Eat Your Seeds

Dr. Joel Fuhrman gave a shout out to seeds today.

"Over the last few years, the health benefits of seeds have become more apparent. Seeds 
share the cardiovascular benefits of nuts, which are significant. A daily serving of nuts is associated with a 35 percent reduction in heart disease risk. Plus, a tablespoon of ground flax, hemp or chia seeds or other seeds can supply those hard-to-find omega-3 fats that protect the heart and brain. Flax, sesame and chia seeds are also rich in lignans, a phytochemical that is especially protective against breast cancer and prostate cancer. Sunflower, pumpkin and all types of seeds have unique health benefits, and seeds are a healthful, mineral-rich protein source."

So go ahead and add a tablespoon of seeds to your post-work out shakes, hot and cold cereals, salads, yogurts, etc. Add them to your recipes when baking too. Be sure to ground up those flaxseeds, though. Eating them whole makes digestion more difficult.

For those of you unfamiliar with Dr. Fuhrman, he's a board-certified family physician and nutritional researcher who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional and natural methods. He's also the author of The New York Times best-seller Eat to Live. You can follow Dr. Fuhrman on Facebook here.