Organic nuts and seeds are some of the healthiest snacks that you can eat. Crunchy, flavourful and packed full of beneficial nutrients, they are tasty and convenient to bring on the go. They can be eaten on their own as a snack, used as toppings for smoothies, salads and desserts, or even made into spreads or an alternative to meats. Furthermore, they are suitable for vegans and vegetarians and contain no GMOs, chemicals and additives.
Nuts and seeds contain a good mixture of fats, including monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and omega-3 fatty acids, along with saturated fat. These fats are beneficial to us as they may reduce your risk of getting heart disease. Nuts and seeds can also help people nourish their red blood cells, maintain brain function, and fight excess inflammation.
There are also several other benefits:
Improve your cholesterol - Unsaturated fat in nuts helps to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol
Reduce blood clotting - Omega-3s may work much the same way as aspirin does to prevent blood from clotting
Relax blood vessels - Nuts are rich in arginine, an amino acid needed to make a molecule called nitric oxide that relaxes constricted blood vessels and eases blood flow
Raise levels of glucagon-like peptide 1 - Peptide 1 helps to control glucose levels and lower insulin levels for people with pre-diabetes
Make you feel full - Nuts are rich in fat, fibre, and protein to make you feel full.
Sesame seeds are a great source of copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, molybdenum, selenium, and dietary fibre. Furthermore, they contain two unique substances: sesamin and sesamolin which belong to a group of special beneficial fibres called lignans. Lignans have been shown to lower cholesterol, prevent high blood pressure and increase vitamin E.
Chia seeds are chock full of amazing nutrients like antioxidants, calcium, dietary fibre, protein and omega-3 fatty acids, making them one of the top superfoods for the health-conscious. They can be great food for vegan and vegetarians looking for a source of plant-based protein while having the fibre and bulk to keep you full and regular. Eating them can also help with anti-ageing due to the high amounts of antioxidants
Flaxseeds contain more lignans than any other type of seeds and nuts. Lignans are powerful antioxidants that reduce inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and some types of cancer, like breast, prostate and colon cancer. They are also high in soluble fibre, that helps to slow down the emptying of the stomach into the small intestine, increasing the absorption of nutrients. They also contain protein and omega-3s and may improve cholesterol and lower blood pressure.
Almonds contain phytosterols and monounsaturated fats that protect the heart by maintaining levels of good HDL cholesterol and vitamin E, magnesium and potassium that help oxygen flow more freely through the blood. They are also a great source of fibre and protein, and important nutrients including selenium, zinc, calcium and B vitamins, especially folate and biotin. They can help with weight management, heart disease and bone building.
Walnuts are known to be a source of good fats like polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, that can help with lowering cholesterol and easing inflammation for better heart health. They are also rich in antioxidants to fight free radicals and ageing, melatonin to improve relaxation and sleep, biotin (vitamin B7) for great hair, and even help to keep dementia at bay
