Is It Healthy or Not? Sunflower Seeds

We grew up eating them, enjoying cracking them at social events and just casually at the end of Shabbat meals. But beyond the pleasure of eating, do sunflower seeds offer any health benefits?

Well, the answer is quite complex. First, let me point out the many properties of sunflower seeds: the seeds contain high levels of B vitamins, various minerals such as iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and more. They contain different types of healthy fatty acids. They also have a high level of protein. However, there are some problematic aspects of sunflower seeds:

A. They have a very high percentage of phosphorus, which makes them highly acidic. Consuming high-acid foods can be one of the reasons for bone calcium depletion, commonly known as osteoporosis, which can lead to tooth decay and other issues.

B. The calorie content of sunflower seeds is very high, with about 570 calories per 100 grams.

C. Roasting sunflower seeds at high temperatures can damage some of the nutrients, such as various vitamins and fatty acids.

D. The high protein combined with high fat content makes the seeds a very concentrated food, so they should be eaten with other foods to balance them.

E. They are often eaten with a lot of salt, which is known to be potentially harmful to health.

F. Sunflower seeds are frequently consumed with other nuts in large quantities, typically at the end of a meal. While this might be very tasty, it can overload the digestive system and cause considerable discomfort.

In light of this, to utilize the many benefits of sunflower seeds, they should be eaten in a completely different way than usual. First, it's recommended to eat them raw, not roasted or fried. It’s also advisable not to eat them alone as part of eating nuts but to incorporate them in a fresh vegetable salad, preferably with lots of green leaves. You can sprinkle them on the salad, which is tasty and recommended. An even better suggestion is to sprout the seeds, which reduces calorie content and improves the quality of the seeds, making it especially easier for the digestive system to break down and absorb all the nutrients contained in the seeds. 

Eliahu Schechter is an iridologist and natural healer