09/18/2019 / By Melissa Smith
Sunflower seeds are delicious, healthy superfoods that can be eaten on their own or added to other healthy snacks. They are particularly rich in vitamin E, providing nearly 40 percent of your recommended daily intake of the vitamin with one serving.
Also known as alpha-tocopherol, vitamin E is a fat-soluble compound that has potent antioxidant properties. This means that it can protect the body from free radicals, which are metabolic byproducts that oxidize, damage, and age your cells and tissues.
Vitamin E may also reduce your risk of heart disease. Studies found a link between vitamin E and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. This effect may likely be due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin E also plays a role in many physiological and metabolic process in the body, such as immune function, cell communication, and gene expression. (Related: Vitamin E slows aging, grows hair, prevents diabetes, improves brain function and blood flow.)
As a superfood, sunflower seeds offer many other health benefits alongside vitamin E.
It is also worth noting that sunflower seeds are calorie-dense, so avoid eating too many to prevent unwanted side effects. You can buy sunflower seeds either in the shell or as shelled kernels. These seeds can be eaten as a snack or added to various foods, such as trail mix, salads, and baked goods.
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alpha tocopherol, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, cardiovascular health, cholesterol, disease prevention, food cures, food is medicine, functional food, heart disease, immune system, inflammation, nutrients, nutrition, prevention, seeds, sunflower seeds, vitamin E, vitamins
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