You never know how to use them, where to put them, whether to chop or spread them as they are, whether to buy them at the grocery store or make them yourself.
Let's find out more about oil seeds, whether they are flax, sunflower, sesame or pumpkin.
Seeds to defend the organism
Small treasures full of beneficial properties for the organism, i oil seeds they have a dual purpose for healing and food. There are many species of seeds (oats, anise, hemp, thistle, millet, poppy, fennel, soy, etc.).
For all it is worth observing a few simple rules: it is good consume them in the year of production e keep them in cool places, dry and away from light, to prevent fats from spoiling.
Better to choose seeds from organic crops and it is good to alternate them at the table, alternating them with imagination. They are caloric, it is true, but they protect the heart, they are an indispensable source of protein, as well as satiating the appetite.
Variety of seeds
Let's take a look at some of the oil seeds that we bring to the table more frequently.
Pumpkin seeds
Friends of intestine, bladder and muscles, here are the pumpkin seeds, with vermifuge and tonic properties. If you want prepare them yourself and avoid buying them, you can do it when nature offers pumpkin among its seasonal foods.
Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape the inside, being careful to separate the seeds from the filaments carefully. Once extracted, wash the seeds and put them in a pot with water (1 cup of water for every half cup of seeds) and salt (1 tablespoon for every cup of water). boil the water and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
Drain the seeds and arrange them on a baking tray covered with cartaforno. Toast the seeds in the oven for at least 20 minutes at 180 °, or until golden. We suggest using them as a decoration for a more than relevant pumpkin cream to fill up with iron, zinc and phosphorus.
In addition to the famous sesame bars, there are also the pumpkin seed snack bars, indicated for a balanced and nourishing, energizing break.
Flax seed
Obtained from Linum usitatissimum, flax seeds, treasures of Omega-3, are famous for their laxative properties. But why did grandma's remedies include flax seeds as a foolproof solution for constipation? Try putting a tablespoon in a glass of water and leave them to macerate for a few hours. You will find them swollen and wrapped in some sort of mucilage.
It is precisely the latter that has a mechanical laxative action. The practice of poultices of flax seeds useful in case of cough or bronchial phlegm. They are enough 1/2 to 1 tbsp per day.
Sesame seeds
Sesame is characterized by proteins (18,7%), fats (53,5%) and carbohydrates (15,6%). Compared to the calorific value of sesame seeds (595 kcal), there is a high protective action, strengthening of the immune system and stimulation of the nervous system.
With sesame seeds you can prepare a valid alternative to salt, gomasio, traditionally used in Japan to flavor soups, pasta, rice and salads. To make gomasio you need only two ingredients: raw salt (sea, whole) and sesame seeds. Mix 7 parts of sesame seeds (7 tablespoons) with 1 part of salt (1 tablespoon).
Once flattened on baking paper on a baking sheet, toast them in the oven at 100 degrees for 15 minutes and leave to cool. If you prefer, you can also toast them by tossing them in a pan. Then the whole is ground, until obtaining a coarse-grained and oily powder. Store in the refrigerator.
Try 3 recipes with sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
There are three types of sunflower (white, black, striped) and in all three cases the sunflower seeds are particularly nutritious foods, in which the rare and precious Vitamin B12 el 'chlorogenic acid, which carries out a protective action on the organism both as an antibacterial and anti-infective agent, and as an antitumor and antimutagen agent.
In addition, sunflower seeds contain phytosterols, good quality vegetable fats capable of increase the amounts of good cholesterol in circulation countering the bad one.
I white sunflower seeds they are rich in linoleic acid (Omega-6), a fatty acid that breaks down the action of free radicals; the black sunflower seeds they contain a good percentage of iron, manganese, zinc, as well as being rich in fiber; the striped sunflower seeds they are useful for improving intestinal functions. A couple of spoons a day (three if sprouted), is a quantity not to be exceeded.
How to integrate oil seeds into your daily diet?
To learn more:
> All oil seeds and their properties
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