Seeds of Health

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Seeds of Health

Excerpt From Whole Foods & Healing Recipes

 

 

http://www.freedomyou.com/recipes/seeds%20of%20health.htm

 

The plant goes to great effort in producing and protecting its seed,

filling each genetic packet with high concentrations of vitamins,

minerals, proteins, essential oils and dormant enzymes.

 

Seeds can germinate after two hundred years if stored in a favorable

condition. Amazingly, dormant seeds are alive but the respiration is

so slow that it is unmeasurable. The oldest seeds ever to germinate

were found in a lemming burrow, deeply buried and permanently frozen

in central Yukon, dated to be thousands of years old. When

discovered and taken back to the laboratory, the seeds germinated,

producing healthy plants.

 

God has created the seed with an ability to store the potential for

life and genetic information to guide its course. Waiting for

favorable growth conditions, a tiny seed will hold out against time

in its culminating effort to ensure the continuation of the species.

Before mankind even considered the concept of a time capsule, a tiny

seed was the concept's perfection.

 

THE SEED FAMILY

Nuts, beans and grains are all in the seed family. For convenience,

we are going to split the seed family into three groups in order of

importance:

 

1. sprouts

2. nuts and seeds

3. beans and grains

 

This is not a haphazard order. We chose sprouts as being the most

nutritious because they are a less concentrated food, filled with

enzymes and are easily digested. Nuts and seeds may be raw but their

enzymes are dormant, making them harder to digest. Beans and grains

are filled with nutrients, however, cooking destroys nutrients and

alters proteins and fats, causing them to produce mucus in the body.

Cooking also destroys enzymes, making beans and grain less

digestible. We consider sprouted grain, nuts or beans to have a

greater health value than their dried forms.

 

 

FOUR SEEDS OF HEALTH

We would like to take a look at four of the most nutritious seeds in

the world. Raw seeds are high in delicate oils. We are not referring

to the deep-fried, salt-laden seeds found in corner stores. Tasty as

they may be, they are useless in health, and have been reduced from

the height of a delicate nutritious food, to junk food. Instead, use

fresh seeds where the fragile oils have not been compromised by

heat, light or air.

 

FLAX SEED

 

Wherever flax seed becomes a regular food item among the people,

there will be better health.

 

Mahatma Gandhi

 

Flax seed is one-third oil, the remainder consisting of fiber,

protein and mucilage. In our salad dressing section, we have looked

at the magical oil that comes from flax. Flax oil, when extracted

with care, is one of the greatest sources of essential fatty acids.

The protein in flax seeds is easily digested and contains all the

amino acids needed for building a strong body. The fiber in flax

acts as a broom sweeping the colon of toxic material, metabolic

waste and dried mucus. Flax fiber is an excellent food for friendly

bacteria in the intestine which keeps disease-causing organisms in

check.

 

Twelve percent of flax seeds is mucilage which makes it a gentle,

non-irritating, natural laxative. Flax mucilage is perfect for those

who have a sensitive stomach, acting as a buffer for excess stomach

acids, soothing ulcers or irritable bowel disorders. Flax expands 20

times in volume and should be taken with a generous amount of water.

 

Flax seed slowly releases its mucilage through the fiber wall. After

half an hour of soaking the little seeds, a slippery mucilage forms.

The flax seeds act as a tiny mucilage release capsule. This release

continues, changing the water to a slippery consistency similar to a

light oil. Flax seed is God's gift for a toxic colon! It lubricates

and absorbs toxins perfectly.

 

Flax mucilage helps to prevent toxic build-up in the bowel during

fasting or a healing diet. When juice fasting, take a teaspoon of

whole flax, 2-3 times per day, with a generous supply of water. Do

not chew the seeds; swallow them whole with a glass of water. This

will allow only the mucilage to escape. The flax seed will pass out

of the system without releasing any of its oil. Even though the oil

is highly nutritious, it can hinder the deep cleansing process that

is desirable during juice fasting.

 

If you are on a cleansing, raw-food diet, follow the same

instructions but chew the seeds, allowing the essential oils to

release. Chewing will not hinder the slow release of the mucilage.

 

Flax seed contains lignans that have anti-viral, anti-bacterial,

anti-fungal and anti-cancer properties. Flax seeds have the richest

source of lignans, 100 times more than the next best source, wheat

bran. The majority of lignans is found in the seed, giving it an

advantage over flax oil. Flax seed also contains lecithin which

emulsifies fat and cholesterol. These little seeds improve

digestion, help stabilize blood glucose levels, fight tumor

formation and enhance cardiovascular health. Never purchase premade,

ground flax. Grind your own flax seeds fresh in a coffee grinder and

eat immediately.

 

FLAX OIL

Flax oil is worth getting excited over. Aside from hemp oil, it is

considered the most nutritious of all the oils in the world,

containing generous amounts of the two essential fatty acids our

body needs to function properly.

 

Archaeological digs have discovered that flax was being cultivated

in Babylon as far back as 5,000 BC. The healing properties of flax

are described in Greek and Roman writings dating back to 650 BC. In

Europe, flax has been cultivated for hundreds of years. These tiny

brown seeds were used for their nutritional and medical qualities in

humans and livestock.

 

Flax seeds come equipped with a tough outer coat. This casing

protects the delicate oils within. If you were to eat flax seeds

whole, it would be impossible for your body to receive any of the

nutrients. In fact, even after the seeds pass through the digestive

system, they can sprout and grow. Only through grinding them fresh

or in cold-pressing, can we receive the wealth of nutrients hidden

inside. Flax oil is the highest source of unsaturated alpha

linolenic. Most people's diets are lacking in this essential oil.

