HOW TO STORE NUTS AND SEEDS PROPERLY

Originally published: MAY 4, 2021

We are always looking to introduce foods into our diets that help to keep our skin healthy. If you are, then you are probably already eating plenty of nuts and seeds.  They are an amazing source of fibre and omegas, both of which your skin needs to thrive. Fibre is important as it binds to excess hormones, toxins and waste to help carry them out of your body. Omegas are necessary as they add glow, moisture, plumpness and help to fight inflammation.  Essential fatty acids (or Omegas) help improve skin barrier function, sealing in moisture and keeping out irritants.

Nuts and seeds are super easy to add to your daily diet. I like to keep a mason jar blend of chia, ground flax, sesame and hemp seeds in my fridge to put on everything: 

Morning: add to smoothies, yogurts, cereal, oatmeal, egg toppers, crepes.

Lunch: perfect for salads, soups after they are done cooking, in sandwiches, or pasta salads.

Dinner: sprinkle on stir fry’s, baked fish, steamed green beans, chilli, and spaghetti!

Snacks: homemade trail mix, in cookies + granola bars, top banana with nut butter and some seed mix.

If you have trouble digesting nuts + seeds, soak them overnight in water.  By doing this, you minimize the nutritional inhibitors and other toxic substances. Without these inhibitors your body is able to absorb more of the nutrient value.

Do you know the best place to store them? You will want to follow some of these rules when shopping for your Omega staples.

1. Store them in the fridge or freezer, not your pantry:  Nuts and seeds contain a high amount of unsaturated fat, which makes them highly prone to going rancid. Heat, light and time also accelerate the process of them going bad, faster. By keeping them in the fridge, the exposure to these elements is reduced. Which also means they taste better, and more fresh! Research has shown, when stored properly in the fridge or freezer, they can last up to a year.
2. Avoid Bulk Stores:  It’s too hard to tell how long those seeds have been sitting in the bin, possibly going rancid.  Oxygen is the number one enemy to any nut’s shelf-life! Nuts + seeds sitting in bins are constantly being exposed to oxygen, compromising their freshness - and going rancid faster. Also- whose hands have been in there?! Look for sealed bags, and go organic when you can. 
3. Keep them well sealed:  Keep them in well sealed, air tight bags to keep them at their best!