The seeds come from the flowers and more precisely from the pistil of the flower.
A little reminder of the structure of a flower. Like us, the flower is composed of a male organ (the stamen) and a female organ (the pistil). In order to have seeds, the female organ of a flower must therefore be fertilised by the male organ of another flower of the same species. The pollen in the stamen of a flower is carried by the wind or pollinators (bees) to the pistil of another flower where it will fertilise the egg. It is from this fertilisation that both the seeds and the fruit are created.
Les graines The seeds are the embryos of the plant. They therefore contain reserves of nutrients for the future plant and by consuming these seeds we benefit from some of their advantages.
Grains et graines, est-ce la même chose ?
Il est intéressant de bien faire la distinction entre les graines et les grains. Mêmes s’ils ont des noms assez semblables et sont tous deux des végétaux, ces deux mots ne désignent pas exactement la même chose. En effet, les grains ne sont pas destinés à être semés pour faire pousser une autre génération de céréales. Les graines (oléagineuses), comme expliqué plus haut, sont les embryons de la fleur que nous plantons dans l’espoir qu’une nouvelle plante pousse.
Seed families in our diet
Not all seeds are the same. They do not have the same characteristics and nutrients as each other. There are therefore three families of seeds.
The protein seeds are so called because they contain about 45-50% protein. They are also known as legumes or leguminous plants. This family includes chickpeas, beans, lentils, soybeans, mung beans, and so on.
Starchy seeds are those known as cereals and are full of carbohydrates (70%). They include rice, maize, spelt, wheat, barley, buckwheat, rye and oats.
Oilseeds are the ones discussed in more detail in this article. Sesame, linseed, squash, sunflower, poppy, hemp, chia and others are all seeds that contain about 50% fat.
Quelles graines consommer ?
Choisir ses graines
Les graines peuvent être trouvées sur le marché sous plusieurs formes : grillées, natures, salées. Cependant, les graines natures sont les meilleures si l’on souhaite les garder les plus saines possibles. En effet, les graines grillées perdent leurs acides gras et le sel en grande quantité n’est pas recommandé pour l’organisme.
The origin of the seeds is interesting to look at for people who wish to be eco-friendly. Some seeds are not produced near us and therefore make a long journey to land on our plates as is the case for chia seeds while hemp seeds are mainly produced in France.
The health benefits of seeds
Like most foods of natural origin, oilseeds also have health benefits. They can be calming, digestive, detoxifying depending on the plant from which they come.
In any case, the seeds provide us with a variable quantity of :
There are many varieties of seeds in the world, but the most well known in our country are the following.
Sunflower seeds are excellent for skin ageing and allergies.
Sesame seeds have multiple benefits. Among other things, they are good for the cardiovascular, nervous and intestinal systems and stimulate our memory.
Flax seeds are full of excellent antioxidants against breast, prostate and colon cancer. In addition, the cardiovascular and hormonal systems benefit from their omega 3 and 6 content.
TheChia seeds are perfect for cutting hunger. They also improve intestinal transit and reduce cholesterol.
The Hemp seedsare high in protein and can therefore replace meat in the diet. They are rich in good omega 3 to reduce cardiovascular problems.
The seeds are therefore a major asset to add to your diet for a healthy and balanced lifestyle.