Seeds are a great source of health benefits that can also help improve the gut microbiome. The microbes in our stomach pre-digest the seeds we consume, so it's easier to digest them compared to other foods. This blog post will explore an example of how seeds can benefit the gut microbiome.

Flaxseed consumption has been studied for its effect on colon motility, reduced risk of diverticulitis, and increased stool frequency. This may be due to the high content of lignans found in flaxseed, which act as prebiotics promoting healthy bacteria levels in the gut microbiota. Variety will provide you with many benefits.

For anyone following a plant-based diet, it can be difficult to find good protein sources that don't include animal products. Fortunately, there are many options for both vegetarians and vegans – one option is legumes. Legumes come in all shapes and sizes and offer various nutrients; lentils offer an excellent source of protein, fiber, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and iron. To get the most out of eating legumes, you might consider activating them before you eat them, as they are better when soaked or sprouted. In this article, we'll talk about the benefits of activated seeds, nuts, and legumes for our gut!

Activating seeds, such as flax or chia seeds, with a process called gelatinization, can help improve gut health by making nutrients more accessible.

Activating certain types of seeds can make them healthier and easier to digest for those suffering from digestive issues like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Nuts are healthy because they are a good source of essential fats, minerals, protein, and antioxidants. Especially for vegans, vegetarians, and people who eat less meat, nuts are an essential part of their diet. But do they have any drawbacks? They can make us feel full, heavy, and be rough on our digestion. If you want to enjoy nuts in larger quantities and still feel good about your digestive system, we recommend activated nuts.

Nuts and seeds contain natural chemicals called phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. Enzyme inhibitors are useful for nuts because they prevent them from sprouting prematurely. But they are not good for us because they can block metabolic enzymes in our bodies that play an important role in processing the food we eat. This makes nuts difficult to digest. Phytic acid can bind with minerals, such as iron, zinc, manganese, and to a lesser extent, calcium, and slow down or prevent their absorption. This makes minerals and their beneficial qualities less available to the body. Soaking nuts in water neutralizes natural chemicals, reduces starch and fiber content, and increases protein and vitamin content. Nuts become more easily digestible and more nutritious than unactivated ones.

In general, nuts have very similar macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats), but different nuts can have slightly different micronutrient content (vitamins and minerals).

Nuts have about 29 kJ (6.9 kcal) of energy per gram and are:

• high in monounsaturated fats (most types of nuts) and polyunsaturated fats (mainly walnuts)
• low in saturated fats
• Good sources of dietary protein, therefore a good alternative to animal protein. Some nuts are also high in the amino acid arginine, which keeps blood vessels healthy
• free of dietary cholesterol
• high in dietary fiber
• rich in phytochemicals that act as antioxidants
• Rich in vitamins E, B6, niacin, and folate, they provide magnesium, zinc, plant-based iron, calcium, copper, selenium, phosphorus, and potassium.

Like nuts, most seeds are rich in protein, healthy fats, fiber, minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, plant-based iron, and zinc, and contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, and vitamin E. Oilseeds also contain antioxidants that prevent fats from going rancid too quickly.
Due to the unique nutritional profiles of nuts and seeds, they are known for several health benefits, including:

• Helping with weight management
• Reducing the risk of heart disease
• Reducing the risk of diabetes.

Although nuts and seeds are energy and fat-rich, eating nuts is not associated with weight gain. In fact, based on large population studies, higher nut intake is associated with lower body weight.
When included as part of a weight-loss diet, nuts have been shown to promote further weight loss and loss of abdominal fat. Lower abdominal fat means a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Therefore, nuts can be part of a healthy diet. Australian dietary guidelines recommend a daily intake of 30 grams of nuts.

Nuts help regulate weight in several ways:

• Fat absorption – the fat in nuts is not fully digested and absorbed by the body. Research shows that only 68 to 94 percent of the fat in nuts is absorbed
• Hunger and satiety – nut consumption promotes satiety and suppresses hunger or the desire to eat. As a result, food intake is reduced. This effect is due to the protein, fat, and fiber content of nuts
• Energy expenditure – some studies show that eating nuts can increase the amount of energy we burn. Another study showed that the energy we burn after a nut-enriched meal comes from fat sources, meaning we burn fat and store less fat in the body.

