Organic Raw Shelled Sunflower Seeds

Sunflowers are one of our most spectacular flowers, particularly grown in a mass planting or in a field. Evidence indicates Native Americans cultivated sunflowers as far back as 3,000 B.C. Despite their diminutive size, sunflower seeds are an intense source of vitamins and minerals and essential oils. Sunflower seeds usually make the Top 10 List of foods rich in Vitamin E, and B, copper, and vitamins including thiamine, phosphorus, and selenium. They also make great travel snacks. Today, the USA, Russia, Argentina and China are the world’s leading producers of sunflower seeds

Health Benefits

Delicately sweet and delicious, organic sunflower seeds are crammed full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Research indicates including sunflower seeds in your diet may provide a range of impressive health benefits including:

• Lower LDL (bad) cholesterol
• Reduced incidences of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease
• Improved immune response due to antioxidants and copper lowers risk of cancer
• Healthier bones thanks to calcium and magnesium content
• Balancing blood sugars helps ward off diabetes
• Decrease risk of weight gain
• Selenium content support thyroid function

Sunflower seeds are generally associated with improving cardiovascular health due to their ability to reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol and to prevent hypertension. Sunflower seeds also reduce the incidence of headaches and muscle cramps and improved detoxification.

Key Nutrition Details

Sunflower seeds are a phenomenally rich source of vitamins and minerals. A daily snack of 100 grams of sunflower seeds contains the following nutrients (% Daily Recommended Intake):

• Energy: 29%

• Carbohydrates: 15%

• Protein: 37%

• Total Fat: 172%

• Dietary Fiber: 23%

• Folates: 57%

• Niacin: 52%

• Pantothenic acid: 22%

• Pyridoxine: 103%

• Riboflavin: 27%

• Thiamin: 123%

• Vitamin A: 1.6%

• Vitamin C: 2%

• Vitamin E: 234%

• Sodium: 1%

• Potassium: 14%

• Calcium: 8%

• Copper: 200%

• Iron: 63%

• Magnesium: 81%

• Manganese: 85%

• Phosphorus: 94%

• Selenium: 96%

• Zinc: 45%

Interesting Facts

The sunflower is the only flower with “flower” in both its English and Latin names! “Helianthus” is the scientific name of Sunflower, “Helia” for Sun and “Anthus” for Flower. Here are some more fun facts about sunflower seeds:

• Sunflowers are the symbol of faith and loyalty

• Sunflowers track the movement of the sun across the sky from east to west

• Sunflower oil softens leather, condition hair, treats wounds, and is used as cooking oil, medicine, animal feed and bio-diesel fuel

• Sunflower is the Ukraine’s national flower and Kansas’ state flower

• One of the fastest growing plants, sunflowers can reach up to 8-12 feet within six months

• Tallest sunflower in Guinness world record is 25 feet 5 ½ inches

• There are two types of sunflower seeds, black and striped. Black seeds are used for oil while the striped seeds are edible.

• The spiral formation of seeds in a sunflower almost always follows the Fibonacci sequence

• A sunflower can have up to 2000 seeds

• There are more than 60 varieties of sunflowers 

Storage Tips & Shelf Life

Always store whole seeds at room temperature away from the air and sunlight. Hulled sunflower seeds should always be kept in your refrigerator in an airtight container.

Enjoying Your Organic Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are usually viewed as a snack. However, they also make a healthy and delicious addition to cereal mixes, appetisers and snacks, salads, bread, muffins, and cookies, dusting pasta and adorning soups or roast vegetables. Ground sunflower seeds make a fabulous substitute for flour when cooking meat or fish and are perfect for blending into your breakfast oatmeal.

While sunflower seeds are one of the most common cooking oils available, thanks to their high oil content, their polyunsaturated fat content do not cope with cooking at high temperatures.