HealthyLife Articles

Tag: seeds

  • Get Ready To Garden

    WELL-BEING

    Gardening tools on dirt with flowers ready to plant.

    Spring marks the beginning of the growing season in many parts of the country. To ensure a successful garden, now is the time to prepare for the season ahead.

    The garden tasks you need to do in early spring will vary depending on your growing zone. Colder climates will just be getting started, while warmer parts of the country may already be enjoying garden bounty.

    For those of us just thawing out, here are the spring gardening tasks that will set you up for success:

    *  Weed and mulch. Early spring is a key time to get ahead of the weeds and put down a thick layer of protective mulch.

    *  Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and roses. These should go in before temperatures get too warm.

    *  Fertilize spring bulbs.

    *  Trim back grasses and perennials to make way for new growth.

    *  Prepare vegetable beds for early spring seeds. Apply a layer of compost and turn the soil over.

    *  Plant cold-weather vegetable seeds such as lettuce, radish, and kale.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Seeds 101

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of flax seeds in a bowl.

    Edible seeds can play an important part in the human diet, not only because they’re nutritious, but they can also add appearance, texture, and taste to a variety of foods. Experts at the Institute of Food Technologists provide a short lesson in popular seeds:

    Seed: Chia

    Origin:Mexico, Central America

    Taste:Mild, slightly nutty

    Uses:Cookies, salads, oatmeal, soups, yogurt, baked goods

    Nutritional Value:Contains the highest levels of total omega-3 fatty acids of any plant source, rich in fiber, protein, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals

    Health Benefits:Helps control blood sugar levels, promotes satiety (feeling of fullness after eating), and slows the breakdown of carbohydrates

    Fun Fact:When added to water, chia seeds can swell to 12 times their weight in liquid and create a gel that could be used as an alternative to eggs and some oils in recipes.

    Seed: Quinoa

    Origin:South America

    Taste:Mild, slightly nutty

    Uses:Breakfast cereals, artisan-style breads, muffins, pizza crusts, bakery products, salads, meat-free burgers, vegan and vegetarian products

    Nutritional Value:Contains the highest protein levels of all the cereal grains, good source of magnesium, vitamin E, potassium and fiber

    Health Benefit:Provides all of the essential amino acids for optimal health

    Fun Fact:The United Nations has declared 2013 the “International Year of Quinoa.” Pronounced KEEN-wha.

    Seed: Flax

    Origin:Eastern Mediterranean to India

    Taste:Mild, nutty

    Uses:Soups, salads, stews, hamburgers, hot and cold cereals, chilies, sauces and dips, fruit smoothies, cookies, muffins and bread dough, dairy-free milk product for people with lactose-allergies

    Nutritional Value:Source of polyunsaturated fat, omega-3 fatty acids, essential amino acids, antioxidants, folate, vitamin B-6, magnesium potassium, and iron

    Health Benefit:Easily digestible

    Fun Fact:The seed was valued as both a food and a medicine in ancient Mesopotamia 10,000 years ago.

    Seed: Sunflower

    Origin:North America

    Taste:Mild

    Uses:Baked goods such as bagels, muffins, multigrain breads, and in trail mixes, hot breakfast cereals, coated in chocolate for confectionary applications, sprinkled in yogurt or on salads, and much more

    Nutritional Value:Contains polyunsaturated oil

    Health Benefit: Weight management

    Fun Fact:Used by Native Americans as a high-energy food source

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine