How seeds make up our diet 種子類食品在日常飲食中的重要性

自古以來，人們就開始食用用植物種子做成的食品，這些食品也常見於現代人的日常飲食中。比如芝麻籽、奇亞籽。種子類食品中富含纖維和不飽和脂肪，對人體有益。本期 “隨身英語” 介紹各種各樣用植物種子做成的食品，以及它們對健康的好處。

詞匯：diet and health 飲食與健康

Think of a caveman, and maybe you imagine someone tearing at the flesh of an animal they’ve just hunted. But this picture may be false – analysis of prehistoric remains suggests that Stone Age people were skilled in processing and cooking different kinds of seeds, even experimenting with different flavours. Seeds are still an important part of our diets, so maybe food choices haven’t changed as much as we think.

In botanical terms, seeds are what new plants grow from. Strictly speaking, edible seeds include nuts, pulses and grains, and are a significant source of protein and calories worldwide. Between them, rice and bread are staple foods in most of the world. Many cuisines use beans, whether cooked in stews or curries, or mashed into pastes, like hummus from the Middle East. This definition of seeds also includes coffee beans and the cocoa beans used to make chocolate.

Added to these are culinary seeds. These are what we more often think of as seeds – we often buy them unprocessed and use them whole in cooking, whether as a seasoning, as part of a salad or as a topping for bread. This includes chia seeds, sesame seeds and flaxseed.

There are clear health benefits to including these seeds in our diet. They are high in dietary fibre, which is good for digestion and helps fight illnesses such as diabetes and bowel cancer. They are also a good source of unsaturated fat. Experts believe that using this to replace saturated fats, such as those from meat and dairy products, can lower cholesterol and help keep our heart healthy. The minerals contained in many culinary seeds, such as zinc, copper, and folate, can be beneficial for the immune system.

However, it’s not all good news. Seeds can cause an allergic reaction, especially sesame seeds. Sesame is one of the top ten causes of food allergies in the UK. Different types of seeds can share allergy-causing proteins, and other seeds that can cause allergies include sunflower seeds and poppy seeds.

詞匯表

flavour 口味，味道
diet （日常）飲食
botanical 植物學的
edible 可食用的
nut 堅果
pulse 豆類
grain 谷物
protein 蛋白質
calorie 熱量，卡路裡
staple food 主食
bean 豆類，豆子，豆科植物
mash 將（食物）搗成泥狀
culinary seed 烹飪用的籽類食物
topping （食物上的）配料
chia seed 奇亞籽
sesame seed 芝麻籽
flaxseed 亞麻籽
dietary fibre 膳食纖維
unsaturated fat 不飽和脂肪
cholesterol 膽固醇
folate 葉酸
allergic 對…過敏的