101 Foods That Could Save Your Life

Did you know … when the sunflower plant is budding, it tracks the movement of the sun? Once the flower opens, exposing its beautiful yellow petals, its head is always facing east.

Sunflower seeds are black or greyish-green in a shell that is black with white stripes. The seed has a mild nutty taste and tender texture. Sunflower seeds are one of the main sources for producing polyunsaturated oil.

Sunflowers are believed to have originated in Peru and Mexico. From the Americas, sunflowers made their way to Europe via Spanish explorers sometime around 1500. The plant travelled throughout Western Europe but mainly as an ornamental plant with a few limited medicinal uses. The English were the first to commercially produce oil from sunflower seed. The Russian Orthodox Church forbid most oil foods from being consumed during Lent; however, sunflower was not on the prohibited list and therefore gained immediate popularity as a food. By the early nineteenth century, Russian farmers were growing over two million acres of sunflower. By the late nineteenth century, Russian sunflower seeds found their way back into the United States.

Sunflower seeds are produced in Peru, Argentina, the Russian Federation, France, Spain and China.

Eating raw, shelled and unsalted sunflower seeds promotes regularity. Sunflower seeds are a good source of thiamine and vitamin B1, and have been shown to relieve menstrual cramps.

Sunflower seeds are a good source of vitamin E, folate, magnesium, selenium and copper. A study that reviewed twenty-seven varieties of nuts and seeds found that the sunflower kernel was one of the richest in phytosterols, substances known to fight heart disease and prostate cancer.

CANCER: An in vivo study using mice with stage-two skin cancer found that sunflower oil reduced papillomas in the mice by 20 to 40 per cent.

CHOLESTEROL: A double-blind, randomized, controlled human study found that those given diets containing mid-oleic sunflower oil had a decrease in both total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol. Another human study involved men and women who were placed randomly into two groups: one was given a diet high in saturated fat and the other a monounsaturated fatty acid diet. The researchers found that high-oleic-acid sunflower oil lowered both LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

• Sunflower seeds can be purchased shelled or unshelled, in the raw, roasted, salted and unsalted.

• Avoid shelled seeds that are yellowish in colour.

• Sunflower seeds are high in fat and can turn rancid if not stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

• Sunflower seeds can be shelled by hand or by using a seed mill.

• Seeds can also be shelled by placing them in a bowl and using an electric mixer. Pulse on and off until the shells separate, and plunge into cold water.

• Sunflower seeds make a great addition to your chicken or tuna salad recipe.

• Add sunflower seeds to your mixed green salad, granola and hot/cold cereals.

Sunny Sunflower Mini-Scones

by Sharon Grotto

Yield: Three dozen Serving size: 1 scone • Prep and baking time: 25 minutes

This recipe contains six powerhouse foods.

INGREDIENTS:

6oz/175g sugar

4 tablespoons margarine

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3oz/75g plain flour

3oz/75g whole-wheat flour

3oz/75g old-fashioned oats

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2oz/50g sunflower seeds, unsalted

2oz/50g dried cherries, chopped

1 egg

½ teaspoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350°F/180°C. Beat sugar, margarine, butter, vanilla, almond extract and egg in a large bowl. Stir in flour, oats, baking powder and salt. Stir in sunflower seeds and cherries. Drop dough in rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking tray, two inches apart. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.

BREAK IT DOWN …

Calories: 80; Total fat: 3.5g; Saturated fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 10mg; Sodium: 35mg; Total carbs: 10g; Fibre: less than 1g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 1g.