It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question whether seeds are harmful or not, because each product has its own characteristics, disadvantages and advantages. So seeds in reasonable amounts saturate the body with useful substances, and in excess they have a negative effect.
Do seeds eat while dieting?
Many are interested in the question, is it possible to eat seeds when losing weight? Judging by their high calorie content, they should not be abused, especially during a diet, however, moderate eating of these tasty nucleoli is very useful and necessary for the human body. First of all, this applies to a strict vegetarian diet, where such a treat, like seeds, brings complete vegetable proteins.
They are rich in essential amino acids that support the normal functioning of the body. Due to the fact that during weight loss a person deprives himself of many useful substances, the seeds compensate to some extent these losses, and their calorie content helps to cope and survive the diet period without negative consequences.
Still, is it possible to eat seeds when losing weight? Doctors and nutritionists answer what is possible. They advise to sprinkle them with vegetable salads or use separately, as a vitamin supplement. An acceptable norm is no more than 20-30 g per day and, most importantly, they need to be eaten raw. With a diet, seeds can serve as a replacement for another meal. Once or twice a day they can be eaten instead of the established food in the diet.
There is a diet directly based on the seeds. It involves eating pumpkin and sunflower seeds , which have almost the same composition and contain a sufficient amount of useful unsaturated acids Omega-3 (55%), proteins (per 100 g of seeds - 20-35 g of protein). A very small amount of carbohydrates in them (4-5%) once again positively answers the question "Can I eat seeds when losing weight?".
The proper use of seeds consists of a few simple rules:
- they must be dried, peeled, husk;
- it is unacceptable to sprinkle them with any spices;
- it is not recommended to wash the seeds with water. It can be drunk either half an hour before meals, or after.
A variant of one of the seeds-based diets
- A breakfast plate of oatmeal cooked in water is eaten for breakfast. So the body will receive a daily intake of carbohydrates.
- For lunch, sunflower seeds are used in the amount that you want.
- For dinner, there are pumpkin seeds in an amount similar to sunflower.
The diet lasts 3 days. During this time, it is necessary to drink a lot of water and in addition to take pharmacy vitamins in order to maintain the level of nutrients in the body. But is it possible to eat seeds? When losing weight, you can, especially since there is even a diet based on them.
The benefits of sunflower seeds
100 g of seeds of large varieties intended for food contain 520-540 kcal, oilseeds are even more high-calorie varieties - 560-580 kcal. On an empty stomach, you can eat a whole pack of them and safely get enough - they are very nutritious.
Despite the high calorie content, sunflower seeds bring many benefits and necessary components to the body. They contain vitamin A, B, E, D, C, trace elements such as magnesium, zinc, iron, iodine, sodium, silicon, selenium, phosphorus. Positive results with relatively regular seed husking:
- cholesterol level decreases, blood condition improves;
- prevention of atherosclerosis;
- increased appetite;
- improvement of skin and hair;
- calming effect for the nervous system from the process of clicking the seeds.
Fried seeds do not give such a benefit. After heat treatment, the number of calories remains the same, and the level of valuable biologically active substances decreases by an order of magnitude - by 90%. Therefore, if you want to enjoy sunflower seeds and at the same time get a portion of vitamins, it is better to use them in a raw, slightly dried form, but be sure to keep their outer shell.
The benefits of pumpkin seeds
The calorie level of pumpkin seeds is not inferior to sunflower, even slightly exceeds it and amounts to 535-565 per 100 g. Therefore, if you are overweight, you will not get enough of them, and even while on a diet, too.
At the same time, they are an excellent snack product for everyone, from children to adults. They contain many vitamins: C, A, K, E, B5, B9, B2, B6, B1. Pumpkin seeds are rich in proteins, fiber, mono- and polyunsaturated fats, amino acids, carbohydrates, unsaturated fatty acids, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium.
Seeds are useful for children, as they strengthen their forming bone tissue. In general, they strengthen the walls of blood vessels, improve the appearance of the skin, normalize brain function, lower mental fatigue, nervousness, improve memory, prevent prostatitis, parasites, normalize sleep, and are an antidepressant. Pumpkin seeds have a healing effect, help with dehydration, remove toxins and bacteria from the intestines in inflammatory diseases, maintain the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and stomach when exposed to toxins.
Pumpkin Seed Damage
What is useful for pumpkin seeds is understandable, but what is their harm? First of all, you can not abuse them, it is recommended to eat 50-60 raw grains per day. It is better to buy them unroasted and not peeled, because they oxidize quickly, forming harmful substances, and heat treatment will only increase their caloric value.
You can not overeat with pumpkin seeds - they contain salicylic acid, which in large doses provokes inflammation of the lining of the stomach (gastritis). Purified, salted and fried kernels are useless and to some extent even harmful, because they grease the body, accumulate salts in the joints, making them motionless.
Harm from sunflower seeds
Inshell fried sunflower seeds have a negative effect on the condition of the teeth. Their quite frequent eating leads to the destruction of tooth enamel and, as a result, trips to the dental office. To avoid such a problem, it is advised to eat the seeds by cleaning them with your hands, and not through the teeth, so you can protect the latter from damage.
As a result of the ingestion of fried seeds, unnecessary salts accumulate in the joints, which impair their mobility. Many farmers use phosphate, nitrate fertilizers in their households that accumulate in the seeds. Falling into the hands of the consumer, these nuclei, saturated with harmful chemical fertilizers (cadmium), gradually affect the nervous system, develop diseases of the kidneys, musculoskeletal system. Fried seeds cause heartburn in some people and are not recommended for use by those who have gastrointestinal diseases.