John Myers
Seeds and kernels are tasty and healthy. The small grains contain a lot of iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese, and vitamin E, as well as high-quality fats, protein, and fiber. Preparation tips and delicious recipes.
Flaxseed: Good for digestion
Flaxseed tastes good with yogurt or muesli. They stimulate digestion. The body can best absorb the valuable fats from ground flaxseed. Brown and golden flaxseed differ in the composition of the fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6. Flaxseed is used to produce linseed oil. It goes rancid quickly, so cool, airtight, and dark storage is required. It is best to buy freshly pressed in small quantities or freeze them: linseed oil does not solidify in the freezer.
Pumpkin Seeds: Not all shells are edible
Pumpkin seeds have a nutty taste. The green seeds of the oil pumpkin are usually used for cooking. They have soft, edible skin and are the basis for pumpkin seed oil. All other pumpkin seeds, for example from the Hokkaido, garden squash, or butternut pumpkin varieties, are pale yellow and must be peeled before consumption.
If you like roasted pumpkin seeds, you should prepare them without fat in a coated pan. Because roasting in fat increases the proportion of unhealthy saturated fatty acids – the kernels than have more calories.
Sunflower seeds: Be careful when roasting
Sunflower seeds go well with sweet and savory dishes, such as bread and rolls, or in pizza dough. Or you sprinkle them on salads, raw vegetables, soups, vegetable pans, and casseroles. Be careful when roasting in the pan: do not heat up too much and remove from the pan in good time, because sunflower seeds burn quickly.
Pine nuts: Cheap goods from the Far East
Pine nuts have a mild taste and a soft texture. They grow between the scales of the pine cones and are surrounded by a resinous shell. They don’t keep very long and go rancid quickly. Pine nuts are particularly popular in Italian cuisine, for example in pesto, salad, and pastries.
Pine nuts from the European Mediterranean pine are relatively expensive. Imports from China, Pakistan, and Korea can be kernels from the so-called “Korea pine”. They are significantly cheaper, taste less resinous, and contain a little more fat.
Sesame: Particularly aromatic as an oil
Open Sesame: When the plant bursts open its capsule, it ejects sesame seeds. Sesame contains a lot of calcium, magnesium, iron, and other minerals – good for skin, hair, and nerves.
Light, peeled sesame seeds are usually used for cooking. Unpeeled sesame is healthier and lasts longer. The brown and viscous sesame oil is particularly aromatic. It is mainly used as a spice in Chinese cuisine.
