Saving the environment through what we eat series: 9. Sunflower seeds

One of the first and best ways to help the environment is to go vegan. What you put in your body is not only critical to living a healthy life but can be critical to save the planet too. Let's have a look at sunflower seeds.

The sunflower seed is the fruit of the sunflower. A seed that comes from a plant that is so beautiful is definitely something I would like to eat. The sunflower's Latin scientific name, Helianthus annuus, reflects its solar appearance since helios is the Greek word for sun, and anthos is the Greek word for flower.

Whenever you feel like a snack, a handful of sunflower seeds will take care of your hunger with their nutty taste and firm but tender texture. You can add sunflowers to your favorite salad or add them to burgers and meatballs adding a beautiful crunch and texture. Add some sunflower seed butter to your porridge in the morning, spread it on your toast instead of peanut butter or add some to your smoothie. You can make grain-free muffins, bread or scones. Ground sunflower seeds can be used instead of flax or chia seeds. Mix sunflower seeds with your scrambled eggs - a great breakfast idea or you can just sprinkle them on your cereal.

As a culture we have been led to believe that consuming fat can lead to unwanted weight gain, but consuming healthy fats actually leads to a healthy cardiovascular system, a stable healthy body weight, and reduced levels of body-wide inflammation.
Healthy sources of fats like those found in sunflower seeds are actually the building blocks for cell membranes, allow your body to balance hormones, help to slow down absorption of food during meal time so that we can go longer without feeling hungry, and also act as carriers for important fat- soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Some of the health benefits include
- Anti-Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Benefits from Sunflower Seeds' Vitamin E
- Phytosterols that Lower Cholesterol
- Calm Your Nerves, Muscles and Blood Vessels with magnesium
- Improved Detoxification and Cancer Prevention from selenium (it also supports thyroid function)
- Helps Combat Osteoporosis, Bone Loss, and Muscle Cramps
- Improves Skin Health

While sunflowers are thought to have originated in Mexico and Peru, they are one of the first plants to ever be cultivated in the United States. They have been used for more than 5,000 years by the Native Americans, who not only used the seeds as a food and an oil source, but also used the flowers, roots and stems for varied purposes including as a dye pigment. The Spanish explorers brought sunflowers back to Europe, and after being first grown in Spain, they were subsequently introduced to other neighboring countries. Currently, sunflower oil is one of the most popular oils in the world. Today, the leading commercial producers of sunflower seeds include the Russian Federation, Peru, Argentina, Spain, France and China.

**Saving the environment through what we eat series was written to inspire people to change their eating habits in order to save the environment and the world we live in from climate change. Eating more plant-based foods can stop deforestation, soil degradation and greenhouse gas emissions, help slow climate change and secure global food supply.