add it to your diet?
yogurt
smoothie
soup
salad
oatmeal
sauces
doughs and batters
Why would you want to add seeds to your diet?
Chia has protein, fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc. Filled with antioxidants, it can help lower LDL and triglycerides.
Hemp seeds (different species than cannabis) are a source of Omega-3, magnesium, and phosphorus. It contains all essential amino acids, which makes it a complete protein.
Flax seeds have been called “one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet.” Not only do they have Omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, they have more lignan than any other plant food. Lignans are phytonutrients that show promise in reducing systolic blood pressure, cancer, and bone loss.
One word of caution: these seeds have fiber and calories. It may be best to add them slowly to your diet until your digestive tract grows accustomed to the increased fiber.