Lower fat absorption, reduced food intake, and greater energy expenditure all contribute to the effect of nuts on weight regulation. The effect of seeds on body weight has not been thoroughly studied but is likely to be similar to that of nuts, as they are also high in protein, healthy fats, and fiber.

Frequent consumption of nuts is associated with a lower risk of death from heart disease at a population level. This can be explained by nuts being rich sources of healthy unsaturated fats, protein, fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals.
Although high in fat, nuts are good sources of healthy fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and are low in (unhealthy) saturated fats. This combination of fats makes them heart-healthy because polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or "bad" cholesterol in the body.

LDL cholesterol can contribute to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, narrowing them (a process known as atherosclerosis) and potentially leading to coronary heart disease.

In addition to reducing LDL cholesterol, nuts also help maintain healthy blood vessels and blood pressure through their arginine content, and reduce inflammation in the body through their high antioxidant content.

When you consume activated nuts, you may notice that you don't feel as full and heavy as after eating them raw, as they are gentler on your digestive system. As a great source of protein, nuts and seeds are an important part of vegan and vegetarian diets. In this case, activated nuts can be particularly beneficial, as they are consumed in larger quantities and regularly. If you are neither vegan nor vegetarian, just crazy about nuts – you might find yourself snacking on nuts at any time of the day. Activated nuts make you feel good even if you get carried away with snacking.

Consuming protein-rich foods is very important for pregnant women. Especially if they are pregnant with twins. A handful of soaked almonds daily can help reduce allergies in babies; macadamia is rich in folic acid, which is essential during pregnancy; walnuts can help boost the baby's brain functions like learning abilities and memory. Breastfeeding mothers need many nutrients like vitamin E, vitamin B2, B3, and B1. It is also a rich source of minerals like magnesium, copper, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and zinc, which can also be found in almonds. To get the most of these nutrients, we recommend activated nuts.

Different types of nuts have different nutritional qualities. Some contain more calcium, others more vitamin E.

If you're looking for a way to improve your balanced diet and are looking for a new healthy food, then look no further than activated nuts!
The different health benefits of nuts

A wide variety of nuts are available in different shapes and sizes. The following nuts offer us a wide range of nutrients and health benefits.

• Almonds are rich in calcium and help protect and maintain your bones. They are also high in antioxidant vitamin E, which is great news for your skin.
• Cashews have a high level of protein and several important minerals, including zinc, iron, and magnesium, which can help slow down age-related memory loss.
• Walnuts are a great source of monounsaturated fats, which play a role in lowering bad cholesterol levels. They are also very rich in omega-3s and can help reduce depression.
• Hazelnuts are rich in magnesium and vitamins B and E. They are a great help for your heart and can help reduce the risk of cancer.
• Pecans are rich in antioxidants and are great for lowering cholesterol. They are packed with vitamin B3, which can help boost energy.

As you can see, the health benefits of nuts are so many! They are full of beneficial minerals, fiber, protein, and essential fats (that's the good kind of fat).

This is very beneficial for your health, especially if you consume them as part of a balanced diet.

Great and healthy for snacking
Nuts work great as a healthy food, as they can be quite filling due to their fiber and fat content. This is ideal for people on a diet looking for a way to lose weight, as they help curb hunger.

They can also help those trying to gain weight. As a great source of protein and healthy fats, and with good portion control, they can be a great addition to meals.

Antinutrients
Although nuts and seeds are a fantastic healthy food, they contain antinutrients, natural chemicals called phytic acid, and enzyme inhibitors, which completely stop the body from absorbing all these nutrients (contradicting the point of eating nuts as a healthy food in the first place).
Moreover, they can be quite rough on our digestive system.

Consuming large amounts of raw nuts can lead to feelings of heaviness, bloating, nausea, and other uncomfortable digestive problems. How to solve the problem of nuts and digestion? The answer is activated nuts!!

