Seeds

We eat a lot of seeds, some are nuts, some are legumes, and some are even categorized as whole grains like quinoa, millet or dried corn! But then, we have the seeds that we simply refer to as seeds. These are the seeds that come from squash or pumpkins, from giant sunflowers or tiny chia flowers, or that come in small pods like sesame seeds, or larger capsule-like fruits like flax seeds.

Nutritionally speaking, they can vary quite a bit too. For example, chia seeds and sesame seeds are great sources of calcium, sunflower seeds are very rich in vitamin E, and chia seeds and flax seeds are incredibly high sources of omega 3.

On his Daily Dozen, Dr. Greger recommends that we include 1/4 cup of nuts or seeds in our diet every day. Keep it interesting for your palate by switching it up. Seeds make great additions in soups and salads, great snacks, and chia seeds make delicious pudding treats. When we eat a variety of foods, we get a variety of nutrients, including a variety of fibers for our diverse microbiome.

Be mindful not to exceed the recommended daily amount regularly, though, because seeds, same as nuts, are very high in fat and caloric content and when eaten in excess, they can lead to weight gain or keep us from losing weight if that’s what we’re trying to do.

Click on the pages below to learn more details about specific types of seeds. Subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to know about our latest content additions!