For our Foodie Friday Fun today, let’s spend a moment on seeds.
Sunflower seeds (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I realize that seeds probably aren’t the first thing on your radar screen when you’re contemplating snack foods. Too bad. Seeds are nutrient-dense and are filled with phytosterols, these things in plants that are as effective as many of the prescription drugs a lot of folks are taking to lower cholesterol. I’m a fan – pumpkin seeds are the best thing in my book about carving those gourds around Halloween, and no baseball player has gone through their career without chomping in a bunch of sunflower seeds at some point. I’m not sure many of them think about how they’re full of antioxidants to protect against UV damage from playing ball in the sun, however. I also don’t think many of us consider hummus as ground sesame seeds (well, the tahini used to make hummus is exactly that) and we tend to throw seeds from fruits such as papaya away when in actuality they’re really good for us.
Here’s the thing about eating seeds – they can, in some cases, be a lot of work. After all, pumpkin seeds (if you’re making them yourself) need to be extracted, cleaned off, roasted and seasoned. Sunflower seeds have to be extracted from their hard, inedible shell. Maybe that extra bit of business to get them ready is why I find them so satisfying to eat.
The business point is pretty straightforward. As managers we tend to focus on the fully developed plants when in fact the seeds might be better for us. I focus a lot on potential when I’m hiring or promoting, and that’s not just on junior people. I’m looking to see if there’s a seed somewhere that might even be better than the plant I’m seeing. It’s not jut solving the immediate need (hunger) but looking to the future as well (health).
What seeds are you eating?
Consult Keith 