Seed cycling laddus- Part 1- Sesame- sunflower seeds laddu

Hello folks,

Seed cycling has been all the rage for a while among women experiencing hormonal imbalance, irregular periods and PCOS. In case you are wondering what it’s all about, let me clarify it here. As per the seed cycling concept, a woman in menstruating years is to consume a certain combination of seeds in sync with her menstrual cycle to regulate the two major reproductive hormones- progesterone and oestrogen. Going little deeper, that would be 1 tbsp each of flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds in the first half of cycle (from menstruation to ovulation) and sunflower seeds and sesame seeds in the second half of the cycle (from ovulation to menstruation). 

The key here is to consume them in grounded  form to improve nutrient absorption. They can be had as is or added to shakes, smoothies, yoghurt, energy bars etc. When I first heard about the concept, I felt making them into laddus seemed a convenient way to go about it, especially considering that women with PCOS also experience sugar cravings quite often.

If this does not apply to you (due to gender or life stage), hear me out before you think of skipping reading this article or trying out the recipe. Even if you do not face any such issues, eating one of these laddus isn’t a bad idea. In fact, it is a great way to include these tiny seeds that are a powerhouse of essential nutrients in your diet.

 

Why you can consider including these seeds?

They are a rich source of magnesium which is also known as relaxation mineral. Not only that, they offer various other essential nutrients like healthy fats, protein, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, zinc and the list goes on…

 

When to have one of these laddus-

• When you feel hungry during the mid- morning (i.e. between breakfast and lunch)
• Pre-workout snack
• Evening snack when a fresh fruit does not suffice, so that would be- a fresh fruit+ 1 laddu
• When you crave for something sweet but do not want to gorge on mithai or chocolate

Now that we know how and why to consider trying out these laddus for yourself, let’s have a look at the recipe-

 

Ingredients:

Sesame seeds (white)- ½ cup

Sunflower seeds- ½ cup

Deseeded brown dates: 200 g

Roasted chana- 1/3 cup

 

Method:

1. Heat a heavy bottomed pan. Add sesame seeds and dry roast until it turns light golden in color. Transfer them to a dry plate.
2. Now, add sunflower seeds and dry roast until they start to pop and increase in size. Transfer them to a plate and allow them to cool.
3. If you are using seeded dates, remove the seeds.
4. Allow the seeds to cool. Now, add the sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and roasted chana to a mixer jar. Grind to a fine powder.
5. Now, transfer half of the grounded seeds to a plate. Add half the dates to the mixer jar and grind well.
6. Transfer this mix to a mixing bowl. Grind rest of the ground seed powder along with dates. It will start forming together due to the fat content in seeds.
7. Now, add this mix to the bowl. Mix all the ground ingredients well and form laddus. You will get 16- 18 laddus from this mixture.

Store well in an air-tight container and keep it in fridge.

These healthy seed laddus are ready to be savored.

What this laddu isn’t?

It is not a replacement for treatment or overall lifestyle changes that form a crucial part of management of PCOS.

Do give this recipe a try and let us know how it turned out in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by.

Chandhini & Subhashini