Every time we eat our food can be our medicine, or it can be the slowest form of poison.
Today we make my super powered nut and seed mix, but before we get there, I want to share with you a few ways how nuts and seeds can be our medicine.
Check out some of these stats:
- 7-10 raw, organic almonds per day significantly help lower LDL cholesterol within 3-4 weeks.
- Clinical trials have shown raw, organic cashews to prevent cancer cells from dividing and growing
- Hemp seeds have all 10 amino acids needed to feed the brain so they help replenish and rebuild our neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain). Hormonal balance begins in the brain.
- Flax seeds are high in alphalinoleic acid (ALA), an omega 3 fatty acid that the brain needs. Note: the seed needs to be broken to get the nutrition from them so grind them in a food processor or a coffee grinder before consuming them.
- Sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E and good for skin health
- Pumpkin seeds are alkalizing and neutralize acidic poisons in the body; an important tip for those with acid reflux
- Sesame seeds are the highest food in calcium – who needs dairy products when we have tahini?
- Chia seeds expand to 10x their size and therefore are an AMAZING fiber to attach to toxins and pull them out of your body. They also help tremendously with constipation when you put 2T in 16 ounces of water and let them soak overnight. When you wake up the next day, drink the entire 16 ounces of water and the seeds. Check out Wellness Mama’s top ways to use chia seeds blog.
Some nuts and seeds contain omega 6 fatty acids, which are good as long as you don’t have too many. An overabundance of omega 6’s can turn on the stress response and cause inflammation.
This is why, once a week I make my super powered nut and seed mix that is the perfect ratio of omega 3: omega 6.
Here’s the recipe:
- 2 cups ground flaxseeds. If you don’t have the time or inclination to grind them yourself, you can buy them already ground.
- 1/3 cup – ground sesame seeds
- 1/3-cup ground sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup ground pumpkin seeds
Or if you don’t feel like making that yourself, pick up some of Barlean’s new Flax, Chia, Coconut blend. It’s delicious and so easy! In the video I mentioned that it's better when freshly ground. In most cases that is true, but in this case it actually isn't. I love Barlean's quality and had no idea until I shared this segment with them that they nitrogen flush the bag so there isn't any degradation involved with having it pre-ground. They test the nutrient density and it is the same as when you freshly grind it. Ah-mazing!
I love shopping for my nuts and seeds in the bulk section of the health food store (as long as they have good turn around and aren’t sitting there for too long).
Here are our top 5 favorite nut and seed recipes:
Cashew Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Remember when it comes to nuts and seeds that consuming them raw is healthiest. It’s also best to store them in the fridge to prevent the formation of mold spores.
Now, I’d like to know, in what ways do you use nuts and seeds as your medicine? Do you have a favorite recipe to share? If so, please post a comment below! I love hearing what you have to share.
If you liked this blog, you’ll love:
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Blog Resource Links:
Barlean’s new Flax, Chia, Coconut blend
Cashew Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Nothing was mentioned about soaking the seeds….I know hemp seeds do not need soaking but what about the rest?
I am unable to find, “raw, organic cream” —any suggestions? I did try to find it at Whole Foods, then Sprouts, but no luck.
Hi Christa,
I really enjoy getting your emails. They are always interesting and informative! Keep up the good work.
My question is about the Chia seeds for constipation. Could you use this very day to keep you regular??? I did a half recipe this am and it worked really good. But I’m wondering if it would cause a problem if I used it every day just to prevent a problem with constipation. Thanks.
Hi Trish! Glad you are enjoying the emails and thank you for the kind comments. You should be fine to do this once a day like you mentioned. Best to you on your health journey!
I found that coffee grinders make much better tasting coffee. Found this affordable low-speed burr grinder –
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000AR7SY/?&tag=291-20&ie=UTF8
it works well to grind coffee beans and makes for a great cup of coffee. It was less than most decent quality burr grinders.
my SIL invented coconut “cereal”- which I’ll happily add your seed mix to –
it’s 1/2 c shredded coconut – handful of frozen blueberries – 1 T honey and almond or coconut milk. delish!
Like it, Libertybain! Thanks for sharing.
Is something missing in the recipe for “my super powered nut and seed mix”? There are no nuts in the recipe.
You are right, Sharon – no nuts in this recipe! Thank you for that post – just nuts in the segment. 🙂
I like to make a “Seed Trio” to put on lots of things: flax, sunnies and pumpkin seeds. I lightly toast for flavor enhancement but I know that raw is best. Love the recipes, Christa, and I’m a big nut & seed fan…
Would it be ok to put the nut mixture in a egg scramble? Is heat going to decrease the benefits of the nuts?
Yes, omega 3 and 6 are very delicate and they get destroyed when exposed to heat. You could scramble the eggs and when they are on your plate and a little bit cooled off, you could sprinkle the nut mixture on top.
Remeber balance as almonds are very high in oxalates.
If someone is trying to avoid estrogen would you recommend staying away from chia and flax? What about nuts in general?
If you are actively trying to avoid estrogen, I would suggest avoiding flax and only have chia 1-3x/week. Use coconut husk as your fiber blended with psyillium and plenty of water. That should bind to excess estrogen and help pull it out of the system to create more balance for you. No maca either in the case of too much estrogen.
Thank you for the recipe. Doesn’t include the hemp seeds. Is it 1/3 also? I’ve read a post that chia seeds can cause bloating. Would the soaking overnight prevent this?
PS Wouldn’t it be better, i.e., fresher, to simply mix the whole seeds and then grind them on an as need basis. I find that a simple small grinder does the trick.
Hi Elizabeth! You should not get bloated if you soak the chia seeds, but your body will tell you after you try it if it’s the right approach for you. No the recipe doesn’t include hemp seeds actually, but you could swap out sunflower seeds for hemp seeds if you like. To your other point. Yes, always best to grind what you use fresh daily, but I find that is not realistic for most people so do what works for you. 🙂