Excessive consumption of seeds can lead to weight gain. This was reported in the press service of Roskachestvo. Experts have recommended that some people eliminate both raw and roasted seeds from their diet.
Is it good to crack seeds? Unexpected properties of the usual “entertainment” Read more
What microelements are in seeds?
The seeds contain a large amount of vitamin E (32.2 mg per 100 g with a norm of 15 mg per day). They are also rich in B vitamins (B1 - 1.84 mg per 100 g of product, B2, B5, B6, B9) and niacin, which ensures the normal functioning of the nervous and digestive systems and improves skin condition.
In addition, seeds are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which have the ability to lower blood cholesterol and may protect against heart disease.
Question answer
Why is it harmful to watch TV while eating?
Beneficial features
Wild sunflower was originally distributed from North to Central America. Archaeological results indicate that the sunflower was found around 2500 BC. It was then cultivated in the Mississippi region and also in Mexico City.
Sunflower seeds were brought by Spanish sailors from America to Europe in 1552, where they began to be cultivated as an ornamental plant.
Since the 17th century, the seeds have been used for baking or roasted as a substitute for coffee and drinking chocolate. Only since the 19th century did sunflowers go on mass sale. The seeds are eaten as a “snack” and used directly for cooking and as an addition to salads. Even the Indians used the high-fat seeds as a food source. The use of seeds as bird feed plays an important role in some countries. The main growing regions today are China, the USA, Russia, Ukraine and the rest of Europe.
In 2021, 47.3 million tons of sunflower seeds were produced. The largest producers were Ukraine, Russia and Argentina. The largest harvests in Europe were in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.
Ingredients include over 90% unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin B, vitamin A, vitamin F, carotene, calcium, iodine and magnesium. They make sunflower seeds a healthy food. “100g of the little crunchy seeds has more protein than a steak.” In Russia and the Balkans, roasted sunflower seeds are used as a separate food. The same product is very popular in Spain. There is also a product produced in Turkey that is known as Çekirdek.
Main ingredients:
- High content of valuable unsaturated fatty acids;
- A lot of vitamin E;
- Flavone glycosides;
- Lecithin;
- Carotenoids;
- Linoleic acid;
- Magnesium;
- Calcium.
Lecithin
Vegetable oil is considered a valuable source of fat. Farmed sunflower has an oil content of 48 to 52 percent. If the oil is extracted from the seeds, it can be used for cooking.
In Eastern Europe, unrefined oil is often used, which has a special taste and is therefore used in numerous salads and culinary dishes. Refined oil is also suitable for use as fuel.
Defatted flour is used as animal feed. The oil is used in industry for various purposes.
In an ethnopharmacological study, 34 Mexican plants were tested for antimycobacterial activity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antimycobacterial effect of medicinal plant extracts used against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium smegmatis for the treatment of tuberculosis, respiratory diseases. The oil extract from sunflower was highly effective, while the water extract was not effective.
Tuberculosis
In traditional Russian medicine, the seeds are considered a remedy for fever. There is no evidence of the effectiveness of such use.
Sunflower leaves were previously used in Europe as a remedy against bruises and tumors, wounds, snake and spider bites. A decoction of the roots was used to relieve rheumatic pain and inflammation. American Indians used the crushed roots as a wound healing agent.
In folk medicine, vegetable oil is the main material for various applications. Tea made from flowers is used for inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, flatulence and diarrhea. Efficacy has also not been proven.
Tea made from dried parts of the sunflower helps against cystitis and can have a stimulating effect. In addition, the petals are suitable for tincture, which can help fight febrile lung diseases and even malaria.
Regular consumption of sunflower seeds, thanks to its ingredients (vitamins and minerals), helps improve the condition of hair and nails. An ancient remedy for coughs, as well as whooping cough, is tea made from roasted sunflower seeds.
When used externally, sunflower oil helps after burns. Since vegetable oil contains SPF 2, it offers little UV protection.
Sunflower seed oil, as healers think, helps with toothache, anemia (anemia), and periodontal disease. In addition, naturopaths believe that the oil helps strengthen bones, which is especially important in older people, and also prevent arteriosclerosis. All effects have been refuted in clinical trials.
There are many areas of application for vegetable oil, although not for medicinal purposes. Oil is used to make candles, soap, paints, and oil lamps were used.
The fatty acid content of vegetable oil varies significantly depending on the origin (variety) of the seeds. Traditional oil contains 48-74% linoleic acid, the main component of unsaturated fatty acids. Different varieties have a higher content of certain fatty acids.
Lipids
In the case of high oleic sunflowers, conventional propagation increased the proportion of oleic acid to 70-92% and decreased the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids to approximately 10%. High oleic sunflower oil has a similar composition to olive oil.
Negative properties
Other varieties with altered fatty acid residues in the triacylglycerides, for example, produce high-acid sunflower oil. Oil with a high content of palmitic and linoleic acids (27.3% palmitic and 46.8% linoleic acids) may increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis.
How can roasted seeds harm the body?
Experts advise paying attention to storage conditions, since if stored incorrectly, oxidation occurs and a rancid taste appears. In addition, both raw and roasted seeds may contain the carcinogen aflatoxin, which is produced by mold fungi.
In addition, experts say that when frying, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can oxidize, especially if the seeds are fried at high temperatures. As reported on the Roskachestvo website, oxidation leads to the formation of harmful free radicals, which negatively affect the human body.
