Looking for a healthy snack? Why not turn to oilseeds? As well as providing you with a host of nutrients essential to good health, they're also a perfect alternative to snacks that are often far too sweet... Let's take a closer look at oilseeds and their benefits.

What are oilseeds?

 According to the Larrousse dictionary, oilseeds are defined as follows: "Plants cultivated for their lipid-rich seeds or fruits, from which edible oils are extracted and whose extraction residues are used in livestock feed (soybean, rapeseed, sunflower, peanut, etc.)."

These include all nuts and oil seeds. Here's a list of the most common:

Oilseeds, a concentrate of good nutrients

Most oilseeds are rich in vitamins:

• E (which you'll discover below), 
• B1 (thiamine)
• B2 (riboflavin)
• B9 (folic acid) .

In terms oftrace elements and minerals:

• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Phosphore
• Potassium
• Zinc

Oilseeds, a source of good fats

Rich in omega 3 and 6 for the most part, they provide the body with essential fatty acids, enabling the various organs to function properly. These fatty acids are "essential" because your body cannot synthesize them. They must therefore be supplied daily by a quality diet.

The brain, for example, craves fatty acids. The richer a nut is in omega 3, the more you support your cognitive functions.

What's more, these good fats help lower bad cholesterol . Oilseeds protect against cardiovascular disorders.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is mainly found in foods with a high fatty acid content. It is recognized as an antioxidant, which means it protects your cells from free radicals and therefore from the effects of premature aging.

Oilseeds are rich in fibre

Thanks to their dietary fiber content, oilseeds promote good transit. Be careful, however, if you suffer from intestinal inflammation. 

Fiber is recommended in cases of diabetes or to avoid a glycemic peak, particularly in the morning at breakfast. In fact, fiber helps regulate blood sugar levels by trapping sugars in cellulose, allowing them to be eliminated naturally. 

What's more, fiber contributes to their mechanical appetite-suppressant effect. Despite their high caloric content, oilseeds should be incorporated into your daily routine, even if you're on a weight-loss diet.

Oilseeds as a source of protein

Some oilseeds are rich in protein, such as peanuts, pistachios, sesame and almonds. They are therefore ideal for incorporating into your dishes, especially if you are vegetarian or vegan.

When to eat it and how much?

It's a good idea to eat them for breakfast in the morning or as an afternoon snack. For anyone with a tendency to snack on sweet foods, oilseeds are an excellent alternative to help you give up sugar. They are unsalted and unroasted to preserve their nutritional quality. 

They can also be eaten as a spreadable puree, incorporated into dishes (such as the famous West African mafé or Lebanese hummus) or used in seasonings.

Finally, there are vegetable drinks made from oilseeds. These are quite sweet and should be consumed from time to time. On the other hand, it is perfectly possible to make them yourself, and there are numerous recipes on the Internet and in cookery books.

As with everything else, it's important to eat them in moderation. A ration of 30g per day will cover all your daily needs.

Oilseeds and allergies

Oilseeds are among the highly allergenic foods that can cause anaphylactic shock. It is therefore important to introduce them as late as possible in the diet diversification process.

Oilseeds are an inexhaustible source of goodness. Eaten daily, they'll help keep you healthy.