Getting the Most Nutrition out of Seeds
Monica Reinagel, M.S.,L.D./N
Q. This is a little gross, but I have pumpkins seeds on my salad every night. I recently noticed that they seem to “travel through” without stopping. If so, what is the point of eating them, nutritionally?
Answer. Some seeds, such as pumpkin and flax, have a hard outer shell that is resistant to digestion. If they’re “traveling through” without changing shape, then you’re not getting much if any nutritional benefit from them. To get the nutritional value out of these seeds, be sure you chew them carefully. (Or, in the case of flaxseed, you can grind them briefly in a spice or coffee grinder.) Once the outer shell has been broken, you body is better able to digest and absorb the nutrients.
Related content: Benefits of flaxseed
Pumpkin Seeds image courtesy of Shutterstock