Sunflower Seeds Health Benefits That Will Surprise You

Eating sunflower seeds could be tedious and laborious. You’d have to crack them open first with your mouth, spit them out and eat what’s inside of the shells. However, you might want to continue cracking more sunflower seeds from now on since an expert has just revealed the different health benefits of eating these seeds.

Registered dietitian Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, CDN, recently discussed with Good Housekeeping the surprising benefits of consuming sunflower seeds. According to her, aside from their health benefits, sunflower seeds are also a good alternative if one is allergic to peanuts and other tree nuts.

he first health benefit she pointed out is how sunflower seeds are so rich in vitamin E, they can help promote better eye health. Studies have shown that the vitamin, which functions as an antioxidant, wards off eye diseases and prevents age-related macular degeneration.

Sunflower seeds are also good for the heart, according to the expert. ”Sunflower seeds aren’t just delicious, they’re also especially rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids,” she said, adding that these fatty acids are good for the heart as they reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack.

If you want to build up strong muscles, these tiny seeds can also help you with that. Apparently, sunflower seeds are around 20% protein, so they can help support and grow strong muscles in the body. As such, adding the seeds to your diet could help you in your fitness journey.

Aside from vitamin E, sunflower seeds are also rich in zinc and selenium, two nutrients that help promote a strong immune system. So when you eat sunflower seeds, you do not just enjoy its delicious taste, you are also helping promote your overall health.

Finally, sunflower seeds are a good source of protein and fiber. These two are very important if you want to shed pounds or maintain a healthy weight. The fiber and protein content of the seeds can make you feel full fast. Fiber also promotes good digestion and even helps regulate blood sugar. Hence, you are guaranteed to achieve and maintain a healthy weight if you add sunflower seeds to your diet.