The sunflower plant doesn’t just have beautiful flowers.Sunflowers contain a nutrient-rich fruit called sunflower kernels. These sunflower kernels are commonly known as sunflower seeds.Sunflower seed kernels are covered with a solid layer known as hulls. Sunflower seed kernels, as well as their hulls, are edible. Moreover, you can eat raw sunflower seeds as well as roasted ones. Interestingly, sunflower kernels are also seasoned with various different flavors such as sour cream and onion, dill pickle, and ranch.Sunflower seeds can be added to various recipes. It is one of the baked goods you can munch on and not get tired of. Sunflower seeds can also be cooked in sunflower oil or any other oil to make them tastier.The caloric intake for each of these seeds is slightly different. According to the information provided by USDA, 1 oz (28.34 g) of sunflower seeds along with hulls contain 90 calories, while one-fourth cup of raw sunflower seeds contains 204 calories. Furthermore, a serving of one-fourth cup of dry roasted sunflower seeds contains 186 calories, and the seeds roasted in oil contain 200 calories for the same serving. The seasoning doesn’t affect the number of calories, whether you eat just the sunflower seeds or eat them along with their seasoned hulls.Apart from the calories, a one-fourth cup of dry-roasted without salt sunflower seeds has 0.67 oz (19 g) fat, 0.24 oz (7 g) carbohydrates, 0.14 oz (3.9 g) dietary fiber, 0.20 oz (5.8 g) protein, and a trace amount of sodium. However, the amount of sodium can increase if sunflower seeds are roasted with salt. It would be best if you ate salt-roasted sunflower seeds in moderation.In addition to these sunflower seed nutrition numbers, this snack food is also a good source of vitamins and minerals such as copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and so on. Since sunflower seeds contain so many vitamins and nutrients, they also have a lot of health benefits. Some of these health benefits are further discussed in this article.If you find this fun-facts article interesting, you might also enjoy reading the articles about seaweed nutrition facts and seeds nutrition facts here at Kidadl.Benefits Of Vitamin ESunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E. It is a nutrient that that is not just a single entity. Instead, vitamin E is a group of fat-soluble chemical compounds that have properties similar to antioxidants.Antioxidants are substances that hinder the process of oxidation - wherein the chemical reaction leads to the production of free radicals that can cause damage to an organism’s cells. Vitamin E aids in skin cell repair and improves a person’s skin health.This vitamin also helps in improving eye health. Moreover, it can also strengthen the immune cells to fight against certain illnesses and infections.Benefits Of Vitamin B1B vitamins are among the many vitamins present in sunflower seeds. Vitamin B1 is also commonly called thiamin or thiamine, and this vitamin is one of the eight B vitamins in existence.Thiamin is known for converting carbohydrates from various foods into energy that the body can use to function correctly. It also helps the body in the process of fat and protein metabolization. Thiamin, along with the nutrient selenium, can keep you adequately energized.If thiamine levels in the body get low, it can cause various health-related issues. Symptoms of low thiamine levels in your body can include fatigue, loss of appetite, reduced or slow reflexes, weakness in the muscles, nausea, and even blurred or poor vision.It is advised to add food with high thiamin to your diet if you are suffering from a deficiency of this nutrient.Benefits Of Vitamin B6Sunflower seed is a healthy snack you can add to your diet due to the high amount of minerals and nutrients present in this food. Another of the B vitamins present in sunflower seeds is vitamin B6.This vitamin is also commonly known as pyridoxine and is a soluble compound in water. It improves your health by helping produce serotonin and norepinephrine, which are chemicals that transmit brain signals. Pyridoxine is also able to alleviate premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms.Other health benefits of this vitamin include helping with symptoms of depression, helping to treat nausea during pregnancy, promoting brain health, and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s. It also aids the production of hemoglobin or red blood cells to reduce the chance of developing anemia caused by certain deficiencies. Moreover, pyridoxine also aids heart health by preventing the arteries from getting clogged.Benefits Of IronIron is one of the essential minerals needed by your body for its growth and development. Iron also plays a crucial role in producing red blood cells in the body. Sunflower seeds are known for providing a good amount of this mineral.Iron helps treat anemia caused by the deficiency of this very mineral. It also aids in the production of certain hormones in the body. As this mineral improves the amount of hemoglobin, it also helps in the circulation of oxygen throughout the body. In addition to this, the mineral also helps indirectly in the growth of muscles.Benefits Of CopperCompared to other seeds, sunflower seeds contain a decent amount of copper. This mineral aids your health in many ways.Like an antioxidant, copper also protects the cells from getting damaged by the free radicals. It also helps to keep the nerve cells healthy. Copper also helps improve your health by forming collagen, a protein that helps build up your bones and tissues.Moreover, it also helps in the absorption of iron into the body. Apart from this, copper also provides adequate support to the immune system. Including healthy foods containing a good amount of copper in your diet can also treat copper deficiency, a serious issue if left untreated.Healthy FatsThe fat present in sunflower seeds is the good kind of fat needed by your body. Instead of saturated fat or trans fat, fats in sunflower seeds are monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.The fatty acids of these fats can help prevent certain chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. They help regulate and lower high blood pressure. These fatty acids prevent the heart’s rhythm from becoming irregular or abnormal and reduce harmful cholesterol levels and triglycerides that can increase the risk of developing heart disease. They also produce energy, absorb other minerals, and improve brain health.However, it would be best to be cautious of the number of sunflower seeds you are eating. Since the size of the whole seeds is small, you might eat a lot of them at once. Even though the fat you are consuming is of the good kind, it can still result in you gaining quite a bit of weight.High Protein BenefitsAmong many other nutrients present in sunflower seeds, protein is one of the most significant. Proteins are considered the basic building blocks of muscles, bones, skin, cartilage, and blood.Doctors especially advise eating foods with a high amount of protein to improve muscle and bone growth in the body. Having a high protein diet can improve metabolic health and contribute to heart health in some ways. Proteins can improve bone health and provide an adequate amount of strength.Apart from the health benefits discussed till now, sunflower seeds also contain nutrients such as folic acid and selenium that aids DNA synthesis in the body, and vitamin C, which helps in boosting immunity and even regulating blood sugar levels.Pantothenic acid present in sunflower seeds can help to turn the food you consume into fuel to provide energy to your body. Moreover, selenium in these seeds can also reduce the risk of cell degeneration. Yet, you should not forget that even though these seeds are healthy and contain many nutrients, they should still be eaten in moderation.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for sunflower seeds nutrition facts, then why not take a look at semolina nutrition facts or soda nutrition facts.
The sunflower plant doesn’t just have beautiful flowers.
