What are the benefits of roasted sunflower seeds, calorie content of the product

Some fruits and vegetables appeared in Europe only after Columbus discovered America. Only in the 16th century did Europeans have the opportunity to taste corn, tomatoes, potatoes and sunflowers.
Let's find out how roasted sunflower seeds are beneficial and how much work it takes to enjoy a product grown on your own plot.
Content:
- A little history of the plant
- About sunflower and its cultivation
- Benefits of roasted sunflower seeds
- What is the calorie content of fried seeds?
- What is the harm from eating seeds, contraindications for use
- Which seeds are healthier, roasted or raw?
A little history of the sunflower plant
The Indians who lived in America at that time called sunflower a sunny flower, due to its bright golden color. Even though sunflowers had been grown in this area for a long time, they did not perceive them as a vegetable suitable for consumption; therefore, no one knew anything about the beneficial or harmful properties of fried seeds.
Indian tribes used only pollen and petals of the plant; they were part of tattoo inks to treat fever, which was very common at that time. Pollen was also used to prepare a composition that helps alleviate the consequences of poisonous snake bites.
After sunflower appeared on European territory, they also did not immediately begin to eat it. For quite a long time it was just a plant for creating special decor in gardens and greenhouses.
Over time, some rather curious individuals dared to taste the seeds. To give a more expressive taste, the seeds began to be dried and subjected to heat treatment, that is, fried.
About sunflower and its cultivation
Sunflower It is an annual plant and bears fruit with one rather large flower. Additional inflorescences sometimes appear on its stem, but there are practically no seeds in them and their sizes differ significantly from the main one.
Sunflowers are very often planted on personal plots, as an ornamental or agricultural crop. In any case, they serve as decoration for the garden, but in addition, even from a small area, you can get a very good harvest.
The main thing is to know which variety and when to plant. Sunflower is a fairly unpretentious plant that can easily tolerate both spring night temperature drops and drought.
However, it is worth noting: in order to get a harvest of beautiful and large seeds, the plant, during its entire growth period, must be given enough attention:
- First of all, to plant this crop you need to prepare soil, that is, to fertilize.
- Throughout the entire period of growth, you will need to produce timely and high-quality watering.
- We should not forget about the possible appearance of pests that can cause irreparable harm to both the plant itself and the future harvest.
It is advisable to purchase compositions to combat them in specialized stores and only after consultation with the seller.
What is the calorie content of fried seeds?
And now it’s time to talk about the usefulness of the grown product. Calorie content roasted sunflower seeds is quite high and is about 700 kcal per 100 grams.
But the amount of microelements and vitamins in their composition cannot be compared even with the dietary supplements and vitamins created by pharmacists, specially selected into complexes.
In addition, consuming a natural product, that is, seeds, is much healthier than synthetic drugs created by chemists.
Sunflower seeds contain the following vitamins:
- vitamin A - has a positive effect on vision, skin, hair and nails;
- vitamin E - considered one of the strongest natural antioxidants, normalizes the functioning of the heart muscle (it is enough to consume only 50 grams of the product per day in order to provide the human body with the necessary amount of vitamin E);
- vitamin B - helps maintain the skin in normal condition, prevents peeling, helps cope with insomnia and depression;
- Vitamin D is indispensable for proper growth of bones and the entire skeleton as a whole.
The protein contained in the seeds contains a large number of amino acids, which maintain normal acid-base balance and normalize fat metabolism. In addition to everything described above, the seeds contain many microelements, carbohydrates, and acids.
Benefits of roasted sunflower seeds
Speaking about the usefulness of the product, remember the following:
- Firstly, eating fried seeds promotes activation of brain activity and significantly increases its performance.
- Secondly, it normalizes metabolism in the human body.
- Thirdly, it has a positive effect on insulin production.
- Fourthly, it is a stimulant for hemoglobin production.
- Fifthly, it helps reduce cholesterol in the blood.
What is the harm from eating seeds, contraindications for use
Along with all the advantages of consuming sunflower seeds, there are also disadvantages that are worth knowing about. Frequent use in large quantities can significantly deform and darken tooth enamel.
The product also includes: trace element like cadmium, which in certain quantities can be harmful to humans. Also, the seeds do not have a very good effect on the condition of the intestines and stomach. Their high fat content often leads to heartburn.
The high calorie content and high nutritional value can be used to your advantage. For example, a small amount of seeds can be eaten as a mid-day snack.
But it is immediately worth noting that this kind of practice should not become daily. After a very short period of time, fat deposits may begin to appear on the figure, especially in women.
The content of an increased amount of fat places the product in the category of elements that are difficult to digest. From this we can conclude: eating seeds in the afternoon and when following a diet is not advisable.
Which seeds are healthier: roasted or raw?
Eating both roasted and raw seeds is beneficial for the body and is approved by qualified nutritionists. The main thing is to know when to stop and click them in the first half of the day.
The product can also be used as an additional ingredient when baking baked goods and preparing various dishes, to give a unique, piquant taste.
Pumpkin seeds are often mentioned when talking about seeds. In fact, pumpkin seeds are much healthier than sunflower seeds.
For example, fats in pumpkin The product contains only 20% of the total content, and significantly more carbohydrates, about 50%.
It is also worth noting that pumpkin does not contain such harmful trace elements as cadmium. And their composition, rich in carbohydrates, fats, acids and fiber, makes them indispensable and mandatory in the children's diet and the diet of pregnant and lactating women.
You can learn more about the benefits and harms of sunflower seeds by watching the video:
Comments
Actually, it’s not surprising - seeds, like most foods, have both benefits and harm. Therefore, they should be consumed in moderation, in limited quantities, and then everything will be fine.
I really love sunflower seeds, but I didn’t know that they were so healthy and contained so many vitamins. I also didn’t know that those who want to lose weight are not recommended to use them in the afternoon.
It seems that I now understand why my mother loves to shell the seeds so much, they have a positive effect on insulin production, and my mother, unfortunately, has diabetes. On the negative side, it is worth noting that the seeds should not be eaten daily.
The product is very tasty and quite healthy, unfortunately it is very high in calories, and most importantly, it causes serious damage to teeth if you simply crack the seeds. But I still allow myself a little halva and kozinaki.