Should You Add Sunflower Seeds To Your Diet For Weight Loss?

Sunflower seeds have become highly popular and have taken its own place on many a platter. These seeds can be sprinkled on various dishes, added as an ingredient to baked foods, and can also be consumed as a snack. But are they good for your body? According to experts, sunflower seeds are laden with high quantities of healthy gats, proteins, fiber, and various minerals and vitamins. With so much fat and calories present in them, you might wonder if sunflower seeds would be good for weight loss or not. Here are a few key benefits of sunflower seeds which you should take into account if you are on a weight-loss mission. Read on to know more.

Sunflower Seeds Are Highly Nutritious

Sunflower seeds, as it has been discussed before, are packed with optimum quantities of healthy fat, fiber, and protein. The exact nutritional values tend to differ based on how these seeds are being cooked and what flavors are being added. However, 28 grams i.e. ¼ cup of dry-roasted sunflower seeds with shells contains 5.5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, 7 grams of carbs, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 9 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 3 grams of monounsaturated fat, and 165 calories. You can get essential minerals and vitamins from sunflower seeds. 49% of your daily recommended value for vitamin as well as 41% of the daily recommended value for selenium from ¼ cup serving of sunflower seeds.

Owing to the high content of fat, sunflower seeds are known to be calorie-dense. With that being said, the type of fat that’s associated with sunflower seeds is primarily unsaturated fat. Unsaturated fat is considered to be good for your heart. As per research studies conducted, if you consume unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat, the levels of bad cholesterol or LDL will automatically come down, lowering the risks of heart disease.

Helps You Refrain From Overeating

When you eat snacks, the hunger within you subsides. This prevents you from overeating during meals. Though much has not been known about sunflower seeds specifically, it’s a proven fact that snacks like nuts keep you full and helps you stay away from overeating at meals in the latter half of the day. The major nutrients that are present in sunflower seeds, like fat, fiber, and protein are known to be filling. So, there shouldn’t be any confusion on that part. It has been found out that one-third of the fiber present in sunflower seeds is actually soluble. This characteristic slows down your digestion and accentuates the feelings of being full.

Helps You Maintain Muscle

More muscles mean more burning of calories. When you are following a diet with reduced calorie intake, around 35% of your weight loss might be from your muscle.

If you want to limit the loss of muscles, you will have to consume adequate amounts of protein as well as perform resistance exercises. Sunflower seeds with shells contain close to 2 grams of protein for every 10 grams. Therefore, these seeds are effective in promoting the content of protein in your meals as well as snacks. For instance, if you apply sunflower seed butter on apple slices or just sprinkle some shelled sunflower seeds on a dish or a salad, you get a tasty and nutritious source of protein.

How To Add Sunflower Seeds To Your Diet

Sunflower seeds are indeed quite effective for weight loss. You can opt for either shelled or unshelled sunflower seeds. Raw or roasted sunflower seeds are also available in the market. So, how can you add them to your diet? You can sprinkle sunflower seeds on oatmeal, casseroles, salads, and other dishes. You can add sunflower seed butter to whole grain bread or even dip fruit into it.

You can also try shelled or unshelled sunflower seeds as a quick snack or mix them with nuts and dried fruits. All these are effective and tasty ways to include these seeds in your diet. However, you must keep it in mind that sunflower seeds contain high levels of sodium, and the excess amounts of sodium can lead to high blood pressure. You can of course opt for unsalted or lightly salted varieties of sunflower seeds.

Now that you know the nutrition value of sunflower seeds and their utility in weight loss, go ahead and start adding them on your platter as soon as possible.