Whether you’re a professional baseball player, former smoker or 11-year old, chances are good that you’ve enjoyed a handful of sunflower seeds. We munch away on these seeds without any regard for how many calories are in them, and then I wondered to myself; what’s the deal with sunflower seeds?
So I did a little research and found that sunflower seeds, when eaten in moderation, are not as bad as one might think to your fat loss efforts. Keep reading to learn more about sunflower seeds nutrition facts.
Major Nutrients Found In Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds have quite a surprising amount of fat—22% of your recommended daily value-considering that they are most talked about as being packed with salt. Strangely enough, there is just 5% of your daily recommended value of sodium found in ¼ cup of sunflower seeds.
Now, on to what’s good about sunflower seeds nutrition facts. Sunflower seeds are a no cholesterol food and have barely any sugar to mention. When it comes to losing weight you should notice that there’s just 2% carbs and 10% of fat burning fiber! When you factor in 5.5 grams of protein, you can see why so few sunflower seed eaters aren’t fighting the battle of the budge.
Storing/Selecting
Although sunflower seeds are not high in sodium, you should choose unsalted sunflower seeds to save your tongue from that tingly feeling you get after eating too many seeds! Avoid flavored sunflower seeds like ranch or jalapeno because these will increase the salt and fat content of this relatively healthy snack.
Store sunflower seeds in a cool dark place, tightly sealed to prevent them from going stale. Be sure to portion out ¼ cup of sunflower seeds each time you snack so you can adhere to the sunflower seeds nutrition facts that you know!
Eat It With:
Enjoy your ¼ cup of sunflower seeds with a glass of water to make sure you stay hydrated. If you’re looking for a healthy way to get more protein in your diet, add sunflower seeds to any salad for an extra bit of crunch.
{Rather than mindless munching, consider adding sunflower seeds to a plate of veggies!}
An interesting way to use sunflower seeds is to chop them finely in a food processor and use them as breadcrumbs in meatloaf or crab cake recipes.
Burn Off Calories In Sunflower Seeds
To burn off the calories in ¼ cup of sunflower seeds you would need to do:
- 15 minutes of high impact aerobics.
- 18 minutes on the punching bag.
- 14 minutes of lacrosse.