Sunflower seeds
Good afternoon, dear readers! Sunflower seeds are simply a tasty and popular delicacy for many. Who doesn't like to crack sunflower seeds while sitting in front of the TV?
For some time it was believed that such a craving for this product could provoke an attack of appendicitis, but this myth has now been dispelled.
Traditional medicine and even modern science have recognized the fact that sunflower seeds are useful to take for disorders of the endocrine and nervous system.
What else are sunflower seeds good for our body? Let's take a closer look!
Sunflower seeds: chemical composition
Seeds are simply vitamins, amino acids, and vegetable fats. In addition, the kernels contain fiber, which is necessary for normal digestion. This product is especially valued (especially by raw foodists and vegetarians) for its high content of Omega-6 and -9.
Vitamins can be distinguished - Vitamin A, B vitamins, Vitamins C, E, Vitamins D, K, PP. Of the macro- and microelements, the most abundant are potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, sodium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.
BZHU for 100 gr. – proteins (20.7 g.), fats (52 g.), carbohydrates (15.5 g.)
Chemical composition
Sunflower seeds: benefits
Only with moderate use:
1. Strengthen the walls of blood vessels, normalize blood pressure, reduce “bad” cholesterol, and improve heart function.
2. Improves intestinal function and eliminates constipation.
3. Nucleoli are a good prevention against joint diseases and oncology.
4. Improves the condition of teeth, visual acuity, strengthens bones.
5. It is recommended to use to normalize a person’s emotional state, nervous disorders, help fight depression, and relieve stress.
6. Will help improve the functioning of the respiratory system in asthma.
On a note! It is most beneficial to consume raw seeds or slightly dried ones.
Although fried ones have a more pleasant taste, their benefits are minimal. After roasting, up to 80% of all beneficial substances evaporate!
What are the benefits of sunflower seeds for the human body?
The high content of nutrients makes the seeds a necessary product for maintaining health and beauty. At the same time, it is useful for people to consume sunflower for mental balance.
For diabetes
For diabetes mellitus, it is recommended to eat raw sunflower seeds, as they have a positive effect on the body. For diabetic patients, their benefits are that:
- The seeds have a glycemic index not exceeding 15.
- Saturate the body with all necessary vitamins and minerals.
- They give a boost of energy due to the high content of fatty acids, which are easily absorbed by the body and do not lead to the accumulation of cholesterol.
- They have a general strengthening effect on the body: normalize heart rate, hormone production, and strengthen bone tissue.
- Positively affects visual acuity.
- They improve the condition of the skin, reducing the risk of developing dermatitis and other skin diseases.
- Promotes rapid tissue regeneration.
What are the benefits of sunflower seeds for women?
1. Thanks to the high zinc content, they will help restore shine to hair, eliminate dandruff and flaking of the skin.
2. Vitamins A and E play an important role in the body's metabolic processes and slow down the aging process. Only 30 gr. There are enough nucleoli to cover the daily requirement of Vitamin E.
3. Based on the nucleoli, you can prepare scrubs that will restore the structure of the skin, renew cells, and remove the stratum corneum.
4. Vitamin B6 and folic acid also improve the condition of the skin, nails, and hair. Help relieve unpleasant symptoms during menopause.
5. They help cleanse the intestines, improve digestion, and therefore promote weight loss and weight normalization.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding
Application in cosmetology
In cosmetology, natural sunflower oil or raw seeds are most often used .
Based on them, various cosmetics can be made: bath mixtures, skin masks with a rejuvenating effect, medicinal ointments against blackheads and acne.
High-quality sunflower oil can be used to care for very dry skin of the hands and face.
A good solution is to grind the seeds in a coffee grinder and use the resulting flour as a body scrub.
Peeling procedures will bring a triple effect: they will remove impurities and dead cells, and provide hydration and nutrition to the skin.
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Sunflower seeds during pregnancy and breastfeeding
1. It is recommended to consume raw seeds during pregnancy. They have fewer calories and rarely cause heartburn or diarrhea.
2. It is better to buy already peeled or clean with your hands, so as not to chew the husks or spoil the tooth enamel, which during this period becomes very fragile.
3. They will enrich the body with vitamins and beneficial elements, especially in the first and second trimester of pregnancy.
4. Folic acid is especially necessary for the proper development of the fetus.
5. Dosed consumption will help control weight and normalize cholesterol.
6. One small seed of seeds will put the nervous system in order, relieve irritability and excess excitability, and can also be used to relieve toxicosis and vomiting.
7. During breastfeeding, be very careful and attentive. Seeds are classified as allergenic foods, so try introducing them into your diet in minimal doses two months after giving birth and monitor your baby’s reaction. If everything goes well, this product will enrich mother’s milk and make it more nutritious.
8. Use no more than 20 grams. raw seeds per day, otherwise the child may experience diathesis, colic or bloating. Fried kernels add a slight bitterness to the milk and the child can simply refuse such milk.
Source of vitamins
The second benefit of sunflower seeds is their high content of vitamins E, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid and B6.
The same forty-five grams of hulled seeds provide up to seventy-five percent of the body's daily requirement for vitamin E. It is a known anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Thanks to it, eating sunflower seeds can relieve the symptoms of arthritis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases.
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Thiamine, or vitamin B1, is essential for maintaining metabolism and the functioning of the nervous system. Folic acid is required for brain function and is especially important for normal child development.
Niacin contained in sunflower seeds helps people who decide to quit smoking to overcome nicotine addiction.
