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Sunflower seed is good for the intestine, heart, skin and even helps to control blood glucose, because it has healthy unsaturated fats, proteins, fibers, vitamin E, selenium, copper, zinc, folate, iron and phytochemicals. Just 30 g, the equivalent of a handful of seeds per day, is a great way to supplement your diet in general.
These seeds can easily be consumed mixed in lettuce or fruit salad, in vitamins, beaten in juices or integrated into the pasta. In addition, they are found with or without shell, raw or roasted with or without salt and you can buy sunflower seeds in supermarkets or health food stores.
Sunflower seed oil is another form of consumption of this seed, and contains several benefits for the body, such as protecting cells against aging. Learn more about the benefits of sunflower oil.
The benefits of consuming sunflower seed can be:
1. Protects cardiovascular health
Because they are rich in good fats, both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, sunflower seeds help protect cardiovascular health by regulating total cholesterol levels, increasing good cholesterol and decreasing bad cholesterol, in addition to lowering triglyceride levels.
In addition, the high level of micronutrients, antioxidant vitamins, folic acid and fibers potentiate this cardiovascular protective effect by protecting cells, lowering blood pressure and regulating blood sugar.
2. Helps combat constipation
Due to the large amount of fiber in its composition, sunflower seed helps to fight constipation. This is because it reduces the time of intestinal transit and increases the fecal volume. Two tablespoons of sunflower seeds have an average of 2.4 g of fiber.
See more feeding tips to treat constipation.
3. Increases muscle mass
Because they have a high protein content, sunflower seed can easily help in increasing muscle mass. Two tablespoons have 5g of protein, and can be included in daily meals, increasing the amount of protein in the diet.
See here more about foods to gain muscle mass.
4. Help in the weight loss process
Sunflower seeds can also be used to lose weight, due to the large amount of fiber. The fibers take a longer time to be digested, decrease the process of gastric emptying, increase the feeling of satiety and decrease the appetite.
However, care must be taken, as sunflower seed also has a large amount of fat which makes it have a high calorie value. For example, two tablespoons of sunflower seeds have 143 calories, so it is important to consume these seeds in moderation. For better information it is advisable to consult a nutritionist.
5. Helps to lower blood sugar
The consumption of sunflower seed helps to lower blood sugar and reduces digestion and absorption of carbohydrates after meals, thus preventing hyperglycemia. So sunflower seed can also be a good ally in the diet of people with diabetes, for example.
In addition to this, sunflower seed helps in the weight loss process, leads to a decrease in body weight and, consequently, decreases fasting blood glucose levels and regulates blood insulin levels. Check out other ways to lower your blood sugar.
Nutritional information of sunflower seed
Components | Amount per 100 g of sunflower seed |
Energy | 475 calories |
Proteins | 16.96 g |
Fats | 25.88 g |
Carbohydrates | 51.31 g |
Dietary fiber | 7.84 g |
Vitamin E | 33.2 mg |
Folate | 227 mcg |
Selenium | 53 mcg |
Copper | 1.8 mg |
Zinc | 5 mg |
Iron | 5.2 mg |
Recipes with sunflower seed
Some recipes for including sunflower seed in the diet are:
1. Spiced sunflower seed
The seasoned sunflower seed is a great option to put in soups, season salads, enrich risottos or even to serve pure as a snack.
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup (tea) of sunflower seeds (about 50 g)
- 1 teaspoon of water
- ½ teaspoon of curry
- 1 pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon of olive oil
Preparation mode:
In a bowl, mix the sunflower seeds with the water, curry and salt. Bring a skillet over medium heat with the oil and then add the seed mixture. Stir for about 4 minutes until toasted. Allow to cool completely before storing in a sealed jar.
2. Cookie recipe with sunflower seeds
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of honey
- 3 tablespoons of margarine
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 of wheat flour
- 2/3 of whole wheat flour
- 1 cup of traditional oats
- Half a teaspoon of yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Half a cup of unsalted sunflower seeds
- Half a cup of chopped dried cherries
- 1 egg
- Half a teaspoon of almond extract
Preparation mode:
Heat the oven to 180ºC. Beat the honey, margarine, butter, vanilla, almond extract and egg in a large bowl. Add the flour, oats, yeast and salt, stirring well. Add sunflower seeds, cherries and mix well. Spoon the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper at intervals of about 6 centimeters. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.
3. Granola with sunflower seed
Ingredients:
- 300 g of oats
- 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup whole raw almonds (or hazelnuts)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup of coconut flakes (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sunflower oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup of dried fruit (cherries, apricots, dates, figs, raisins, plums)
Preparation mode:
Preheat the oven to 135 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl mix the oats, almonds, seeds, cinnamon and salt. In a small saucepan, mix water, oil, honey and brown sugar, stirring constantly until boiling. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.
Spread on the baking sheet and bake for about 60 minutes or until golden brown, stir occasionally to brown evenly. The more golden the granola the crunchier it will be. Store in a container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. Granola can last for several weeks.
Check out this other interesting and super practical recipe for snacks for adults and children that has sunflower seed: