Sunflower seeds are a favorite product of many people. In villages and villages, no walk is imagined without husking seeds, and residents of the metropolis are not averse to clicking delicious roasted seeds while watching TV. And how useful is this delicious product? What is the true benefit and harm of sunflower seeds?
In modern times, sunflower seeds are more common in Russia, compatriots are happy to husk them for pleasure, and also actively use the seeds as a product that helps the body cope with serious diseases. But sunflower seeds were brought from distant Holland, although in these years this product is not very popular there.
It is not known exactly when people first tried the soft part of the seeds, because at first the dense thickets of sunflower were used to decorate facades and courtyards. But the first squeeze of sunflower oil from sunflower seeds is recorded in the history of Russia. The discoverer of a useful product was an ordinary peasant - Alexei Bokarev. The first extraction of sunflower oil was made on a home-made apparatus, but after 4 years a huge oil mill was opened.
What are the benefits of sunflower seeds? In what case can this tasty and fragrant product be harmful?
Composition of sunflower seeds
In appearance, the sunflower plant resembles a radiant sun. Its seeds are personified by people with the warmth of a sunny color. The aroma of seeds can bewitch anyone, but the main advantage of this product lies in its rich chemical composition.
- Sunflower seeds contain a complete set of fortified components, a special role in the composition is assigned to vitamins E, A, C, D, the entire subgroup B;
- The mineral composition of the product is no less unique; sunflower seeds contain a fairly large amount of iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, silicon, iodine, selenium and other components that are useful for the normal functioning of the human body;
- The rich composition of useful unsaturated acids, protein compounds, natural carbohydrates and vegetable fats helps to stabilize the performance of all internal systems;
- The product also contains such an important component for the human body as arginine, which is responsible for normalizing the functioning of the heart muscle and ridding the blood vessels of harmful cholesterol.
Particular merit is given to the content in the seeds of such trace elements as selenium, zinc and manganese. It has been proven that 100 gr. fresh seeds completely saturate the body with these components by 100%. The above components are especially important in the nutrition of the elderly, because due to their sufficient presence in the body, they take care of the normal state of bone tissue, normalize blood pressure levels, and also help to normalize the internal state of the joints.
Sunflower seeds are also shown in the nutrition of children. Due to the content of useful vitamin E, as well as ascorbic acid, this product serves as a natural immune stimulant of the body. Folk healers recommend including sunflower seeds in the baby's daily diet, this will save the child from the attack of viral infections and significantly strengthen the body's defenses.
Can pregnant women eat sunflower seeds? Even modern doctors recommend that this product be included in the diet of expectant mothers, of course, if the latter do not have obvious contraindications to their use. Sunflower seeds fully saturate the mother's body with useful components that are transferred to the fetus.
For men, seeds also have their benefits. It is proved that the product stabilizes the genitourinary system. Moreover, the "flowers of the sun", as the seeds are affectionately called, help to normalize the hyperfunction of the whole organism and safely influence the potency.
sunflower seeds calories
The rich chemical composition of sunflower seeds fully saturates the human body with all useful and vital components, but it is important to consider that the product is very high in calories. Sunflower seeds have a high calorie content, per 100 gr. fresh product accounts for about 700 calories. This circumstance is important to consider when consuming a large number of seeds, which is strictly prohibited.
Particular attention should be paid to the consumption of roasted seeds in large quantities. Doctors are sure that a large consumption of fried seeds may well provoke the appearance of slagging in the intestines.
Useful qualities
The main benefit of sunflower seeds lies in its rich chemical composition. This product may well replace meat in terms of nutritional value; it is actively used in the treatment of various diseases. What are the benefits of sunflower seeds?
- Vitamin A contained in the product normalizes the organs of vision, improves visual function and eliminates minor defects in the relevant organs.
- Sunflower seeds are a useful product in the nutrition of the hearts, they improve the structure of blood vessels, increasing their elasticity, eliminate harmful cholesterol, and help improve blood composition.
- Sunflower seeds are also shown for the normal functioning of the liver, since the product helps to cleanse the internal organ from harmful factors. Seeds are also useful for normalizing the work of the pancreas, the product helps to cleanse the bile ducts.
- The product is useful for the entire digestive system. Mild laxative effect helps to cope with constipation.
- Vitamin E in the composition of sunflower seeds has a beneficial effect on the appearance of a person. As you know, this useful component has anti-aging properties, and regular use of seeds helps to improve the complexion, restore the natural luster of the skin, and rid the face of wrinkles. The regenerating qualities of sunflower seeds help to cope with the dysfunction of the muscular apparatus.
- The product has excellent immunostimulating qualities, sunflower seeds are recommended to be eaten during the period of epidemic and virus activity. Moreover, at the first sign of a cold, it is recommended to eat a tasty product, and the disease will pass instantly.
Roasted seeds. Are they helpful?
Most often, roasted seeds are used for food. Are they useful? It is believed that during the heat treatment of the product, some of the useful components disappear in its composition, but this is not always the case. If raw seeds are roasted, then most of the useful and vital components in the product will remain.
But it is important to take into account the factor that the calorie content of roasted sunflower seeds is much higher. This aspect is important to consider when forming a portion of the product.
What are the benefits of roasted seeds?
- The fried product retains the full composition of antioxidants, which are the prevention of aging and normalize the performance of the heart system.
- Roasted seeds have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver, gently cleansing this internal organ.
- The product is indicated as a means for the normalization of the digestive system.
- Fried seeds can be used as a snack, which is especially important for people who are actively watching their figure. Seeds perfectly saturate the body, satisfying the feeling of hunger for a long time. But it is important to take into account the calorie content of the product, so it cannot be consumed in large quantities.
- Fried seeds have a positive effect on the performance of the nervous system, they help to calm and get rid of worries and stress.
It is important to take into account the fact that the above beneficial qualities will only be inherent in fried seeds that were prepared without the use of salt or oil. If these ingredients were added to the product, then it loses some of these useful qualities.
The main benefits and harms of roasted sunflower seeds largely depend on the method of preparation of the product. If burnt oil was used when frying the seeds, then the product becomes dangerous for the body. The high content of carcinogens is an activator to the formation of malignant cells, which subsequently activate cancerous tumors.
In order for sunflower seeds to bring only benefits and eliminate any harm, you need to cook them yourself, and not buy a product of dubious quality on the street.
Harm of sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds are delicious, the benefits and harms of this product are contained in its chemical composition. And in what cases can a product be definitely harmful to the human body?
- Excessive consumption of seeds can lead to the formation of excess weight.
- In the presence of gastritis or peptic ulcer, it is recommended to refuse the clicking of seeds.
- In some cases, roasted seeds can trigger an attack of heartburn.
- The husking of seeds negatively affects the state of the vocal cords; after their consumption, the voice is lost.
- The clicking of seeds negatively affects the condition of the teeth, contributing to the formation of tartar and plaque, as well as the destruction of tooth enamel.
- It has been proven that a serving of seeds is more than 100 gr. is able to instantly, but briefly increase the level of blood pressure, which is especially important to consider for hypertensive patients.
- The high content of vitamin B6 in the product provokes inhibition of brain activity, causing drowsiness and loss of coordination of movements.
