Sunflower Seeds

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Are you looking for a healthy breakfast? Enjoy a handful of delicious sunflower seeds with their inherent firm but delicate texture and take care of your hunger while taking a good amount of nutrients. Sunflower seeds are available in stores all year round.

Sunflower is an annual plant that is grown mainly for its high-fat seeds. Nowadays, sunflower is the third largest oil-bearing crop, with soybeans and rapeseed in first and second place. The leading commercial producers of sunflower seeds are the Russian Federation, Peru, Argentina, Spain, France and China.

Sunflower seeds are a gift of beautiful sunflowers, plants with rays of petals coming from their bright yellow seed-strewn center. The Latin scientific name of the sunflower, Helianthus annuus, corresponds to their solar form, as helios is the Greek word for sun and anthus for flower. Because sunflower seeds are very high in fat, they are one of the main sources of polyunsaturated oil.

History of sunflower

Sunflowers are believed to have originated in Mexico and Peru and were one of the first plants cultivated in the United States. The earliest specimens for cultivated sunflower date back to 2600 BC. in the lands of present-day Mexico. It is believed that the cult of the Sun was born at the very beginning of its cultivation, due to the valuable ability of the sunflower to look at it from morning to night. For biologists, this is pure heliotropism - a method that helps the plant to obtain the necessary amount of sunlight, thanks to the presence of special motor cells.

Some researchers claim that as soon as they arrived, the conquistadors saw an enemy in the face of the sunflower, because locals associated its cakes with the cult of the sun, and this united them against the New Faith. It is believed that this is what encouraged the conquerors to introduce bans on growing sunflowers.

The sunflower arrived in Europe in the 16th century, when in addition to its seeds, many religious artifacts with its appearance were brought to the royal repository of Spain. After its initial cultivation in Spain, traders began to distribute it in Europe. In Bulgaria, sunflower cultivation took place in the 20th century.

Composition of sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds contain large doses of omega-6 fatty acids and omega-9 fatty acids; the minerals manganese, selenium, copper, phosphorus and magnesium. Raw sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E and B1, B5 and B9.

100 g of sunflower seeds contain 21 g of protein, 11 g of water, 55.8 g of fat, 622 calories, 44 mg of calcium, 4.1 g of carbohydrates, 4.2 mg of iron, 344 mg of phosphorus, 0.1 mg of carotene, 24.6 mg of vitamin E, 0.23 mg of vitamin E., 5 mg of vitamin PP.

Selection and storage of sunflower seeds

- If you buy sunflower seeds packaged, see if the package is hermetically sealed.

- If you buy the seeds in bulk, make sure the store has good attendance to make sure they are fresh.

- If you buy peeled seeds, avoid those that turn yellow, as they are probably rancid.

Sunflower seeds in cooking

- If you want to peel the seeds, you need to put them in a seed grinder, grind them and put them in cold water, in which the peels will easily rise to the surface. If you don't have such a grinder (probably most of us), you can put them in the bowl of your electric mixer, run it a few times, then add water again to make the peels rise;

- You can add sunflower seeds in your favorite [tuna salad], chicken or turkey;

- Add sunflower seeds in mixed lettuce;

- Adding seeds to your scrambled eggs will give them a unique taste and texture;

- Use finely ground sunflower seeds instead of flour to roll the meat.

Sunflower seeds, along with other seeds and nuts, are widely used in the preparation of various healthy breads, cakes or for making delicious biscuits and cakes.

Benefits of sunflower seeds

- The vitamin E contained in them has an anti-inflammatory effect and is good for our cardiovascular health.

Sunflower seeds are an exceptional source of vitamin E, the main fat-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin E spreads throughout our body, neutralizing free radicals that would damage fat-containing structures and molecules such as cell membranes, brain cells and cholesterol.

By protecting these cellular and molecular components, vitamin E has significant anti-inflammatory effects, resulting in a reduction in the symptoms of asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis - conditions in which free radicals and inflammation play a significant role.

- The phytosterols contained in sunflower seeds lower cholesterol. Phytosterols are compounds found in plants that have a chemical structure similar to cholesterol. When actively involved in our diet, they are able to lower blood cholesterol levels, strengthen our immune system and reduce the risk of certain cancers.

- The magnesium contained in them calms the nerves, muscles and blood vessels. Sunflower seeds are a good source of magnesium. Studies have shown that it helps reduce asthma attacks, lowers blood pressure, prevents migraine headaches and reduces the risk of heart attack or heart attack.

- Selenium in sunflower seeds improves detoxification and prevents cancer. Sunflower seeds are a good source of selenium - a micromineral that is fundamental to the human body. Studies of animal models of cancer suggest a close link between selenium intake and cancer. Selenium appears to cause DNA repair and the synthesis of damaged cells, thus suppressing the spread of cancer cells.