Sunflower
The sunflower is a leafy plant that grows vertically for about 3 meters, and on the top of the stem is a large flower with a 30 cm-wide disc, usually with a width of 60 cm. The disc contains 1000-2000 small flowers inside the seeds, and surround the disc with large yellow petals. The name of this flower was called sunflowers or sunflowers due to the ability of flower disks to circumvent the sun. Sunflowers are similar to other plants, and their flowers resemble the sun disk in their form. Sunflower seeds are found inside a solid white and black crust, and ripen during September and October.
The sunflower plant needs a mild climate to grow, and its native habitat is the Central American countries, where the region’s birds feed on sunflower seeds, especially the parrot. The sunflower plant is grown for seeds, sunflower oil is extracted, and its roots and leaves are converted to fertilizer or animal food.
Nutrients in sunflower seeds
The average size of the usual ration is an ounce (28 g) Or the equivalent of a quarter cup of sunflower seeds, and the following table shows the content of this amount of sunflower seeds roasted unsalted nutrients:
| Food ingredient | the value |
|---|---|
| water | 0.34 g |
| energy | 165 calories |
| Protein | 5.48 g |
| Fats | 14.12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6.82 g |
| Dietary fiber | 3.1 g |
| Total sugars | 0.77 g |
| Calcium | 20 mg |
| Iron | 1.08 mg |
| magnesium | 37 mg |
| Phosphorus | 327 mg |
| Potassium | 241 mg |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Zinc | 1.5 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0.4 mg |
| Vitamin B1 (thiamine) | 0.03 mg |
| Vitamin B 2 (riboflavin) | 0.07 mg |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1.996 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.288 mg |
| Folate | 67 micrograms |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 micrograms |
| Vitamin A | 3 universal units |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 7.4 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0 universal unit |
| Vitamin K | 0.8 micrograms |
| Caffeine | 0 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Saturated fatty acids | 1.48 g |
| Monounsaturated fatty acids | 2.695 g |
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids | 9.323 g |
Benefits of sunflower seeds to slim
Sunflower seeds contain important nutrients for human health. A quarter of a cup of sunflower seeds provide about 80 percent of human needs of vitamin E, nearly half of the daily needs of vitamin B1, and is also rich in magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and selenium. Sunflower seeds are nuts, which are actually rich in calories, but being taken in moderation and in appropriate quantities may help to lose weight because of its properties as follows:
Fiber
Sunflower seeds contain fiber and are a good source of fiber. Foods that contain fiber have the ability to fill the stomach for longer periods, and stimulate the feeling of satiety more than others. When you eat sunflower seeds, it gives the feeling that the stomach is full, which may reduce the number of meals eaten during the day, or the amount of food eaten. Fibers regulate blood sugar levels, reducing hunger for low blood sugar.
Proteins
Sunflower oil contains a good proportion of proteins that also give a sense of satiety for longer periods when taken, and this helps to reduce the intake of food, and thus loss of weight.
Pantothenic acid
Pantothenic acid found in sunflower seeds helps to improve the metabolic processes of carbohydrates and proteins in the body, and the conversion process into energy.
Unsaturated fatty acids
There is a potential role for monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids in increasing the insulin response to blood sugar, and improving its effectiveness if used saturated fat allowance, which prevents high blood sugar, which results in the storage of sugars in the form of fat in the body and increase in weight. Sunflower seeds are a good source of unsaturated fats that are good for heart health as well.
Chlorogenic acid
Sunflower seeds contain a compound called chlorogenic acid, a natural anti-oxidant that fights inflammation in the body, but it has a potential role in helping to reduce weight. It reduces the absorption of glucose in the stomach and regulates its metabolism. Most studies of chlorogenic acid found in coffee, but sunflower seeds are also rich. An ounce of about a quarter cup of sunflower seeds contains 364 mg of chlorogenic acid, which is equivalent to the amount found in a cup of coffee. Studies on this subject are still under study, and the role of chlorogenic in helping to reduce weight is still under study.
Sunflower Seeds for Weight Loss
Sunflower seeds can be introduced into the daily diet in the form of a snack in appropriate quantities. Although they are rich in nutrients and vitamins, they are also rich in calories, too many of them can give the opposite result and increase weight. For the benefit of helping to reduce weight, it is recommended to eat a handful of sunflower seeds between meals to provide a sense of satiety, and reduce the amount of food and meals eaten.
It is also recommended to choose raw sunflower seeds or unsalted toaster, so as to avoid obtaining high amounts of sodium that may cause the retention of fluids in the body and increase in weight. It is important to know that weight loss is not just about eating or not eating one type of food, but a healthy and balanced diet with reduced calories, essential vitamins and minerals, and exercise. Food that stimulates weight loss is also a contributing factor to all these things.
You can also add sunflower seeds to meals to make them more useful, and enhance the sense of satiety, and be as follows:
- Add sunflower seeds to meat meal, caltona, chicken, or steak.
- Add them to green salad dishes to give a taste and a favorite bite.
- Add sunflower seeds to eggs when fried.
- Use crushed sunflower seeds to cover the meat before frying instead of flour.
Other health benefits of sunflower seeds
In a summary of the published studies on the health benefits of sunflower seeds conducted by Punjab University in India, the following benefits were reported:
- Sunflower seeds benefit the heart, and work to prevent the incidence of heart disease and arteries; because of the contain useful fatty acids and other compounds that reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood.
- Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E and tocopherol, which have anti-oxidant properties, help fight inflammation in the body and link to harmful free radicals. Eating sunflower seeds may help prevent diseases associated with chronic infections such as arthritis, heart disease and cancer.
- Sunflower seeds are a good source of magnesium for important nerves and muscles, and therefore expect to gain potential benefits in the improvement of muscle spasms, high blood pressure, and migraines.
- Eating sunflower seeds may enhance the body’s immunity because it contains amounts of zinc.
- Sunscreen has antimicrobial and fungal properties, and when placed on wounds can help heal and heal quickly.
- Sunscreen contains folic acid which enters the manufacture of nucleic acids, RNA, DNA and hemoglobin in the body, which is especially important for pregnant women or those who want to conceive.
- Oil seed oil when applied to the skin in the treatment of skin infections, and improve the health of the skin and its properties; because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
- It is a suitable food for patients with blood pressure; because it contains a high percentage of potassium and magnesium, and a small amount of sodium.