The complex of vitamins and minerals that the seeds contain facilitates the course of inflammatory processes, prevents the occurrence of neoplasms, promotes hematopoiesis, and strengthens the bone and cardiovascular system.
The normal functioning of internal organs has a beneficial effect on the skin, hair and nails.
We emphasize once again: all of the above applies to unsalted seeds. An increased content of sodium chloride can neutralize all the advantages of this product and cause harm to health.
For the treatment of hypertension
You need to prepare a decoction of two glasses of raw seeds and a liter of water. Boil the product for two hours after boiling. Then cool, strain, take 0.5 cups twice a day for 14 days. After a week, if necessary, the course can be repeated. To boost immunity
If you have a weakened immune system or during cold and flu season, you can prepare a medicinal mixture from their raw, peeled seeds, fresh honey, and adding a few drops of lemon juice. Take a teaspoon every morning.
How to fry raw sunflower seeds
It is not at all necessary to buy ready-made, roasted seeds in the store; you can roast them yourself very simply and quickly.
Pour unpeeled raw sunflower fruits into a hot frying pan, fry over low heat, stirring all the time for 10-15 minutes. When the kernels are fried (just try one), pour into a plate, cover with a towel, and let cool completely.
You can simply dry it in the oven with the door open for 5-10 minutes.
With any method of preparation, the seeds must be thoroughly washed first.
You can fry the seeds with sea salt. To do this, they need to be soaked in water, where a little salt was previously diluted, for 20-30 minutes. Then pour directly into the frying pan with water and fry until all the water has evaporated.
On a note! You can fry the peeled kernels immediately, but no more than 5 minutes over low heat until golden brown.
Sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds: how to choose, how to store
When buying in a store, it is difficult to determine the quality of seeds, since the packages are always dense and opaque. You can only look at the date of packaging. The harvest is harvested in the fall, which means the date should be somewhere in these autumn months.
If the seeds are sold by weight, then you should pay attention to:
1. Smell without rotten or bitter aroma.
2. Black peel without damage, gray coating, shines a little.
3. It is better to take from medium-sized seeds, they are the most delicious and easier to clean.
4. If the seller allows you to try, then this is the best way to check the quality of the product.
Raw kernels spoil very quickly, so it is better to spread them in an even layer in the sun and dry them a little.
It is better to store in the refrigerator, put the seeds in paper bags. Can be stored for up to 9 months.
Roasted seeds can be stored for no more than a month or a maximum of one and a half.
Sunflower seeds: harm and contraindications
1. Do not consume seeds with husks. The husk is not digested in the body and can cause constipation or problems with the intestines or stomach.
2. Do not consume roasted seeds if you have chronic liver diseases, stomach ulcers, acute gastritis, pancreatitis, only raw or slightly dried and in very limited quantities.
3. Do not use at night, otherwise all the calories will be deposited in problem areas.
4. Do not use if you have gallbladder diseases, acute gout, intestinal colitis, or a tendency to obesity.
5. If you have an individual intolerance or allergy to this product.
6. The habit of regularly shelling seeds can lead to the destruction of tooth enamel, the development of caries, and the formation of tartar.
7. Vocalists are prohibited from using this product, as the seeds have an enveloping effect on the vocal cords.
What happens if you eat a package of seeds every day?
Sunflower seeds are one of the most popular snacks in our country. A bag of seeds will help maintain a conversation, entertain guests, and accompany a movie viewing. But any delicacy is good in moderation, including sunflower seeds.
Natalya Samoilova, a nutritionist at the metropolitan network of clinics “Zdorovye”, reminds us of the calorie content of this delicacy: one hundred grams of seeds contain more than 600 calories! A five-hundred-gram bag, which is in plain view in any store, therefore contains 3,000 calories! This exceeds your daily calorie intake, even if you eat nothing but the contents of this packet for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Do you think it’s difficult to eat half a kilo of seeds a day? Volunteers from the control group, who took part in an experiment at the London Diet Clinic in 2021, consumed 300 grams of seeds daily for two weeks, supplementing their 1,500-calorie diet. As a result, the average weight gain in this group was 1,200 grams over 14 days, given that the researchers carefully monitored the subjects' sufficient physical activity. The explanation is simple: if the body cannot use the calories it receives, it stores them as fat. Calorie needs depend on several factors, including gender, age and activity level. On average, this is from 1,500 to 2,000 calories. And here the seeds can cause an unpleasant blow to the state of all body systems.
Jody Breverman, in a study on What are the dangers of eating too many sunflower seeds, cites data obtained from a number of studies by the American Heart Association. They say that the abuse of seeds (more than 100 grams daily) can cause an excess of sodium in the body, which, in addition to excess weight, leads to cardiovascular diseases, heart problems, pancreatitis, stomach ulcers and other serious health problems. Seeds also provide a source of saturated fatty acids, and excess of these, in turn, threatens to cause a spike in unhealthy low-density lipoprotein, or cholesterol, levels.
Scientists from the University of Washington Medical Center equate half a glass of seeds in terms of calorie content to a hundred-gram chocolate bar, and a whole glass to a large portion of pork kebab. Another threat to humans lies in the ability of sunflower seed husks to absorb heavy metals, in particular cadmium, from the soil and air, where these toxic substances come from air filled with exhaust gases and waste from industrial enterprises. Daily replenishment of all systems of our body with such poisons can undermine the health of even a physically strong person in a couple of years - in this case, a glass of poisoned seeds can be equated to a pack of cigarettes.
