5 Beauty Benefits Of Eating Sunflower Seeds

Do you know that snacking on sunflower seeds is great for your body? These sweet-and-nutty seeds can benefit everything from health to skin and hair. From trail mixes to nutrition bars, these seeds have now found their place everywhere for high nutrition profile and awesome benefits.

There are two types of sunflower crops. The first type is mostly farmed for extracting edible oils while the second type is grown for edible seeds. Harvested from the huge heads of the flowers, sunflower seeds are basically the fruits of the sunflower plant. Typically, sunflower seeds are characterized by a mild, nutty flavour and a firm yet tender texture. Shelled and dry-roasted sunflower seeds are not only nutritious but also quite good for our overall health and appearance.

Tiny seeds of sunflower pack tons of nutrients. Their main constituents are 20% protein, 35-42% oils, and 31% unsaturated fatty acids. The seeds are very high in vitamins (A, B3, B5, B6, E, and folate), essential minerals (copper, manganese, iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and selenium), dietary fibre, and essential fatty acids (linoleic acid, oleic acid).

Here are 5 beauty benefits of eating sunflower seeds:

* Sunflower seeds are super rich in Vitamin E and are considered to be a potent natural remedy for premature aging They provide protection to our skin from free radical damages, sun damages and damages from pollution, which is essential for averting signs of aging and keeping the vitality of skin intact.

* The copper in the seeds can facilitate melanin production in our body, thereby shielding our skin against the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays of the sun and maintaining them as healthy as possible.

* Sunflower seeds are packed with essential fatty acids like linoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, etc. These essential fatty acids have powerful anti-bacterial properties, which wards off breakouts, infections and other skin issues.

* Sunflower seeds can promote the growth of our hair dramatically, thanks to its zinc and vitamin E content. Both of these components are capable of boosting blood circulation throughout our scalp, thereby stimulating the follicles to a large extent. The seeds are a great source of vitamin B6 or pyridoxine, which increases zinc absorption in our body and supplies much more oxygen to our scalp. These cause lesser hair fall and give us relief from acute hair loss.

* Being rich in nutrients, sunflower seeds are a superfood for our skin. It provides enough nourishment and moisture to our cells to keep our skin soft, supple, smooth and healthy.

Versatile sunflower seeds can be eaten raw, dry-roasted, or fried in butter. They can even be added to muffins, cookies, salads, smoothies, and various cooked dishes for added flavour. However, the recommended daily allowance of these seeds is 42 grams and you should take care to not consume it more than the recommended portion.