ok now, i am blending TONS of raw seeds lately - am i killing myself ?

i just open up a bag of seeds toss a whole bunch of them into a blender and obliterate them - is this very wrong ?

what should i be doing ?

what about nuts ?

i just need a healthy source of fat in my diet. when i don't have fat in the diet i get terrible cravings for it and my skin gets painfully dry.

What sort of seeds are they? How are you tolerating them? Remember that you are not a squirrel, but a human, so you need a greater variety of fats. Do you eat avocado, coconut oil/butter, lots of Omega rich greens? Macadamias and cashews are high in concentrated fat, but be careful not to overdo it unless your body tolerates it.

i wouldn't know what my body tolerates.

they are sunflower and flax seeds. sunflower because they are cheap and flax because they are supposed to be good ?

frankly i can't stand the taste of either of them. i like roasted sunflower seed taste but that's not very raw. i also like baked potatoes with the kind of sunflower oil that has the full flavor of the seeds, but that's off topic and i only ever bought such oil in russian stores and even there it is hard to find.

but raw sunflower seeds taste too much like greens and not enough like nuts.

as for flax - it tastes even worse.

i would like to switch to something nicer tasting. my favorite tasting nuts but i would like to explore cheaper options.

so what's this talk bout enzyme inhibitors ?

The tasty oil you're referring to is roasted sesame seed oil I think, that's the one that is very flavourful.

Seeds and nuts of any sort are great soaked overnight, drained and rinsed before using. That rinses away any enzyme ihibitors as well as activating the seed by beginning the sprouting process (increases nutrition, etc).
There are some recipes that require the use of a dehydrator to create a roasted tasting nut or seed, you could try that. Savory or sweet, would be good in trail mix or just to snack on.

If you are relying on flax seeds for omegas be sure to also get some olive oil or olives as that creates a good balance. Either that or switch to hemp seeds, those are more expensive though.

As Tamukha mentioned, a variety of fats will serve you well. Too much of any one thing is too much.

The idea of enzyme inhibitors holds that, because the seed/nut is genetically required to perpetuate itself from its whole form, it is equipped with chemicals that inhibit its digestion. The advice is to soak seeds and nuts in clear water for a couple to several hours, and then thoroughly rinse them(discarding the water) to wash off these chemical inhibitors. I have found that seeds and nuts generally taste better after this, and are usually texturally more pleasant--rehydrated somewhat, they are softer and sweeter. Soaking and germinating seeds and nuts adds yet another flavor and texture characteristic to the mix: I find slightly sprouted sunflower seeds nicely savory, for example. Is the sunflower oil you are talking about cold pressed raw, or from roasted sunflower seeds? If it's the former, try soaking the sunflower seeds until softened, then drying them with a towel; it could taste somewhat similar. If it's the latter, well . . .

I had to laugh at your description of your seed-eating routine. Why are you forcing yourself to eat things that you don't enjoy? I wouldn't do that; it takes the fun out of this lifestyle! What are your favorite nuts? Try to find them raw in bulk(cheaper that way), and experiment with eating them as is, soaked and rinsed, and, if possible, germinated. For seed options, maybe try chia, or hemp, or sesame.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/2010 06:35PM by Tamukha.

I don't much care to eat flax seeds either -- and sunflower seeds just once in a while.

Two GREAT seeds I like much better -- and are both with Omega-3s, woo-woo! -- are chia seeds and hempseeds. I usually have some of one or both of those every day. They are both so small I don't really worry about soaking and sprouting them (and blend them into my super-smoothies).

However, I do try to soak sunflower seeds at least a few hours before eating and I'm soaking unhulled sesame seeds right now which I will sprout for 2 days and then dehydrate and probably use for making a variation of Matt Samuelson's No Bean Hummus!

I like this sunflower/sesame/chia combo:

Soak overnight 1/4 cup unhulled sesame seeds combined with 1/4 cup hulled sunflower seeds. Next morning, drain and rinse well. Add 1/8 cup chia seeds and 1 cup water. Stir well and let sit for half an hour, allowing the chia seeds to gel. Pour mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.

Refrigerate immediately or leave it out for a while for greater enzyme activity. If you leave it out for several hours it will ferment. I personally don't like that taste, but some do. It's supposed to help digestion.

I just have a cheap blender. I notice that without the chia, the seed mixture doesn't blend up smooth, and it mostly ends up in the blender lid. The chia keeps the mixture down in the blender, and it gets a really nice texture. According to Vesanto Melina, RD, in her new book Becoming Raw, "Chia seeds are the only food that is higher in omega-3 fatty acids than flaxseeds..." The sunflower/sesame/chia combo is also a good source of calcium, iron, and zinc.

Really delicious. I like it with fruit, or just by itself.

Thanks for the suggestion, suncloud. I'll try that.


My favorite raw vegan

you gotta soak your seeds and nuts for digestion!!!! then you can season em up with raw soy sauce and seasonings. and dry them if you have a way. or use them in smoothies. pumpkin is tastier than sunseeds, and usually nearly as cheap. also many folks get there seeds in from eating crackers they have made from seeds and nuts and veggies. plus then you can make a dip like raw hummus with your seeds and season it up, never tastes like sunflower again!

The Raw Lion 440 pounds to 225 pounds!