They are the perfect accompaniment to long afternoons of chatting with friends and family. They are always present at the most spectacular meetings and celebrations. Who can imagine watching a football game in their living room without a good handful in the hand? Indeed, we are talking about sunflower seeds. They are one of those products that you cannot stop eating once you have started. Despite having very beneficial features, consuming them in excess can bring with it certain negative effects. Do you know all the details about the preferred snack for most Spaniards? Remove the shell!
The favorite of many
As we have already mentioned, the sunflower seeds are favorite snack by the Spanish throughout the year. And it is that, everyone affirms that they have consumed them at some point during the last 12 months and, a large part of them, assures that they have done it with high frequency. All these data have been revealed by the study "Consumption of sunflower seeds in Spain in 2021". Thanks to these results, it can be inferred that this product is part of the Spanish culture and it is a food deeply rooted.
In summary, the sunflower seeds They rank first in terms of snack preference and frequency of consumption. In fact, a large sector of the Spanish population confirms that consume pipes weekly in his free time. However, the summer It is the favorite time for its consumption and are the YOUNG between 16 and 20 years old, the most assiduous in taking this delicious food to their mouths.
Origin of sunflower seeds
Before knowing all the positive aspects that the consumption of sunflower seeds your body, you must know its the origin. This product comes from Central America and was domesticated in Mexico 3.000 years ago. It was introduced to the rest of the world thanks to the Spanish conquerors, specifically, Francisco Pizarro. Although, currently the world's largest producers are Ukraine and Russia.
As a curious fact, although they have the seed appearance and in general, everyone thinks they are, actually they are the sunflower fruits. That is, the pipes are formed in the center of the flower, which is usually large, and are formed by the shell and interior. Finally, they are collected when the flower has completely dried and you can find them in the markets with and without salt, with peeled or peeled. And even with different flavors.
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Nutritional properties of sunflower seeds
All the sunflower seeds they are very rich in minerals. In fact, they provide the recommended daily amount of magnesium, phosphorus, and more than half of zinc and selenium. In addition, they are also a source of potassium and iron, although to a lesser extent. Along with all this, one hundred grams of this food covers the daily need for vitamins E, B1 and B9. They even contain vitamins B3 and B6. Finally, they are rich in cholesterol of plant origin called phytosterol.
All these nutritional properties generate many benefits to the body. In fact, it is a energy food, so it helps to achieve better results in the exercise routine. On the other hand, it stimulates brain activity y reduces cardiovascular disease, in addition to improving gastrointestinal problems. And, if this were not enough, it reduces the symptoms of depression.
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But you have to be careful
Although you have been able to observe that sunflower seeds have innumerable nutritional properties, in this life, everything in excess is bad. This product is no exception. And it is that, its exorbitant consumption can bring with it certain problems. This is so because pipes have a high fat content, about 200 kilocalories for a handful of 35 grams. Along with this, in this small serving you can find up to 7.5 grams of linoleic acid, a fatty acid that is not convenient to ingest in excess, since it can lead to cardiovascular diseases.
In addition, you already know that this food provides phosphorus, which in large quantities can lead to kidney disease o steoporosis. On the other hand, sodium, which is another of its contributions, can lead to renal problems, since it produces an overstrain of the kidney. And finally, many of them have excess salt and other additives that increase caloric intake and they are less natural and healthy.
Are you one of the many lovers of sunflower seeds? You have already seen that if you consume them in the recommended measures they can provide you with great nutritional properties. Remember with a moderate intake is always the best option.
