It’s no secret that seeds are a superfood. Crammed into these tiny little morsels are all the building blocks needed to grow an entire plant, meaning that despite their size, they pack a mean nutritional punch. So, here are five ways to get more into your diet:
Seed Butter
Seed butters are a great alternative to adding actual seeds to your plate. Choose a mixed-seed option and the vitamins and mineral content can be even more diverse – go take a look for the top seed butter at Beyond The Equator to see how many they pack into a single jar.
With a jar of this in the pantry you can switch up a PB and J for something with fewer carbs and more protein, or add a dollop to a smoothie or salad dressing for an instant seed hit.
Snack Bowl
Literally pouring yourself a bowl of mixed nuts and sitting them at your desk as you work has got to be the simplest way to incorporate seeds into your diet. Having them close by means you are less likely to go hunting round for something else and ending up with a less healthy option. You’ll be surprised how many you can absentmindedly nibble throughout the day, and completely guilt-free too! Though do be careful of the calorie intake.
To mix it up a bit, you can try roasting some and if you like a spicy snack, shaking over a little cayenne pepper will turn up the heat.
Breakfast Options
Overnight oats had five minutes of fame a while back but that’s not to say we can’t still be enjoying their pre-prepared goodness now – they are a simple way to start the day with seeds. Whether you add milk, yogurt or something else to your oats, at the same time throw in a handful of mixed seeds and top with some chopped fruits and berries.
According to a Harvard University study, those who get plenty of oats, or other whole grains, into their diet live longer. So, that alone is reason enough to make a bowl of oats your first meal of the day. Make a simple bowl of porridge and throw in some seeds, dried fruits, and a drizzle of honey and you have got one super nutrient-packed breakfast.
Salads
A super quick way to get more seeds in your meals is to shake a few seeds over a salad to give it a satisfying crunch. Alternatively, blitz some seeds into your salad dressing to add depth of flavor. Seeds that work well with salad are poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
Sneaky Seeds
If you’re not a huge fan of seeds or you want to sneak some into your kids’ meals there are loads of things to try:
- Grind some seeds into your pesto and you won’t even know they are there.
- If you use ground flaxseed (shop prepared or grind your own) you can easily hide it in things like breadcrumbs for crispy fish or chicken recipes or as a topping to pasta bakes. You can even stir some into soups.
- Tiny chia seeds are another good option for hiding in among the other ingredients. Try stirring into jam, yogurt or even baked goods recipes like brownies or cookies.
Who knew getting seeds into your daily food routine could be so simple and so tasty. Try them out and notice how much better you start to feel with all those super seeds giving your nutrition a superfood boost.
