Enriching your yogurts is a delicious way to meet your needs and to ‘break the routine’ in my opinion.
Packed with benefits, seeds have a high nutritional density. Although small, they contain an incredible amount of energy, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
They all come from the plant kingdom, more precisely from the fruits of plants. Each seed contains an embryo capable of becoming a new plant if it is used as a seed.
Une petite portion suffit à profiter de leur composition exceptionnelle. Autre intérêt d’en manger, la plupart des graines sont sources de protéines végétales. Les encas à base de yaourt et graines rassasient d’avantage, comme le montre cette étude avec les graines de chia.
They are also a lovely way to add color and texture. To choose which seed to add to your yogurts, I share with you these 6 healthy and delicious seed ideas.
📚 Lire aussi | Comment choisir les meilleures graines de chia ?
1. Chia seeds, antioxidant-rich and filling
They are small, oval-shaped, black or white, and have a relatively neutral taste. The nutritional profile of chia seeds is exceptional.
Sources of carbohydrates, plant-based proteins, omega-3s, antioxidants, calcium and magnesium, count on an average 490 kcal per 100 g of chia seeds.
For intestinal health, the regulation of appetite and weight, 1 tablespoon per day is enough as they are rich in soluble fiber: 35 g of fiber per 100 g.
Moreover, when in contact with a liquid, they swell and form a viscous gel. Chia can even replace eggs and serve as a binder for vegan recipes.
Choose a plain yogurt made from cow’s milk or plant-based milk, as you prefer. Pour it into a bowl, add 2 teaspoons of chia seeds, then mix. Garnish with mango, chopped hazelnuts…
Si vous désirez un côté croquant, vous pouvez le consommer de suite. Si vous préférez votre yaourt aux graines de chia avec une texture onctueuse, il vous suffit de le mettre quelques heures au frais.
2. Sesame seeds, rich in omega-3s
Their delicate flavor makes sesame seeds an excellent choice for making your yogurts delicious and nourishing.
Often used as a simple decoration on burger buns, they are much more than that. They provide protein and essential fatty acids with an ideal omega-6 / omega-3 ratio.
For athletes and pregnant women, their levels of vitamins B3, B6 and B9, iron, potassium and selenium are particularly beneficial.
Faites torréfier les graines de sésame quelques minutes à la poêle puis ajoutez-les dans votre yaourt : c’est un régal.
3. Flax seeds for gut health
If you want to increase your intake of fiber and omega-3s, 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds on your yogurt per day is a simple habit I recommend you adopt.
To consume them, they must be ground. To store them, keep them cool to prevent them from oxidizing.
Lower in carbohydrates than chia, they are however higher in fats and proteins and more energy-dense: 530 calories per 100 g on average.
Other benefits such as their anti-inflammatory and phytoestrogenic potential are the subject of numerous studies.
They have a laxative effect in cases of constipation and are protective for the cardiovascular system.
4. Pumpkin seeds to roast
With their high concentration of phytosterols, it would be a shame to miss out! When it’s squash season, be sure to keep the seeds inside.
Once removed, simply rinse them with water and roast them for 10 to 15 minutes in the oven at 180°C. Thanks to their tryptophan content, the amino acid precursor to sleep, they are an ideal evening snack.
You can transform your yogurt with these seeds by simply adding them or mixing them with muesli: crunch and plenty of nutrients guaranteed.
With 6 g of protein for only 20 g, omega-3s, iron and a bit of fiber, pumpkin seeds are highly appreciated both for their flavor and their nutritional composition.
Another notable feature is that they may have protective effects on the prostate when combined with other ingredients such as saw palmetto and nettle, thanks to their antioxidants (notably carotenoids).
5. Hemp seeds with many benefits
With a flavor that slightly recalls hazelnut, hemp seeds are lower in calories than their counterparts (365 calories per 100 g) while offering just as many nutritional benefits.
Elles méritent une belle place dans une alimentation équilibrée et variée pour leur teneur en protéines, en magnésium, potassium et leur ratio oméga-6 /oméga-3 aussi parfait que celui des graines de sésame.
Low in sugar and rich in insoluble fiber, they are perfectly suited if you are looking to lose weight or if you have diabetes. Although they are cannabinoid, they contain no THC or CBD.
You can add them as is or prefer them toasted in a pan. The right amount: 2 teaspoons of hemp seeds in your yogurt or cottage cheese, up to twice a day.
6. Sunflower seeds for overall well-being
Rich in antioxidant vitamin E, sunflower seeds are loaded with lipids, mainly omega-6. They are the most energy-dense at 620 calories per 100 g.
The concentration of fiber, mostly insoluble, helps support intestinal transit by naturally increasing stool bulk.
Oval-shaped, dark green and crunchy, they are delicious whole. You can use them toasted or roasted in your yogurts, as you prefer.
Les apports nutritionnels du yaourt associé aux graines Bio de préférence, rendent cette collation idéale à n’importe quel moment de la journée. Libre à vous d’y ajouter des fruits frais ou secs, des baies de Goji ou de canneberge ou des oléagineux.
Sources and scientific studies
Aylin Ayaz , Asli Akyol , Elif Inan-Eroglu, Arzu Kabasakal Cetin, Gulhan Samur , Filiz Akbiyik – Chia seed (Salvia Hispanica L.) added to yogurt reduces short-term food intake and increases satiety: randomized controlled trial, 2017.
Nafiseh Khandouzi, Ali Zahedmehr, Ali Mohammadzadeh, Hamid Reza Sanati, Javad Nasrollahzadeh – Effect of flaxseed consumption on flow-mediated dilation and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with coronary artery disease, 2019.
L S Marks, A W Partin, J I Epstein, V E Tyler, I Simon, M L Macairan, T L Chan, F J Dorey, J B Garris, R W Veltri, P B Santos, K A Stonebrook, J B deKernion – Effects of a saw palmetto herbal blend in men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia, 2000.
Pellegrino Cerino, Carlo Buonerba, Giuseppe Cannazza, Jacopo D’Auria, Ermete Ottoni, Andrea Fulgione, Antonio Di Stasio, Biancamaria Pierri , Alfonso Gallo – A Review of Hemp as Food and Nutritional Supplement, 2021.
