Sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds

We’re lucky to have these seeds widely available in any supermarket because they are affordable sources of many vital nutrients.

Sunflower seeds

Sunflowers are native to North America and were originally grown by indigenous tribes. Sunflower seeds are rich in protein and vitamin E and they also offer small amounts of B vitamins and several essential minerals (detailed in the table).

Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that helps neutralise free radicals – metabolism by-products that can damage your cells – and prevents cholesterol particles in the blood from sticking to your artery walls and forming dangerous plaques. On top of that, vitamin E has anti-inflammatory properties and supports skin health.

Many face creams come with vitamin E but it’s best to supply it from within and sunflower seeds are the absolute champions in this regard.

All the sunflower seed minerals, including iron, magnesium, manganese, copper, selenium and zinc, are vital for oxygen transport around the body, the immune system, healthy muscles, joints and bones; blood pressure regulation and more.

Sunflower seeds also supply a generous bundle of antioxidants, which don’t just help to protect your tissues from everyday damage but are also anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial!

When it comes to the fat in sunflower seeds, it’s mostly unsaturated omega-6 and although we need some, too much of this type of fat may contribute to inflammation in the body and block the absorption of healthier omega-3s. However, if you only eat sunflower seeds in small amounts, it’s of no concern.

How to use sunflower seeds?

You can add sunflower seeds to anything where you want a little crunchiness – beanburgers, biscuits, granola, energy balls, salad or bread. Roasted seeds are a great snack or topping for pasta, soup and rice dishes.

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkins come from North America and were cultivated by Native Americans for millennia. In fact, they are one of the oldest cultivated plants in the Americas and were vital in Indigenous diets, medicine and traditions.

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of magnesium, iron, zinc and protein. Magnesium is essential for a range of important functions in the human body, including nerve and muscle signalling, bone metabolism and blood circulation. Iron is crucial for oxygen transport around the body while zinc is a key player in the immune system, healthy metabolism, vision and the making of new cells in your body.

Pumpkin protein comes with an added bonus – it is a rich source of tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids that form protein. Your body converts tryptophan into serotonin – a hormone that helps you feel and sleep better.

Pumpkin seeds are also bursting with antioxidants such as carotenoids and lignans, which have health-protecting properties. They can help to prevent heart disease and even certain types of hormone-sensitive cancers.

How to use pumpkin seeds?

Add raw seeds to your morning cereal, flapjacks or yoghurt. They also make an excellent pesto, combined with garlic and olive oil. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a tasty snack or avocado toast topping and they add texture and flavour to soups, salads, pasta and rice dishes.

Sesame seeds

There are many sesame species but the one that’s widely cultivated for its seeds is Sesamum indicum – Indian sesame. A tablespoon of sesame seeds delivers a generous amount of nutrients but a tablespoon of tahini (sesame seed paste) packs even more – see the table. It’s simply because there’s a lot of air between the seeds and when you grind them, it becomes a more concentrated food.

Sesame seeds are rich in copper and manganese – minerals essential for the formation of many vital molecules in your body, red blood cells, nerves, immune system, healthy bones, cartilage, tendons and skin.

When it comes to the better known nutrients, tahini is a particularly good source of calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Adding a tablespoon to your meal will nicely bump up its nutritional value.

On top of that, sesame seeds contain several B vitamins, protein and fibre. The oil in sesame seeds is high in omega-6 and omega-9 fats, which are good for you in small amounts.

Not many people know that sesame seeds support your heart health because they are rich in phytosterols – similar in structure to cholesterol but with a positive effect. Phytosterols help to lower your cholesterol levels and sesame seeds are the richest source among all nuts and seeds!

And to add another health benefit, sesame seeds contain sesamin and sesamolin – compounds that also help lower cholesterol levels and have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

How to use sesame seeds?

Sesame seeds can be added to your morning cereal, sprinkled over savoury dishes, salads, sushi bowls, mixed in cake batters and bread doughs or used as a coating for sushi, sweet energy balls or biscuits.

Tahini adds creaminess to sauces, can be drizzled over porridge, risottos or noodle dishes, makes a delicious toast spread (combined with jam, chocolate spread, yeast extract or miso paste), is excellent for salad dressings and increases the nutritional value of smoothies and soups.