What Are The Best Seeds For Weight Loss?

Looking to lose weight? Seeds are the superfood you need to add to your diet. In this post, I'll be sharing details on the best seeds for weight loss. With lots of recipes, too!

As y'all know by now, I love adding seeds to my recipes! You’ve probably seen my delicious-looking puddings and treats made with chia and flax seeds (my Homemade Chia Jam and Flaxseed Apricot Bars are a great place to start).

Can you blame me? Not only do they provide an added texture but they also help with weight loss. And, you might be surprised to know, they are PACKED with antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients.

Too good to be true? Nope, this is just the reality of seeds!

While I'll say to be portion smart (don't eat handfuls at a time without thinking, adding to your calorie count), making recipes that include delicious seeds is a definite win for health!

Today I'm sharing all you need to know about seeds, specifically from the angle of weight loss. You'll also learn ways to integrate them into some delicious recipes. Let's get started!

Can Seeds Help With Weight Loss?

Seeds can absolutely help with weight loss. They are nutrient powerhouses that can help keep you full, stave off cravings, and burn belly fat. Why? It comes down to the fact that they're an excellent source of healthy fats, fiber, and minerals.

Fiber is especially powerful for weight loss, which you can read more about here.

Let's look at an example: Two tablespoons of chia seeds have 10 grams of fiber which already gives you around 40 percent of the recommended daily intake. Wowzers.

Do Chia Seeds Burn Belly Fat?

Yes! There's a reason why chia seeds became so popular, and that's because they're powerful weight loss boosters. These tiny superfoods are rich in dietary fiber. They help flush out toxins through healthy bowel movements (which is very important for your overall health).

Also, notice how chia seeds soak up water and expand? That helps with weight loss, too, because they're essentially taking up more space in your stomach. So, you stay fuller, longer. 

If you want to read more about chia seeds, check out my blog post on 11 Crazy Awesome Benefits of Chia Seeds!

How Do You Eat Seeds for Weight Loss?

There are tons of ways to enjoy seeds on the daily, and I'm excited for you to try them ALL out.

• Eat them raw: Easiest and fastest way to eat them. Have a handful of sunflower or pumpkin seeds for a quick and energy-rich snack. You can also sprinkle raw chia seeds on your salad, oatmeal, etc.
  
• Stir into salad dressings: Like poppyseed vinaigrette? Well then, keep reading! Adding some chia seeds to your vinaigrette will take your dressings to a whole new level. It feels fancy and adds a nutritional boost. Check out my Strawberry Salad with Chia Seed Vinaigrette and see for yourself!
  
• Add to your jams: I love making chia jam because it's so simple and easy. The gelling power of chia seeds will turn your mashed fruit into a delicious spreadable jam in no time (really). Grab my homemade chia jam recipes, and you'll take way fewer trips to the jam section in your local supermarket.
  
• Use as topping for your oats: Sprinkle some seeds into your overnight oats, I dare you! Most often, I'll use flaxseed and chia seeds. But in this 5-Minute Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats recipe, I topped it off with pumpkin seeds. This added a nice crunch to an otherwise creamy texture.
  
• Incorporate them into your baked goods: Ever bake with seeds? Please do it! Not only do they add flavor, but they also provide exciting textures. You can easily add them into bread or energy bars!

What Are The Best Seeds for Weight Loss?

Ready to take a closer look at the best seeds for weight loss? Here are my top 5 choices:

1. Chia seeds

Yeah, I'm going to start with my favorite...chia seeds! Because they are high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, they are super helpful with weight loss.

Protein keeps you full, levels out your appetite, and leaves you feeling satisfied (which means less snacking on unhealthy foods). Chia seeds are also impressively high in fiber which is great for your gut.

High in calcium, chia seeds are full of health benefits, including giving you an impressive amount of antioxidants and a boost against bone loss.

Try this Banana Chia Pudding (pictured above). It's so creamy, and you can enjoy it as dessert or breakfast. My Strawberry Salad with Chia Seed Vinaigrette is also always a hit with the fam.

2. Pumpkin seeds

It's that time of the year! Pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas) are a good source of various minerals like zinc and magnesium, as well as dietary fiber.

In a single 28 gram serving, shelled pumpkin seeds can provide you with 1.1 grams of fiber. High fiber diets are often linked to reduced risk of heart disease, and even obesity.

Pumpkin seeds also have omega-6 fats and monounsaturated fats, awesome for a range of health conditions like insomnia.

You really should try my 5-Minute Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats.

Psst - Pictured above is my High Protein Chicken Bowl with Cashew Lime Crema (and pumpkin seeds). Some people find pumpkin seeds (and other seeds too) add a nutty flavor to dishes. I also like the added crunch.

3. Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are packed with fiber, and adding them to your diet helps to top up your daily fiber needs. Noticing a theme here?  Fiber slows digestion (while giving the digestive system an awesome healthy workout) and reduces the craving for snacks. The alpha-linolenic acid in flax can even aid blood pressure regulation. And for you guys out there, flaxseed is good for your prostate health.

Learn about all the benefits here in this post: 10 Surprising Benefits of Flaxseed Meal.

I can't tell you how much I enjoy having flaxseed on hand, I even include it as part of my 5-Day Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Plan, because that's another thing - it helps reduce inflammation! Managing your blood cholesterol level with the help of flaxseeds is a bonus too.

I'd also write a glowing - personal - review of my Flaxseed Apricot Bars. And kids love these in lunches!

4. Sunflower seeds

When it comes to snacks, you can't go wrong with sunflower seeds. They are quite nutritional and provide a good serving of Vitamin B, which accelerates your fat-regulating mechanism. Also, fun fact, the nutrients in sunflower seeds increase satiety, which is very helpful for weight management.

For all these reasons, they make a special appearance in this post: 10 Healthiest Breakfast Cereals | And What To Avoid When You Shop.

Sunflower seeds will also increase your intake of Vitamin E. Want a recipe suggestion? Try my Quinoa Lentil Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette (with raw sunflower seeds) which is pictured above.

5. Hemp seeds

Last but not the least, hemp seeds! And yes, hemp seeds are in fact seeds of the cannabis Sativa. But no, they won't get you high.

Hemp seeds have a nutritional profile very similar to that of chia seeds and flaxseeds. Meaning, they're rich in fiber and can curb your cravings. They're packed with essential amino acids too. I added hemp seeds to my Fall Harvest Buddha Bowl on Cauliflower Grits and it knocked this dish out of the park.

That's something I love about seeds. They're so small and unassuming but when you add seeds, people notice! It's an easy way to elevate your dish to the next level.

More Recipes With Healthy Seeds

Now that you know seeds can contain awesome nutrition like omega-3 fats, antioxidants for fighting disease, and oh-so-good-for-you fiber, it's time to add more seeds to your diet. There's more to enjoy! Check out these recipes with seeds:

• Top 5 Chia Pudding Recipes | Thick And Creamy
• No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls (with chia seeds)
• Pink Power Protein Beet Smoothie (with flaxseed meal)
• 7-Day Meal Prep For Weight Loss

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