To activate nuts and seeds, you need to soak them in water and then dehydrate them at a low temperature.

The process of soaking nuts and seeds helps remove phytic acid and breaks down enzyme inhibitors. To restore crunchiness and preserve their nutrients, you should dehydrate them again at low temperatures, ideally until completely dry. After activation, nutrients are more accessible to the body, and you can easily digest the nuts and seeds.

Each type of nut and seed has a different soaking and drying time.
We use this process to deliver the highest quality nut and seed snacks and perform the activation process for you, so you can spend more time enjoying them. Activated nuts and seeds are high in protein, essential fats, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and minerals, and most importantly, they are delicious.

So, in short, if you are looking for a healthy food for your balanced diet, activated nuts and seeds are your best friend.

The same antinutrients are also present in seeds and legumes. If you like to sprinkle pumpkin or sunflower seeds on your salads or if you use them for baking and cooking, you can soak them overnight in filtered water, rinse them well, and then dry them on a tray in the oven at low temperatures (below 100 degrees C) for a few hours. For a salad, you would probably want them crunchier than for bread or cake.

When soaking kidney beans, add a little baking soda to the water. Use a large bowl and make sure to cover well with water, as the beans can swell while soaking. There is no need to dehydrate legumes; they are ready to cook as usual immediately after soaking.

Activated nuts are great, not only because they are free of enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid. They are also great because they contain more easily accessible nutrients. The activation process results in higher levels of protein and essential vitamins than in unactivated nuts. They are more easily digestible, and because they have started to sprout, they are alive and full of nutrients again!

When nuts are soaked, it causes them to germinate or sprout. Germination is the natural sprouting of a nut or seed when conditions are ideal, usually after being dormant for a long period of time. For seeds or nuts in the ground, when light, oxygen, nutrient, and heat levels are just right, this is great. From small acorns mighty oaks grow, as the ancient wisdom says.

But if, in their natural growing environment, the nut or seed is soaked with rainwater, causing germination when conditions are not right, then it is not beneficial for the small nut or seed to start sprouting. So nuts have a clever natural defense system that prevents premature germination and sprouting. This system includes natural chemicals, including enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid, but both are toxic to us in high doses.

However, enzyme inhibitors in nuts can interfere with and inhibit our own digestive enzymes. This can mean that our digestive system does not absorb all the wonderful nutrients that nuts have to offer us, while phytic acid can overload our digestive system and make us feel bloated and nauseous. If you have ever consumed a large amount of nuts at once, you might know what I am talking about. You know about that certain heaviness in the stomach.

A variety of nuts and seeds can be included in a healthy diet. Since different types of nuts have small differences in vitamin and mineral content, eating a variety of nuts will increase levels of different nutrients.
Instead of consuming a biscuit or a slice of cake as a snack, try having a handful of raw or dry-roasted nuts. Combining nuts and seeds with low-energy foods (such as vegetables) is a good way to improve vegetable-based dishes – for example, in Asian-style dishes or added to a salad.

Regular consumption of nuts, seeds, and legumes is recommended for vegetarians, vegans, or people who avoid animal foods. They are a good substitute for meat, fish, and eggs, as they contain protein, fats, iron, zinc, and niacin. More than 30 grams of nuts and seeds per day may be needed to provide an adequate amount of protein.
To aid iron absorption from nuts and seeds, eat them with foods and drinks rich in vitamin C, such as red peppers, tomato juice, orange, and other citrus fruits.

There is no need to remove the skin of nuts unless you prefer the taste and texture of peeled nuts. In fact, the skin of nuts is beneficial as it is high in phytochemicals, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Roasting nuts (dry or in oil) improves their flavor but has little effect on fat content. This is because nuts are physically dense and cannot absorb much fat, even if submerged in it. Most nuts absorb only 2% of additional fat.

Salted nuts, however, are not recommended as an everyday choice due to their higher sodium content. This is especially important if you have high blood pressure. Save salted nuts for parties and make activated and unsalted roasted nuts an everyday choice.