Nuts, Beans/Legumes, and Seeds

For the past months (at least 6-10 months back), I've been taking more nuts, beans/legumes, and seeds in my diet than ever before. The more I read about food and it's nutritional values overall, the more I value what nuts, beans/legumes, and seeds benefits to our body.

When I said nuts - they're are almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, etc. Seeds - sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seed, sunflower seeds, melon seeds etc. Legumes - lentil, dried beans, soy beans, chick/garbanzo beans, black-eyed beans, red beans, peas, green peas,or even quinoa etc.

Do a search on google for the health benefits of these wonder foods and you shall agree with me.

Initially, when I tried to find these stuff, I'm having difficulties in finding the ones I need - RAW - the ones you normally found in the supermarket are either roasted with some vegetable oil, or salted, or honey-roasted, or heavily covered/coated with something. If you've been following my diet here, you know that's a major no-no for me. I just need the stuff raw to get the full benefits of it.

After much searching, the only place that I can find them it is in my local bakery store. It's as raw as it gets, even better, I can get some with their shells, or some without, or some already crushed, sliced, powdered/ground, etc.. many choices. (well, I can also find it in some health food store, aka organic stores - but they're just a bit tooooo expensive,. But i do take them sometimes if I've that extra cash).

Stuff like chickpeas/garbanzo beans - I soaked them overnight, and just bring them to boil the next morning - with just water. Eat them as my snack, or mix into my salads, or make myself a nice homemade hummus! - love them so much!

Generally, these stuff I often eat them with my oatmeal, or sprinkle them on my salads/veggie dishes. Recently, I've found if I've dry-roasted them slightly, it taste so much better (sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or even almonds and cashews).

BTW, do you know that sesame seeds has the highest amount of Plant Sterols/Stanols?? it's the plant cholesterol, very similar to the cholesterol found in animals. Just that plant sterol reduces your LDL (bad) cholesterol if you consumed enough of it. These days - especially in the Americas, you'll see a lot of food that is sterol/stanols-fortified food - due to it's effectiveness, and that's the latest marketing technique for people to buy more if their food. Why not taking it in it's natural form?, and worst, those cholesterol lowering drugs such as lipitor and statin..  

so why wait, go and eat more of this stuff - naturally.

be healthy.. 

Sher Khan.