Looking
for a health-promoting snack? A handful of sunflower seeds will take care of
your hunger, while also enhancing your health by supplying significant amounts
of vitamin E, magnesium and selenium.
Anti-Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Benefits from Sunflower Seeds' Vitamin E
Sunflower
seeds are an excellent source of Vitamin E, the body's primary fat-soluble
antioxidant. Vitamin E travels throughout the body neutralizing free radicals
that would otherwise 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 that
result in the reduction of symptoms in asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid
arthritis, conditions where free radicals and inflammation play a big role.
Vitamin E has also been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer, help decrease
the severity and frequency of hot flashes in women going through menopause, and
help reduce the development of diabetic complications.
In
addition, vitamin E plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular
disease. Vitamin E is one of the main antioxidants found in cholesterol
particles and helps prevent free radicals from oxidizing cholesterol. Only
after it has been oxidized is cholesterol able to adhere to blood vessel walls
and initiate the process of atherosclerosis, which can lead to blocked
arteries, heart attack, or stroke. Getting plenty of vitamin E can significantly
reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis. In fact, studies show that
people who get a good amount of vitamin E are at a much lower risk of dying of
a heart attack than people whose dietary intake of vitamin E is marginal or
inadequate.
Sunflower Seeds' Phytosterols Lower Cholesterol
Phytosterols
are compounds found in plants that have a chemical structure very similar to
cholesterol, and when present in the diet in sufficient amounts, are believed
to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the immune response and decrease
risk of certain cancers.
Phytosterols
beneficial effects are so dramatic that they have been extracted from soybean,
corn, and pine tree oil and added to processed foods, such as
"butter"-replacement spreads, which are then touted as
cholesterol-lowering "foods." But why settle for an imitation
"butter" when Mother Nature's nuts and seeds are a naturally rich
source of phytosterols—and cardio-protective fiber, minerals and healthy fats
as well?
In
a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers
published the amounts of phytosterols present in nuts and seeds commonly eaten
in the United States.
Sesame
seeds had the highest total phytosterol content (400-413 mg per 100 grams), and
English walnuts and Brazil nuts the lowest (113 mg/100grams and 95 mg/100
grams). (100 grams is equivalent to 3.5 ounces.) Of the nuts and seeds
typically consumed as snack foods, sunflower seeds and pistachios were richest
in phytosterols (270-289 mg/100 g), followed by pumpkin seeds (265 mg/100 g).
Calm Your Nerves, Muscles and Blood Vessels with Sunflower Seeds' Magnesium
Sunflower
seeds are a good source of magnesium. Numerous studies have demonstrated that
magnesium helps reduce the severity of asthma, lower high blood pressure, and
prevent migraine headaches, as well as reducing the risk of heart attack and
stroke.
Magnesium
is also necessary for healthy bones and energy production. About two-thirds of
the magnesium in the human body is found in our bones. Some helps give bones
their physical structure, while the rest is found on the surface of the bone
where it is stored for the body to draw upon as needed.
Magnesium
counterbalances calcium, thus helping to regulate nerve and muscle tone. In
many nerve cells, magnesium serves as Nature's own calcium channel blocker,
preventing calcium from rushing into the nerve cell and activating the nerve.
By blocking calcium's entry, magnesium keeps our nerves (and the blood vessels
and muscles they ennervate) relaxed. If our diet provides us with too little
magnesium, however, calcium can gain free entry, and the nerve cell can become
overactivated, sending too many messages and causing excessive contraction.
Insufficient magnesium can thus contribute to high blood pressure, muscle spasms
(including spasms of the heart muscle or the spasms of the airways symptomatic
of asthma), and migraine headaches, as well as muscle cramps, tension, soreness
and fatigue.
Improved Detoxification and Cancer Prevention from Sunflower Seeds' Selenium
Sunflower seeds are also a good source of selenium, a trace mineral that is of fundamental importance to human health. Accumulated evidence from prospective studies, intervention trials and studies on animal models of cancer has suggested a strong inverse correlation between selenium intake and cancer incidence. Selenium has been shown to induce DNA repair and synthesis in damaged cells, to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, and to induce their apoptosis, the self-destruct sequence the body uses to eliminate worn out or abnormal cells.
In
addition, selenium is incorporated at the active site of many proteins,
including glutathione peroxidase, which is particularly important for
cancer protection. One of the body's most powerful antioxidant enzymes, glutathione
peroxidase is used in the liver to detoxify a wide range of potentially harmful
molecules. When levels of glutathione peroxidase are too low, these toxic
molecules are not disarmed and wreak havoc on any cells with which they come in
contact, damaging their cellular DNA and promoting the development of cancer
cells. Its selenium richness is another reason that sunflower seeds can make a
good snack.
Description
Sunflower
seeds are the gift of the beautiful sunflower, a plant with rays of petals emanating
from its bright yellow, seed-studded center. The sunflower's Latin scientific
name, Helianthus annuus, reflects its solar appearance
since helios is the Greek word for sun, and anthos is the
Greek word for flower.
The
sunflower produces grayish-green or black seeds encased in tear-dropped shaped
gray or black shells that oftentimes feature black and white stripes. Since
these seeds have a very high oil content, they are one of the main sources used
to produce polyunsaturated oil. Shelled sunflower seeds have a mild nutty taste
and firm, but tender texture. Their taste is oftentimes compared with the
Jerusalem artichoke (not to be confused with the bulb artichoke), another
member of the Helianthus family.
History
While
sunflowers are thought to have originated in Mexico and Peru, they are one of
the first plants to ever be cultivated in the United States. They have been
used for more than 5,000 years by the Native Americans, who not only used the
seeds as a food and an oil source, but also used the flowers, roots and stems
for varied purposes including as a dye pigment. The Spanish explorers brought
sunflowers back to Europe, and after being first grown in Spain, they were
subsequently introduced to other neighboring countries. Currently, sunflower oil
is one of the most popular oils in the world. Today, the leading commercial
producers of sunflower seeds include the Russian Federation, Peru, Argentina,
Spain, France and China.
How to Select and Store
Sunflower seeds are sold either shelled or unshelled and are generally available in prepackaged containers as well as bulk bins. Just as with any other food that you may purchase in the bulk section, make sure that the bins containing the sunflower seeds are covered and that the store has a good product turnover so as to ensure the seeds' maximal freshness.
When
purchasing unshelled seeds, make sure that the shells are not broken or dirty.
Additionally, they should be firm and not have a limp texture. When purchasing
shelled seeds, avoid those that appear yellowish in color as they have probably
gone rancid. In addition, if you are purchasing sunflower seeds from a bulk
bin, smell them to ensure that they are still fresh and have not spoiled.
Since
sunflower seeds have a high fat content and are prone to rancidity, it is best
to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can also be
stored in the freezer since the cold temperature will not greatly affect their
texture or flavor.
Nutritional Profile
Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E and a very good source of copper and vitamin B1. In addition, sunflower seeds are a good source of manganese, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin B6, folate and niacin.
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