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You may be overlooking this nutritional powerhouse. You shouldn't

Nuts and seeds are staples of a healthy, plant-based diet—and they’re often considered superfoods. But nuts tend to steal the limelight, while edible seeds are often overlooked as ingredients to feature in everyday meals. “Seeds are kind of like the poor stepchild—they don’t get a lot of love or attention,” says Keith Ayoob, a registered dietitian-nutritionist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in The Bronx. “It’s harder to find them on supermarket shelves and people aren’t as familiar with them.” What’s more, edible seeds “are often not assessed in clinical and epidemiological studies,” according to research in a 2022 issue of Advances in Nutrition. That means their health benefits…

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 Seed banks: the last line of defense against a threatening global food crisis

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 The nutrition powerhouse we should eat more of

Seeds are a nutrition powerhouse that can easily be added to everything from soups and stir-fries to breads and salads, bringing flavour and texture. As a family they contain heart-, bone-, muscle-, brain- and immune-supporting nutrients, many of which we aren’t eating enough of. Botanically speaking, grains, many nuts, pulses, cocoa and coffee are seeds. To keep things simple, we’ve looked at the foods known in the culinary world as seeds.

 You may be overlooking this nutritional powerhouse. You shouldn't.

Seeds are a great source of fiber, unsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals. But they’re not all created equal. See how experts rank the top edible seeds.

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Can These Nutritious Super Seeds Really Curb Your Appetite?

One of my friends has been obsessed with a certain kind of seed lately--she puts them in her oatmeal every morning. And, after researching them, I can see why she's so into them...

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Plant-based diet: Nuts, seeds, and legumes can help get you there

Nuts and seeds provide healthy mono- and polyunsaturated plant oils as well as protein. Legumes, which include beans, are filling and also contain lean protein. All of these foods are packed with vitamins and minerals. Eating more nuts, seeds, and legumes "is a good way to encourage a more plant-based diet that satisfies people in a healthy way," says registered dietitian Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

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Grains, beans, nuts and seeds are all seeds. Rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber, they form the base of most healthy food pyramids. Yet grind grain into flour and suddenly you have a dangerous powder called “refined flour” that is supposed to be avoided like the plague. Gluten intolerance, soy, corn, and peanut allergies are on the rise. What’s going on here?

The Seeds Strike Back

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The Top Seeds to Boost Your Health, Ranked

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The Truth About 6 “Superfood” Seeds

When it comes to nutrition-dense superfoods, seeds are having a bit of a moment. But do they deserve their health halo? “There is an obsession with healthy fats, protein and fiber—it’s like the trinity—and seeds have all three,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian in Chicago, Illinois. Of course, shortly behind every health food trend are enterprising food companies quick to sell you packaged foods that contain them—making it tough to tell what’s truly good for you and what isn’t.

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One recent review of more than three dozen studies, for instance, found that people who ate a little more than a handful (or about one ounce) of nuts and seeds every day had a roughly 20 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who ate little to none.

Resources

6 Types of Seeds to Add to Your Diet

Nuts get lots of attention when we talk about foods that pack a big nutritional punch. However, seeds bring equally big nutritional benefits to the table. Take a look at the list below and you'll see what I mean....

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Suddenly, seeds are everywhere—beverages, bars, you name it. For little guys, seeds are nutritional powerhouses. But which ones deliver the health and body benefits you crave most?