What the Advice Is
Based on articles and interviews featuring Dr. Saurabh Sethi:
- Soaking seeds (especially chia & flax) before consumption helps soften their outer coating, activates enzymes, increases bioavailability (nutrient absorption), reduces potential digestive discomfort.
- Portion sizes: Generally about 1‑2 tablespoons per day of most seeds to get benefits without overloading digestive system.
- Form matters: For flax seeds especially, grinding is better than eating whole, because whole flax seeds may pass through the digestive tract without being fully broken down.
| Seed | Best Time to Eat | Why That Timing Is Suggested |
|---|---|---|
| Chia seeds | Morning or pre‑workout | Their soluble fiber slows digestion, helps stabilise blood sugar, gives steady energy. Eating them earlier helps with satiety and gut regularity. |
| Flax seeds | Morning, preferably ground | Helps reduce gut inflammation; ground form is more bio‑available, easier to digest. |
| Sesame seeds | With dinner | Rich in calcium and minerals; consuming them in the evening helps support sleep‑time repair processes and overnight oxidative/damage repair in the body. |
| Fennel seeds | After every meal | They contain compounds (e.g. anethole) that relax gastrointestinal muscles, relieve gas, bloating, aiding digestion after eating. |
Example Text
Cautions & What’s Verified vs What’s Not
- Many of the recommendations are based on his public posts (Instagram, interviews). The science is supportive to an extent, but human studies that test exact timing of seed consumption are limited. So while timing may help, seeds will still have benefits even if eaten at other times.
- Overconsumption of fiber (especially if suddenly increased) could cause gas, bloating, or discomfort. Also, in people with certain digestive conditions, large amounts might aggravate symptoms.
- Seeds like fennel are traditional remedies for digestion/gas, so their effect after meals is in line with common practice. But again, scientific quantification of “after meal” vs “before meal” is not extremely detailed.
