Nuts and Seeds - Fiber, Bowel Movements

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Nuts and seeds help a lot in regularity of bowel movements (because of their rich fiber content) apart from providing concentrated source of various nutrients. The following article (from http://www.whfoods.org) explains this in some detail and emphasizes the importance of chewing while eating nuts and seeds (and ofcourse, chewing is important while eating all foods to get full benefit of the nutrients from Natural foods).

 

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Q: Which seeds and nuts help digestion and " keep you regular " in a natural way?

 

 

A: It would not be correct to say that seeds and nuts " help digestion. " Seeds and nuts are very high in fat, and fat is the most difficult to digest of all macronutrients. When thinking about seeds and nuts, it's important to make a distinction between " regularity " of bowel movements and ease of digestion (the process of breaking a food down into its nutritional components).

With respect to digestion, keeping food portions small to moderate in size, and consuming foods in a relaxed and enjoyable way (with plenty of time for chewing) are essential factors in supporting our nourishment. In the case of nuts and seeds, oil roasted versions would be more difficult to digest than dry roasted or raw versions due to the added fat content.

One of the key dietary constituents for staying " regular " is dietary fiber, a nutrient in which most nuts and seeds are fairly concentrated. On an ounce-for-ounce basis, the very small seeds, like flaxseeds or chia seeds, contain more fiber than the larger seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds. However, all of these seeds would be considered rich sources of dietary fiber. Flaxseeds, for example, can contain up to 3 grams of fiber per tablespoon. Nuts fall into the same general category as seeds. However, because they are larger, they will contain less fiber on an ounce-for-ounce basis. (On a weight basis, it takes about 1-1/2 to 2 times as many almonds to provide us with the same amount of fiber as flaxseeds)-1/4 cup contains 4.37 grams. All nuts and seeds, however, would be considered beneficial for bowel regularity, provided that they are well-chewed and eaten in small to moderate amounts.

When consuming seeds, it's important to think about size and chewing. If you are unable to grind the seeds up with your teeth when you are chewing them, it's possible for the seeds to make it all the way through your digestive tract fairly intact, and you will see them looking much the same when they come out as when they went in. Under these circumstances, you are not getting optimal benefits from the seeds you consumed. Larger seeds, like pumpkin and sunflower seeds, are usually easier to chew and can be digested more completely for this reason. Some people like to grind seeds up in a coffee grinder and create a seed butter (or seed paste). Others like to combine small seeds together with nuts in the grinder and grind up both together. These ground nut/seed butters can be used in the same way as peanut butter. They should be kept in the refrigerator, however, and should be used within a day or two.