The sunflower plant, whose seeds we eat as snacks and whose liquid and solid oils extracted from its seeds we frequently consume, is from the Compositae family. Sunflower, whose homeland is unknown, is an important oil plant that ranks third in the world after soybeans and peanuts. Its cultivation is quite new in Turkey and is becoming increasingly widespread. This annual herbaceous plant, which can grow up to 1.5-3 m., has a hard stem; segmentless, triangular, hairy, green, hard and large leaves.
The flowerbed of the plant is a cluster that can reach up to 40 cm in diameter. In the middle of this cluster are tubular flowers, the number of which can reach up to 1,500, which later form the seeds, and the golden-colored, tongue-like flowers hanging around the cluster.
Sunflowers are covered with a gray, white or black striped cellulose shell, and inside this shell is an oily seed that is not attached to the same shaped shell. These sunflower seeds are eaten by cracking the shell between the teeth and removing it. Sunflowers are pressed to extract oil, which is used for cooking or in the soap and paint industries. The remaining pulp is fed to animals.
NUTRITIONAL VALUES
The nutritional values of 100 grams of sunflower with shells are as follows: 528 calories; 46.5 grams of fat (linoleic acid and unsaturated fats); 21.4 grams of fiber: 1.4 mg of vitamin B1 and 39.2 mg of vitamin E.
BENEFITS TO OUR HEALTH
As can be seen above, in addition to being a very important source of energy with its high calories, sunflower contains the highest amount of vitamin E among natural foods. Thus;
o Sunflower, rich in vitamin E and linoleic acid, is good for the heart: Recent studies have shown that low levels of vitamin E in the body increase the risk of heart attack. People with low levels of vitamin E are three times more likely to have a heart attack, which is caused by angina pectoris, a condition in which the coronary arteries of the heart fail. Linoleic acid also reduces bad cholesterol levels. It also prevents blood clots from forming in the veins from clogging them.
The abundance of antioxidant substances such as vitamin E found in sunflower increases the body's resistance to cancer: This effect also reduces the person's risk of developing cataracts.
o Sunflower seeds also have diuretic and breast softening effects. Sunflower seeds can also be crushed and used as a poultice to ripen boils.
In order to achieve these effects, the benefits of using sunflower oils in our food and consuming 40-60 grams of its seeds per day as a snack are understood.
Caution: Consuming sunflowers that have gone rancid, rancid or moldy due to excessive heating or poor storage, or their oil that has deteriorated, can lead to the formation of unwanted harmful substances in the body.