Flax oil also contains carotene and vitamin E, which are valuable

antioxidants.

 

It is crucial to purchase flax oil which has been cold-pressed

without the presence of oxygen or light. The oil must be stored in

an opaque bottle in the refrigerator or freezer. Check the date on

the bottle. A sealed, refrigerated bottle has a shelf-life of four

months or one year in the freezer. Once the bottle is opened, it

should be consumed within two weeks. It is a more expensive oil but

priceless in its nutritional value and contribution to health. We

have used flax oil in many of our dressings because of its mild

nutty flavor. We believe it is worth every penny.

 

A TIP. If you have something caught in your eye, place a flax seed

on a moist cue tip, positioning it under the upper eyelid that will

help reduce the pain and lubricate the object allowing it to move

into the corner of where it can be removed.

 

SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Some people think sunflower seeds are for the birds. Often you can

watch birds at a feeder, picking through all the other seeds to get

to the prized sunflower seed. Birds are smart! These little gems are

packed with nutrients. In fact, they are considered by many to be

the most perfect in nutrients, supplying all the body's needs,

except vitamin D, which can be easily obtained through the action of

sunlight on the skin. Do not be fooled by deep-fried, chemically-

flavored, salt-encrusted, junk food in the convenience store. If the

seeds have been removed from the shell, they need to be kept in the

refrigerator. You may have to purchase them from a health food

store. They may be more expensive but the delicate essential oils

will be intact.

 

Sunflower seeds are 22% protein and contain 50% oil. For every 100

grams, sunflower seeds contain 30 grams of unsaturated fats and 30

milligrams of essential linoleic acid, which reduces cholesterol

deposits in the arteries and veins. If you are trying to break an

addiction to high-fat foods, they may be a healthy alternative and

will satisfy fat cravings. One hundred grams of these tiny treasures

contain 7 milligrams of iron compared to 2½ milligrams in the same

serving of beef. Flour made from sunflower seeds is the richest

source of iron in the world, second only to brewers' yeast.

Sunflower flour is easily made in a coffee grinder.

 

Sunflower seeds are also filled with potassium which helps flush and

reduce sodium in the body. These seeds are plentiful in magnesium

and phosphorus which help the body absorb calcium. There are 174

milligrams of calcium in a cup of sunflower seeds. The calcium to

phosphorus ratio makes the calcium readily available for the

building of strong bones. Sunflower seeds are a strong source of B

vitamins, especially thiamin and niacin which protects the health of

the brain, skin and digestive tract.

 

Growing sunflowers is a fun hobby for kids. They will grow up to 8

feet tall, crowned with a huge flower, filled with developing seeds.

Some growers place screens on the flower to protect the seeds from

birds. Sunflower seeds are an excellent addition to any salad. They

can be added to breads, cooked vegetables and are delicious

sprinkled over fruit desserts.

 

PUMPKIN SEEDS Raw, shelled pumpkin seeds are dark green and

absolutely delicious. Until recently they were difficult to find,

but have become more plentiful due to government effort. The U. S.

Department of Agriculture combined the flavor of a good tasting

pumpkin seed with the genetics of a shell-less seed variety,

resulting in a gourmet pumpkin seed that does not have to be

dehulled.

 

Pumpkin seed oil is dark green with a full bodied butter-like nutty

flavor. It can now be purchased cold-pressed in dark bottles in the

refrigerator of your local health food store. Always check the

expiration date. Pumpkin seed oil contains both omega 3 and omega 6

fatty acids making them a delicate oil. Pumpkin seed oil is a tasty

replacement for flax seed oil and delicious over fruit or vegetable

salads. Pumpkin seed is a high source of vitamin A, calcium and

iron, containing small amounts of protein, B1, B2 and B3.

 

SESAME SEEDS Definitely the most nutritious part of a Big Mac. Our

suggestion is that if you are going to eat at McDonalds, throw away

the hamburger and pick the seeds off the bun and have a nutritious

snack with your friends and family.

 

Sesame seeds have been used for thousands of years. Ancient Arabs

would use them as a sustaining food for traveling long distances.

They are 19% protein, compared with 13% in eggs. An excellent source

of B vitamins and minerals. They are considered one of the highest

sources of calcium in the world when the husk is intact. Raw sesame

seeds, with their husk intact, are darkish brown in color, compared

with the more common dehulled white seeds. Some people keep a shaker

of sesame seeds in the middle of the kitchen table and sprinkle them

on just about anything. A great addition to any salad.

 

SEEDS RECIPES

Seeds are a delicious, nutritious treat. If you decide to become a

vegetarian, there is no need to fear protein deficiency. Seeds are

as high in protein as the leanest meats, but free from cholesterol

and sticky fats. Fresh raw nuts and seeds can be wonderfully

satisfying. Something we can really sink our teeth into.

 

Most of us would be amazed at how much we spend on junk food. A

dollar here and a dollar there really adds up. We suggest that you

take 30 to 35 dollars and go to your local health food store and

purchase some healthy alternatives so that, when a craving comes on,

you can go to your fridge and sit down and enjoy the variety of

natural snack foods God has created. Have a thankful contented

spirit and remember that we have a far greater variety of food

available today than any other time in history. Feeling deprived is

a ridiculous empty lie of Satan for we are surrounded with the

limitless blessings of God.

 

Raw seed recipes are hard to come by. These are seven of the

tastiest and rare seed recipes we could find. You will absolutely

love them. They are worth their weight in gold.

 

I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground

and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces

many seeds.

 

John 12:24