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Today, we are living in an era of increased lactose intolerance, obesity, nut allergies, and coeliac disease. We have adopted quickly to the convenience of fast foods and quite forgotten the wholesome foods our ancestors ate. Wattleseed, one of Australia’s indigenous foods, is a powerhouse of nutrients and health benefits.
Nutritional Value
Wattleseeds contain high doses of iron, calcium, potassium, and zinc. They are also rich in protein and unsaturated fat content. They form an excellent source of energy by providing about 1,500 kilojoules per 100 grams. Wattleseeds are starch-based rather than sugar-based. Hence it has a low glycaemic index and effective food for people with diabetes. They also contain most of the vitamins except for Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, and riboflavin. Wattleseeds with cover contribute about 30% to your fibre needs and 20% of your protein requirements. So, have you started looking for wattleseed recipes already?
Health Benefits of Wattleseeds
There is more to wattleseed than just flavour and taste. Abundant nutritional elements provide an array of health benefits, as well.
Great Source of Folate
Wattleseed has rich folate content that is known to influence the methylation cycle and the biosynthesis of DNA. As such, it is a vital element for the repair of human DNA and chromosome segregation. Folate, along with other nutrients like zinc, magnesium, Vitamin B12, and calcium prevent genome damage caused due to nutrient deficiency and oxidative stress. Folate deficiency is known to be associated with high-risk health conditions like cardiovascular diseases, dementia, and neural tube issues in babies.
Wattleseed for Antioxidant Effects
Free radicals in our body bring about oxidative stress on the cells. This factor results in various diseases like cancer, cataract. Diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and macular degeneration. Now that you are looking for wattleseed recipes remember that wattleseeds contain enough antioxidants that are necessary to fight against the free radicals in your body. So, even a simple wattleseed recipe can boost your health beyond measure.
Wattleseed for Diabetics
Worried about your blood glucose levels? Well, think no further than wattleseeds because they have a low glycaemic index and does not cause unnatural spikes in blood glucose. This feature makes wattleseed a favourite food for the diabetic population.
Wattleseed and Beauty
This native Australian food heals not only your insides but also takes care of your external appearance. Wattleseeds hydrate and rejuvenate your skin and are utilised widely in spas and massage centres. You can even find many organic skincare products that make use of this wonderful property of wattleseeds.
Wattleseed For Your Heart
Rich potassium content in wattle seeds makes them excellent food for maintaining heart health. In fact, potassium not only helps your heart but also aids in the proper functioning of kidneys and other vital organs. As such, potassium deficiency is known to cause digestive disorders, high blood pressure, increased risk of heart diseases, stroke, cancer, and arthritis. Including wattleseeds in your everyday cooking helps you battle against these diseases and keep your health intact.
Delicious Wattleseed Recipes to Try
Illawarra Plum & Lemon Myrtle Limoncello Trifle
Begin by discarding the stones from Illawarra plums and placing them in a saucepan with sugar, zest, and orange. Bring this to boil and simmer gently once the plums start falling apart. Add some native cherries and let the mixture cool. Layer the sponge cake slices or biscuits at the base of a serving bowl.
Next, mix some hot water with lemon myrtle powder until it dissolves. Stir the limoncello and pour this mixture over the cake. You can push the cake down for soaking up the liquid. Sprinkle some ground wattleseed and whip some cream with sifted sugar. Swirl some custard through this mixture. Assemble this trifle by placing the plum mixture on the cake. Layer this with the custard mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve this delicious and nutritious trifle to your family.
Kingfish with Wattleseed Dressing
Mix two teaspoons of chardonnay vinegar, four tablespoons of olive oil, one tablespoon of oyster sauce, salt, and pepper. Combine this mixture with a good shake and pour it over thinly sliced raw kingfish. Sparkle some ground wattleseed. You can use this mixture on to a salad as well. Use sliced radish, spring onion and cubed watermelon for adding a nutritious punch to your recipe.
Wattleseed Pancakes
Mix a cup of self-rising flour with a teaspoon of ground wattleseed. Add some eggs and milk and mix well to make a smooth batter. Pour small amounts of this mixture on to a frying pan. Turn and remove when the pancakes turn golden. You can use yoghurt, mango, macadamia nuts, and choc syrup as toppings. Adding ground wattleseed on commercially available pancake mixes also gives you delicious pancakes in a jiffy.
Wattleseeds are the super-foods of Australia that have been used since time immemorial. This native Australian food is loaded with enough nutrients to keep you healthy while giving you an array of mouth-watering delicacies to try.