Effect on blood pressure
Many people ask: how do seeds affect blood pressure? The seeds are not recommended for the treatment of hypertension. There are no effective recipes with sunflower that will help lower or raise blood pressure.
In moderate or severe forms of hypertension, blood pressure should be reduced with antihypertensive drugs, and with severe hypotension, it should be raised with hypertonic solutions. Low or high blood pressure cannot be treated with folk remedies. Some plants (infusions, extracts, teas) will help increase or decrease blood pressure in the short term, but the disease requires treatment over a long period of time. Drinking teas to lower blood pressure as the main treatment is strictly prohibited.
Tinctures
The seeds can be used as a supplement to your daily diet. They can be prepared together with other dishes. The seeds of this plant are not used in medical practice. Caution is required when using plants, as there is a risk of adverse reactions.
Important! Hypertension cannot be treated on its own. Long-term improper treatment of hypertension can lead to severe and irreversible consequences. At the first signs of illness, you should consult a doctor. Sometimes you don't need to take medication. For mild hypertension, the doctor prescribes non-drug interventions - exercise, limiting salt and alcohol consumption.
Remedies from seeds for hypertension
Seeds for blood pressure can not only be consumed raw or fried, but also infusions and decoctions can be prepared from them. There are many recipes on the Internet that tell you step by step how to prepare a remedy with the addition of this product. The simplest of them is as follows: take 500 g of raw seeds and 2 liters of cold water. Rinse the seeds thoroughly, pour into a deep container without cleaning, add cold water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for two hours.
You need to drink the decoction throughout the day in small portions of 100 ml. The therapeutic course is 2 weeks, after which take a five-day break and repeat the treatment (if the symptoms of hypertension have disappeared, you can stop taking the drug). To increase effectiveness, other foods and medicinal plants with antihypertensive, vasodilating and calming effects can be added to the seeds.
- Take 3 tsp. sunflower seeds and dill, pour two glasses of hot water, leave for 10-15 minutes. Strain the tincture, take half a glass three times a day before meals.
- Mix hawthorn fruits, sunflower and dill seeds in equal proportions and grind in a coffee grinder. Steam a tablespoon of the resulting mixture with a glass of hot water and leave covered for three hours. Take the product three times a day before meals, 50 ml.
- Mix one part each of hop cones, peppermint leaves, valerian root, two parts each of sunflower seeds and dill. Pour 1.5 tablespoons of boiling water over two glasses. collection, leave for half an hour, drink half a glass in the morning and evening.
Sunflower seeds are a safe and effective remedy that, when consumed correctly, will eliminate the symptoms of hypertension and improve the quality of life of those who suffer from high blood pressure.
Decoction of sunflower seeds for blood pressure
Good afternoon.
Today I present to your attention a recipe for high blood pressure, which is recommended for people suffering from hypertension to try.
Note!
When using non-native remedies for treatment, be sure to consult with your doctor.
A decoction of sunflower seeds can be very helpful in preventing and normalizing blood pressure.
Sunflower seeds contain nicotinic acid, which will help significantly improve blood circulation and dilate blood vessels.
A decoction of sunflower seeds has no contraindications and is suitable for all age categories.
Note!
In order for the decoction to be beneficial and have a good therapeutic effect: you need to take the sunflower decoction regularly.
What are the benefits of seeds?
Many people know about the beneficial properties of seeds: they strengthen hair and nails, improve digestion, and simply reduce stress. But that's not all.
Lydia:
Sunflower seeds reduce the risk of thrombosis of blood vessels located in the liver thanks to antioxidants. Moreover, they are contained in both fried and raw seeds. The seeds also reduce the likelihood of hepatosis (liver damage) and prevent the development of cholelithiasis, as they stimulate bile flow. In addition, they normalize intestinal function due to dietary fiber in the composition and reduce stomach acidity.
Photo: unsplash.com/@deviyahya
However, much depends on the method of preparing the seeds.
Lydia:
It is important to consider that during the frying process, most of the beneficial substances lose their properties. This significantly reduces the nutritional value of the seeds. Also, frying produces carcinogens that can cause cancer. Therefore, it is healthier to consume raw seeds.
Contraindications and precautions
Despite the fact that the use of sunflower seeds for hypertension and other diseases, according to reviews, is highly effective, you should not abuse them. There are no direct contraindications to the use of the product, but there are several nuances that should be taken into account when treating hypertension and other diseases.
Important information: What to drink if you have high blood pressure: tea or coffee
Sunflower kernels are very high in calories, as they contain easily digestible fats, which threaten those who are addicted to them with weight gain. This fact is recommended to be taken into account by everyone who suffers from excessive obesity and diseases that can cause obesity - for example, hormonal disorders and diabetes. In case of such disorders, it is better to choose pumpkin seeds rather than sunflower seeds - they will not only lower blood pressure, but also normalize blood sugar, increase immunity and get rid of parasites.
Frequent cracking of the seeds injures tooth enamel and destroys it, which can cause the development of caries, and the kernels have a bad effect on the vocal cords, so they are not recommended for those who are worried about their voice (professional singers, announcers, etc.). Those who suffer from low blood pressure and gastrointestinal diseases, including ulcers, gastritis, colitis and enterocolitis, should also treat seeds with caution.
Advice: pregnancy is not a contraindication for consuming sunflower seeds, but when breastfeeding, they can cause digestive problems in the baby, so you need to monitor the child’s reaction.
