Benefits or Uses of Sunflower seeds for Skin, Hair and Health
Sunflower seeds, derived from the center of the sunflower, are popular snacks that have a mild nutty taste. They are known to have a high nutritional value as well. Calories, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals are all contained in the desired levels. Read on to know how beneficial they can be for your health, skin, and hair.
Benefits of Sunflower seeds for Skin:
Acne and other skin problems:
Linoleic, oleic, palmitic and steraric acids are essential fatty acids in sunflower seeds that help in forming elastin and collagen. Your skin is made smooth and soft. The antibacterial properties control acne. Sunflower oil soothes eczema and dermatitis as well.
Anti-ageing:
Vitamin E in sunflower seeds protects your skin from free radical damage. It prevents wrinkles, fine lines, and all other signs of ageing with its high content of antioxidants.
Maintenance and protection:
Copper in sunflower seeds keep your skin healthy. It produces melanin to give the skin its color.
Moisturizer:
Sunflower seeds contain linoleic acid, which make it act as a good moisturizer.
Uses of Sunflower seeds for Hair:
Hair Growth:
Zinc in sunflower seeds is responsible for better hair growth. Vitamin E increases blood circulation to the scalp and stimulates hair growth. However, both of them should be consumed only in limited amounts.
Moisturizer:
Sunflower seed oil is known to be a natural hair moisturizer. The omega 6 fatty acids in it prevent hair thinning.
Prevents hair loss:
Vitamin B6 in sunflower seeds boosts oxygen supply to the scalp. They also contain copper, which is needed for formation of melanin, the pigment that imparts color to your hair.
Health Benefits of Sunflower Seeds:
Anti-inflammatory properties:
The body’s most important fat soluble antioxidant is Vitamin E. it neutralizes the free radicals in the body by traveling all through the body. These free radicals damage fat containing structures, cell membranes, cholesterol, brain cells, and other molecules. As such, the anti-inflammatory properties of Vitamin E reduce the risk of diseases like asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and arthritis, which are caused due to free radicals.
Antioxidants:
Selenium, Vitamin E, and other antioxidants in sunflower seeds help prevent or limit the oxidative damage caused to your cells. They protect you from diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and other chronic diseases.
Cardiovascular health:
Sunflower seeds are rich in Vitamin e, which helps to protect you from cardiovascular diseases. Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant and protects the cholesterol from getting oxidized by free radicals. If they get oxidized, they will stick on to the inner walls of the blood vessels and block the arteries, causing heart attacks and strokes. You will get about ninety five percent of the Vitamin E that you require by having one quarter of a cup of sunflower seeds on a daily basis.
Cholesterol is lowered:
Phytosterols or cholesterol lowering compounds are contained in high amounts in sunflower seeds. In fact, they have been ranked above all other nuts and seeds for this. Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are found in abundance. They are good fats that help in lowering the level of bad cholesterol. The high content of fibers also helps lower the cholesterol level in the body.
Cancer is prevented:
Sunflower seeds are known to contain high amounts of selenium, copper, and Vitamin E. all these have got antioxidant properties. They are helpful in preventing cellular damage to the body. More than often, cellular damage is responsible for cancers. These nutrients reduce and suppress the cellular damage caused by the oxidants and protect the tissues from damage by free radicals. Sunflower seeds are also rich in phytosterol. As such, they reduce the risk of certain kinds of cancer in the human body. Lignans is another kind of compound that prevents certain cancers. They inhibit the growth of the cancer cells to protect your body from prostate, breast, and colon cancer.
Digestion is supported:
Sunflower seeds contain high amounts of fibers in them. These are dietary fibers that are good for the stomach. They aid in better digestion of food and also treat constipation effectively.
Healthy bones:
Magnesium, which is required by the human body for better bone health, is contained in high amounts in sunflower seeds. In the body, most of the magnesium is found in the bones. It is responsible for giving the proper physical structure. The remaining is contained on the surface of the bones as storage for the body to use whenever required. Copper is another element that is contained in sunflower seeds. It is essential for the proper functioning of the enzymes that are required for cross linking collagen and elastin. These enzymes keep the bones flexible and strong. Vitamin E in sunflower seeds has got anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Mentally healthy:
Sunflower seeds are known to lessen the chances of depression by causing a positive effect on your mood. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid contained in sunflower seeds that produces serotonin, which is an important neurotransmitter. Serotonin relieves tension, and promotes relaxation by calming the brain. Choline helps in cognitive function and improves the memory power of the brain. Magnesium prevents migraine attacks, heart attack, fatigue, and soreness, and also lowers the blood pressure. Potassium is also contained in sunflower seeds, which counterbalances the effect of sodium in the blood and keep blood pressure under check. As such, the risk of hypertension is reduced.
Nervous system:
Sunflower seeds contain magnesium, which is responsible for keeping the nerves relaxed. This is done by preventing calcium from getting in to the nerve cells and activating them. As such, the muscles and blood vessels are also relaxed. If there is a deficiency of magnesium, calcium gets to enter the nerve cells in high amounts, which makes them send too many messages and cause too much contraction.
So, now you see how beneficial sunflower seeds can be for you. Use them in the correct way and stay healthy.
