The Asteraceae family includes the common Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L.). The seeds of the plant are edible, and manufacturers use them to make meals and sunflower oil. As a result, sunflower oil is the world’s fourth-most-produced oil, according to Trusted Source. But are sunflower seeds good for you? You will discuss it in detail in the article.
Apart from human consumption, farmers utilize sunflower seeds for livestock feed as well. Cattle find sunflower seeds highly palatable.
Sunflower seeds are collected from the sunflower plant’s blooming head. Sunflower seeds are white and have a sensitive touch, despite being enclosed in a black and white striped shell. The seeds can be eaten raw, roasted, or combined into other cuisines and are known for their distinct nutty flavour and great nutritional value.
Are Sunflower Seeds Good for You?
Sunflower Seeds Nutrition
Sunflower Seeds Nutrition Facts: For a 30g serving of dry roasted sunflower seeds, without salt, the following nutritional information is provided:
- Calories: 165
- Total Fat: 14 grams
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams
- Monounsaturated Fat: 3 grams
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 9 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
- Sodium: 1 milligram
- Carbs: 7 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Sugars: 0 grams
- Protein: 5.5 grams
- Vitamin A: 2.5 IU (0% Daily Value)
- Vitamin C: 0.5 mg (4% DV)
- Calcium: 20 milligrams (2% DV)
- Iron: 1 milligram (6% DV)
Sunflower Seeds Benefits
Sunflower seeds are high in all essential nutrients, making them an excellent addition to a well-balanced diet. Carbohydrates, lipids, protein, and fibre are all good sources in them. They also provide just enough calories to give you a boost of energy right away. These seeds also include a lot of minerals and vitamins. Sunflower seeds are high in vitamin B6, nicotinic acid, vitamin E, folate, and pantothenic acid. The minerals copper, manganese and selenium are the most abundant in these seeds. There are also traces of Zinc and Magnesium in them. Iron is also abundant in sunflower seeds. Antioxidants abound in them as well. Sunflower seeds are a tempting snack for any health-conscious consumer because they contain a variety of nutrients.
🌻Good for your Heart ❤️
Sunflower seeds are high in heart-healthy minerals. Fiber, vitamins, healthy fats, and minerals are all part of this. According to research on sunflower seeds health benefits, eating a diet rich in seeds help keep your heart healthy and protect you from heart disease.
Sunflower seeds may also aid to maintain healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels. In a 2012 trial of 22 women with type 2 diabetes, ingesting 30 grammes of sunflower seed kernels every day for three weeks reduced “bad” LDL cholesterol and blood pressure levels considerably.
🌻Rich in Minerals
The benefits of eating sunflower seeds are high in copper, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, among other minerals. It’s critical to include enough mineral-rich foods in your diet because these minerals are extremely beneficial to your health.
Zinc, for example, is necessary for a healthy immunological response. Do you want your antioxidant enzymes to work properly? Selenium is a necessary mineral. Magnesium is a vital mineral for balanced stress response, blood sugar management, and other functions.
Mineral-rich foods, such as sunflower seeds, can help you acquire the appropriate quantity of essential nutrients on a regular basis.
🌻Great Food for Expecting Mothers
Sunflower seeds benefits for female- It have a lot to offer, whether you’re trying to have a kid, pregnant, or just trying to eat a well-balanced diet. These seeds are a strong source of zinc and folate, as well as being high in vitamin E. Vitamin E is necessary for prenatal health because it aids in the development and utilization of red blood cells and muscles in the foetus. Folate helps the placenta function properly and prevents spina bifida, while zinc aids in the production of insulin and enzymes.
Vitamin E is another important ingredient for getting that “pregnancy glow.” Vitamin E protects against UV damage and supports your largest organ, therefore you’ve probably bought a skincare product with it. Sunflower seeds provide more than a third of your daily nutritional requirements.
🌻High in Antioxidants
Sunflower seeds are high in antioxidants that help maintain your body in good shape.
Chlorogenic acid, vitamin E, and other antioxidant chemicals can be found in these tiny seeds. Antioxidants help to protect your cells from disease-causing damage.
