Seen in the dugouts of baseball fields around the country and even showing up in some popular movies, sunflower seeds have become one of America's fastest growing snacks. In the last 30 years, their sales have increased all over the world.
Nutritious, economical, fun to eat and delicious, they've been used throughout history by Native Americans and other herbalists to enhance energy and for medicinal purposes. Some past uses include sunflower seeds as a diuretic, a cure for constipation, chest pain or ulcers, to treat worms and to improve eyesight.
John Douglas, M.D., in Food and Nutrition, praised the medicinal powers of sunflower seeds, recommending them to many patients with high blood pressure or cardiovascular problems and occasionally to help reduce allergic reactions, all with good success. He also suggests them as part of a stop-smoking program by having people in the program munch on raw, unshelled, unsalted sunflower seeds, which, in addition to their medicinal properties, gives them something to do with their hands and mouth.
Eating sunflower seeds raw will provide the most health benefits, as they are higher in nutrition than roasted and definitely better than salted seeds. Unsalted sunflower seeds are very high in potassium and low in sodium. With so many salty foods available they are a healthy and yummy alternative.
One cup of sunflower seeds contains more than 1300 milligrams of potassium and only four milligrams of sodium. The high amount of oil in sunflower seeds in the form of polyunsaturated fats, essential linoleic acid and vitamin E is also helpful in reducing cholesterol levels and improving or preventing cardiovascular disease. However, sunflower seeds are high in calories'one half cup of hulled seeds has approximately 400 calories. If trying to avoid the dreaded \Freshman 15,"" then it's better to go a little easy on sunflower seeds, but on the whole they're a nutritious snack. Containing about 25 percent protein and rich in vitamin B, they are also particularly high in fiber, thiamine and niacin.
With their low sodium content and high potassium, zinc, iron and calcium levels, sunflower seeds are a very mineral-rich food.
Besides snacking, these seeds can be sprinkled on salads or baked in breads and cookies. When added to salads, they supply a tasty crunch along with protein and fatty acids. In a nutshell, these yummy seeds are high in nutrition, are relatively inexpensive and can be used in a variety of foods.
