Overview

Sunflower seeds are harvested from the flower head of the sunflower plant. While the seed itself is encased in a black and white striped shell, sunflower seeds are white and have a tender texture. Known for their distinct nutty flavor and high nutritional value, you can eat the seeds raw, roasted, or incorporated into other dishes.

Benefits:

Side Effect:

You may experience adverse effects from consuming whole sunflower seeds, especially if you eat a lot of them. The hull or outer shell can be sharp and hard to digest. Additionally, eating too many hulls can cause fecal impaction (FI), which is a severe form of constipation. The sharp hulls can also puncture or attach to the linings of the esophagus or digestive tract if not chewed properly. so its recommended to consume unshelled sunflower seeds to avoid these possible adverse effects.

How to Consume:

• Eating raw seeds as a portable and easy snack
• including seeds as part of the route mixing
• sprinkle roasted or raw seeds on top of cereals, cooked vegetables, or salads
• to add seeds when baking bread or muffins
• to make sunflower seed butter using a high-speed blender
• Mix it with other nuts and fruits.

You can also eat sunflower seeds in a variety of dishes. Here are a few ways you can incorporate them into meals:

• Sprinkle on top of a salad
• Add to trail mix
• Stir into oatmeal
• Sprinkle over stir fry or mixed vegetables
• Add to veggie burgers
• Mix into baked goods
• Use sunflower butter in place of peanut butter

Nutitional Value:

The main nutrients in 1 ounce (30 grams or 1/4 cup) of shelled, dry-roasted sunflower seeds are