Snack on Seeds to Sustain Stamina

Ever wonder how trial mix got its name? Well, I’ll tell you. It was originally designed for hikers. (Get it?) Back in the day, before its was sold in every health food store as a premix, my friends and I would make up a big bunch of the stuff using nuts, seeds, raisins, and sometimes carob chips, mix it all together, throw it in our backpacks, and go do a four-hour trek on the Delaware Water Gap hiking trail in New Jersey. Trail mix was the ultimate energy food.

One standard component of trail mix is seeds – sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, it hardly mattes. All are goods, for much the same reason nuts are – they contain fiber, protein, nutritious fat, and a high content of minerals needed for every metabolic process. They can be a great addition to any energy snack, or you can eat them alone. (Just don’t eat the whole bag, especially if you’re trying to manage weight and especially if you’re not hiking a four-hour trail!)

The key to using seeds – and nuts – for energy is to keep the quantity low, just enough to give you an edge, not enough to slow you down. The beauty of trail mix is that you don’t need to be too exact about measurements. For example, start by taking equal portions say 1 tablespoon, or 15 g) of oats, nuts, raisins, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries. Later, you can have a little less of one, a little more of another, and may be add some special ingredients such as goji berries or carob chips. It’s fun, and it’s all about your own personal taste.

Pumpkin seeds in particular are good for men (though fine for women as well). Why? Because they contain chemicals called cucurbitacis that seem to interfere with the production of a metabolic by-product of testosterone called DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which can cause hair loss in both men and women. (A lot of energy is spent worrying about said hair loss and opening stupid emails promising a cure for baldness. Use your energy for better things!)

Roasting your own pumpkin seeds is easy and multiplies their health benefits even further, especially when you season them with turmeric, garlic, or cayenne pepper. Just melt some organic butter, macadamia nut oil, coconut oil, or olive oil in a frying pan and toss in the seeds. Stir them around for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they’re slightly browned. Then spread them on a baking sheet, spice them up with seasoning, bake them for a few minutes until they’re crisp, and enjoy!

TRY SOME TAHINI

Tahini is made from sesame seeds, which contains plant chemicals called lignans, in particular sesamin and sesaminol. I love tahini as a spread, and use it all the time as a stand-in for peanut butter, almound butter, or any other kind of spread. Sesame butter, a close relative of tahini, is an even less processed version, made from whole roasted sesame seeds. (Tahini is made from hulled seeds.) Animal studies show that sesame lignans enhance fat burning by increasing liver enzymes that actually break down fat.

Sesame seeds – in tahini or otherwise – are also a rich source of minerals, fiber, and protein, making them a terrific energy snack. They can be roasted or toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toss them until they’re golden brown, and then enjoy. Or spread tahini (or sesame butte) directly onto celery, apple slices, whole-grain bread, or anything else you’d use nut butter on. It’s great!