Know2eat

Sunflower seeds

Helianthus annuus

Also known as Sunflower kernels, Pipas

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The hulled kernels of the sunflower, one of the densest common food sources of vitamin E. The USDA reference entry is for the dried kernel.

InflammationAntioxidant & Oxidative StressHeart Health

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Limited

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Inflammatory markers

Inflammation
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited and mixed. Some observational work associates seed intake with lower inflammatory markers, but trials isolating sunflower seeds are lacking.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Oxidative stress markers

Antioxidant & Oxidative Stress
Limited evidence

Contains compounds associated with antioxidant status, principally vitamin E. Human trials measuring oxidative stress markers after eating sunflower seeds are few and small.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited. Small trials report reductions in LDL when sunflower seeds or sunflower oil replace saturated fat, consistent with the general effect of that substitution rather than with anything specific to the seed.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Sunflower seeds

Ask about Sunflower seeds

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories584 kcal29%
Protein20.8 g42%
Total fat51.5 g66%
Carbohydrate20 g7%
Fibre8.6 g31%
Total sugars2.62 g—
Water4.73 g—
Fats
Saturated fat4.46 g22%
Monounsaturated fat18.5 g—
Polyunsaturated fat23.1 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0.014 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)23.1 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A3 µg0%
Vitamin C1.4 mg2%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E35.2 mg234%
Vitamin K0 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)1.48 mg123%
Riboflavin (B2)0.355 mg27%
Niacin (B3)8.34 mg52%
Pantothenic acid (B5)1.13 mg23%
Vitamin B61.34 mg79%
Folate227 µg57%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline55.1 mg10%
Minerals
Calcium78 mg6%
Iron5.25 mg29%
Magnesium325 mg77%
Phosphorus660 mg53%
Potassium645 mg14%
Sodium9 mg0%
Zinc5 mg45%
Copper1.8 mg200%
Manganese1.95 mg85%
Selenium53 µg96%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene30 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash3.02 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dried (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170562).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • roastedReduces vitamin E and lipid stability

    Roasting at high temperature degrades part of the vitamin E and accelerates oxidation of the polyunsaturated fat, so lightly toasted or raw kernels retain more.

  • sproutedReduces phytate

    Germinating sunflower seeds lowers phytate and raises free amino acid content.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Allergy

    Sunflower seed allergy

    Less common than nut or sesame allergy but well documented, with reports of anaphylaxis. Sunflower seed butter is often used as a school-safe peanut substitute, which makes recognising this allergy more important than its prevalence suggests.

  • Too much

    Cadmium accumulation

    Sunflowers take up cadmium from soil more readily than most crops, and sunflower kernels are among the higher-cadmium plant foods. Very large habitual intakes are the situation of concern, since cadmium accumulates in the kidney over decades.

  • Worth knowing

    Salt and shell eating

    In-shell salted sunflower seeds deliver a large sodium load, and swallowing the fibrous shells has caused intestinal obstruction in children.

  • Worth knowing

    Phytate and mineral absorption

    Sunflower phytate reduces absorption of iron and zinc from the same meal, in common with other seeds.