Super seeds for healthy heart: Ultimate guide on how to add them to your diet

Super seeds are tiny but powerhouse, their nutritional benefits expand to a wide range of health benefits, from weight loss to good gut health. Did you know seeds boost your heart health as well? These super seeds contain important nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, fibre and more, which in turn enhance cardiovascular functions.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Pratayksha Bhardwaj, dietitian and weight management expert, shared which seeds improve heart health.

He said, “Heart health is one of the core pillars of health, increasingly challenged by sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy foods, and stress that question its very function across the globe. Some heart diseases respond to a great extent to drug and clinical management; nevertheless, remedies do exist in nature, including some seeds that pack a punch in medicinal value. Owing to possessing nutrient stores, fats, and antioxidants, they have proved very effective in the heart health industry. It is easy to add such very heart-safe seeds to daily food, into smoothies, salads, baked goods, or energy bars.”

Wish to add super seeds to your diet to boost your heart health, but unsure how to go about it? Most importantly, are you wondering which superseed is best suited for you?

Dr Pratayksha Bhardwaj has shared this comprehensive guide with us that covers all the basics of seeds for heart health:

Flax seeds

If I mentioned heart-healthy seeds, flaxseeds would probably be as high as I could ever go. It is a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid, or ALA, which decreases inflammation and the heart disease risk. Flaxseeds also have soluble fibre that lowers LDL (or bad cholesterol) and other body lipids.

How to take: Ground flaxseeds are best absorbed. Add 1-2 tablespoons daily to smoothies, cereals, or yoghurt.

Warning: Those with hormone-sensitive conditions or on blood thinners should consult a doctor before regular intake.

Chia seeds

They are small in size but mighty in nutritional strength. Omega-3s, antioxidants, and minerals such as magnesium and calcium in them all work to bring about heart health. It helps control cholesterol and stabilise blood glucose levels, which are protective factors concerning cardiovascular health, by keeping the arteries free from plaque and flexible through soaking chia seeds in water and thereafter ingesting on a regular basis.

How to take: Soak 1-2 tablespoons in water or plant milk for 15-30 minutes and consume as a gel, or mix into puddings, salads, or oats.

Warning: Can cause bloating if not soaked properly; avoid if you have swallowing issues or chronic digestive disorders.

ALSO READ: Are you eating chia seeds the wrong way? Doctor explains the right way of consuming the superfood

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are perhaps the only source of that magnesium not commonly available in most of our diets. Magnesium is such a much-needed mineral to ensure the optimum heart rhythm and blood pressure, so its deficiency can pose a serious risk factor for heart disease. The quantity included in the diet has been associated directly with the prevention of heart disease and strokes.

How to take: Take about 2 tablespoons of raw or roasted pumpkin seeds a day as a snack or garnished onto soups and salads.

Warning: Sodium-restricted persons should choose unsalted versions.

ALSO READ: Pumpkin seeds for better sleep: A complete guide to their nutritional value and how to add to your diet

Sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds offer a large dose of vitamin E that serve as a potent antioxidant, protecting arteries, aiding circulation and inhibiting clotting.

• How to take: Either snack on a small handful (about 2 tablespoons) of unsalted dry-roasted seeds every day or use them as a garnish.
• Warning: Calorically dense. Might be unsuitable for people with nut/seed allergies.

Sesame seeds

Sesame had long been thought heart-protective in diets of Indian and Middle-Eastern origin. The seeds are rich in lignan, a potent lignan that lowers blood pressure and improves lipids. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of sesame thus have a positive function on vascular activities.

How to take: Consume 1 tablespoon of roasted seeds or tahini (sesame paste) daily. Sprinkle on stir-fries or mix into salad dressings.

Warning: Those with low blood pressure or allergies to seeds should consume cautiously and consult a healthcare provider.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions absuout a medical condition.