Antioxidant-rich diets have been related to a lower risk of chronic illnesses. According to a 2018 assessment of 69 research, having higher vitamin E blood levels and dietary intake was associated with a lower risk of cancer, stroke, and mortality from any cause. As a result, it may even assist you in living a longer life.
How to eat Sunflower Seeds?
Sunflower seeds are popular health food that can be found in trail mix, morning cereals, or as a snack straight from the bag. They’re high in healthful fats, minerals, and antioxidant components, among other things.
Sunflower seeds can also be eaten in a variety of cuisines. Here are a few ways to include them in your meals:
- Roasted Sunflower Seeds
- Dress a salad with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Mix in with the trail mix
- Add to oatmeal and mix well.
- Toss with stir-fry or mixed vegetables.
- Toss in with vegetarian burgers.
- Incorporate into baked products.
- Sunflower butter can be substituted for peanut butter.
- Instead of using other oils, cook with sunflower oil.
Possible Drawback of Consuming Sunflower Seeds - Must Know
Are Sunflower Seeds Good for You?
As every coin has two sides, likewise sunflower seeds are nutritious but they do have a few drawbacks. Too much of anything is bad. Below are the key points which you must know before snacking on sunflowers seeds.
High Calories:
Sunflower seeds are heavy in calories, despite their nutritional value.
Because it takes time to split open and spit out each shell, eating the seeds in the shell is a simple strategy to slow down your eating pace and calorie intake while snacking.
Sodium Content:
If you’re managing your salt intake, bear in mind that the shells — which people frequently eat before cracking them open — can contain more than 2,500 mg of sodium per 1/4 cup (30 g) which is 108% of the RDI(Reference Daily Intake).
If the nutrition information on the label is only for the edible section — the kernels inside the shells — the sodium amount may be hidden. Reduced-sodium versions are available from several brands.
Cadmium Content:
The cadmium presence of sunflower seeds is another reason to eat them in moderation. If you’re exposed to large levels of this heavy metal over a lengthy period of time, it can destroy your kidneys.
Sunflowers absorb cadmium from the soil and store it in their seeds, so they have a higher concentration than most other meals.
For a 154-pound (70-kg) adult, the WHO recommends a weekly cadmium limit of 490 micrograms (mcg).
As a result, you shouldn’t be concerned about eating a healthy number of sunflower seeds each day, such as 1 ounce (30 g), but you shouldn’t eat a bagful in one sitting.
Blockages in the Stool
Fecal impaction — or stool obstructions — has been seen in both children and adults after eating a significant amount of sunflower seeds at once.
Eating sunflower seeds in their shells may raise your chances of fecal impaction because you may accidently consume shell fragments that your body cannot process. You may be unable to have a bowel movement due to impaction. While you’re under general anaesthesia, your doctor may need to remove the obstruction.
You may experience constipation as a result of the fecal impaction, as well as leakage of liquid stool surrounding the obstruction, abdominal pain, and nausea, among other symptoms.
Allergies
Although allergies to sunflower seeds are uncommon, they have been reported in few cases. Asthma, mouth swelling, mouth irritation, hay fever, skin rashes, lesions, vomiting, and anaphylaxis are all possible reactions.
The allergens in the seeds are different proteins. Sunflower seed butter, which is made from roasted, crushed sunflower seeds, can be just as allergenic as whole sunflower seeds.
Although refined sunflower oil is less likely to contain enough allergenic proteins, highly sensitive people have had responses to trace levels in the oil in rare situations.
People who work with sunflower plants or seeds, such as sunflower farmers and bird breeders, are more likely to develop sunflower seed allergies.
In addition to food allergies, some people have acquired allergies to touching sunflower seeds, such as while preparing sunflower seed yeast bread, resulting in painful, swollen hands.
FAQs on Sunflower Seeds Application and Benefits:
Is sunflower good for livestock?
Pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry of all ages can all benefit from crushed sunflower seed in their meals. Sunflower seed is especially beneficial in layer diets as a source of linoleic acid. It can be used to substitute some grain in the diets because it has a comparable nutritional profile to grain.
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