Sunflower seeds are very nutritious and are also good for one’s heart and hair. They can indeed improve sleep, mood as well as male fertility. They also lower the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, help with weight management, and also reduce the risk of birth defects. Sunflower oil can indeed moisturize skin and treat fungal nail infections when it’s ozonized.
One can have tasty snack made out of Sunflower seeds. It is full of nutrients. It contains healthy fats, vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc, phosphorus, iron, potassium, calcium, and protein.
Benefits of Sunflower seeds:
1. Keep the Heart Healthy
Heart disease is a major cause of death world across. It is good to eat Sunflower seeds to keep one’s heart healthy. They happen to be a good source of good fats and beneficial phytosterols. Whereas trans- fats and saturated fat can be rather bad for one’s heart, monounsaturated as well as polyunsaturated fats can do one good. They do also help in lowering cholesterol as well as control blood sugar. Phytosterols have also been known to lower cholesterol levels. Both, these healthy fats as well as phytosterols in sunflower seeds can indeed improve heart health.
2. Improve Mood
Proteins are made up of amino acids and the protein available in sunflower seeds does contain an important acid popularly known as tryptophan which can help improve one’s mood. One’s body makes use of this amino acid to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter which is involved in the regulation of mood. Tryptophan can help improve mood symptoms in women with premenstrual syndrome and also help those suffering from depression. One must eat sunflower seeds along with a food that is high in carbohydrates in order to improve its absorption in one’s brain. This is so as other amino acids can out-compete tryptophan for transport into one’s brain. Carbohydrates can, however, do divert these amino acids and also help increase tryptophan levels in the brain. So it is better to snack on sunflower seeds with a piece of fruit or a baked potato in order to enjoy the benefit of tryptophan.
Sunflower seeds do contain omega-3 fatty acids which happen to be another component that is essential for proper brain functioning and helps people with depression.
3. Lowers Risk of Parkinson Disease
Sunflower seeds contain a lot of vitamin E and protect against Parkinson’s disease, a movement disorder that does make it difficult to do simple things such as walking, talking, swallowing food, and also talking. Vitamin E has a neuroprotective effect, thereby lowering the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
4. Improve Male Fertility
Sunflower seeds contain zinc, a mineral that’s important for male fertility. In fact, according to research, taking zinc can improve sperm count, quality, and motility in infertile men. About 100 gms of sunflower seeds can give you 5mg of zinc. So include these nutrient-rich seeds in one’s diet.
5. Promote Sleep
Along with factors such as stress and one’s sleeping environment, diet also determines whether one gets a good night’s sleep. Tryptophan, the amino acid does play a role in the synthesis of serotonin, which is particularly important for promoting sleep. One’s body does convert serotonin into melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep at night.
6. Help Prevent Birth Defects
Sunflower seeds being rich in folate do contain vitamin B which is required by one’s bodies for cell division and also for making the genetic material. It is important for pregnancy. Low levels of this vitamin can increase the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida in one’s baby and also raises the chances of a low-weight baby or premature birth.
7. Help Manage Weight
Tryptophan, in sunflower seeds, does help to regulate one’s appetite as when one is satiated with this amino acid one does not crave carbohydrates. Sunflower seeds do contain chlorogenic acid.
One can substitute sunflower seeds for unhealthy fats. At the same time, one must not forget that sunflower seeds are a fatty, calorie-dense food.
8. Benefit One’ss Hair
Sunflower seeds contain biotin, a B vitamin which is required to metabolize fats, carbohydrates, as well as protein. There is some evidence that biotin can also help to improve the condition of one’s hair, which is indeed made of protein. Even dogs can have these seeds as it improves their hair coat.
9. Moisturize Skin
The sunflower seed oil is good for the skin. The skin does not dry out. Sunflower oil does improve hydration by forming a protective barrier on one’s skin, thus preventing moisture from escaping.
10. Treat Fungal Nail Infections
Fungal nail infections are indeed difficult to treat. But ozonized sunflower oil can help.
It is quite obvious that sunflower seeds are very beneficial for one’s health and they are worth being included in one’s diet.