Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower Seed Oil – Homemade Skin Care and More!
Sunflower seed oil is cold pressed from the seeds of the Helianthus annuus plant, the sunflower. This vibrant, sturdy and colorful flower is known worldwide. Its outer petals are yellow, red, orange or other colors. It has a circular shaped center consisting of disc florets, which mature into seeds. Sunflowers are found in tropical grasslands, forests, near highways or in everyday gardens.
Sunflower seed oil is pale yellow, in color, has very little fragrance, a light taste and light consistency. It is a versatile and healthy oil. It is used, around the world, in foods, for its frying performance and found in commercial and homemade skin care formulations!
There are three types of sunflower oil: NuSun, linoleic and high oleic. Each type differs in oleic levels offering unique properties. With three types accessible, they meet the needs of most consumer and food manufacturers.
NuSun sunflower oil provides optimum healthy benefits, great taste and superb performance. There is no need for hydrogenation, which is beneficial for the health conscious consumer. It is lower in saturated fat than linoelic sunflower oil. It contains zero trans fatty acids, has heart healthy benefits and helps to reduce LDL cholesterol levels. It is used for frying or cooking.
Linoleic sunflower oil is commonly known. It is predominantly polyunsaturated with low saturated fat levels. It contains an essential nutrient, omega-6 fatty acid. The remainder of it consists of monosaturated and low saturated fats. This natural oil is found in salad oils, margarines and shortening. It is used for cooking.
High oleic sunflower oil contains a minimum of 80%, monosaturated, oleic acid. It is trans fat-free, has excellent stability with no hydrogenation. It is used in spray cooking oils, cereals, crackers and dried fruit. It's used for frying and in many other ways.
How is sunflower seed oil beneficial for skin? It is very conditioning, moisturizing and skin cell regenerating. It is good for dry, aged, sensitive or damaged skin. It is high in essential fatty acids. High oleic sunflower oil contains the benefits of vitamins A, B, D and E, is rich in minerals, lecithin and contains omega 9 fatty acids, essential nutrients for the body. Sunflower seed oil penetrates, quickly, without leaving an oily residue, helps skin retain moisture and can form a barrier that resists skin infection. It can be used as the primary vegetable oil in a variety of skin care formulations including homemade lotion, salt scrubs and bath oils. Combined with essential oils, in massage oil formulations, it provides aromatherapy benefits.
There is soap making information to consider before using this natural oil. When using sunflower seed oil, for making homemade soap, use in conjunction with more saturated oils. Combining sunflower seed oil with other soap making oils can help homemade soaps last longer. High oleic sunflower oil combines well with evening primrose or hemp seed oils. Use it up to, approximately, 15% to 20% in your homemade soap recipes. This, natural, soap making oil produces a soft bar of soap. It can cause your soaps to take longer to trace and harden. To reduce cost, some soap makers use it to replace a portion of olive oil, in their homemade soap recipes.
The shelf life of sunflower seed oil is, approximately, six months to one year. The high oleic sunflower oil is, naturally, more stable, resistant to rancidity and can last longer. Sunflower seed oil offers healthful benefits and is used in a variety of ways!
About the Author
Find sunflower seed oil and soap making information, at: http://www.natural-goat-milk-soap.com/sunflower-seed-oil.html
Learn how to make soap, at: http://www.natural-goat-milk-soap.com/how-to-make-soap.html
How fattening are sunflower seeds for gerbils?
I currently feed her Ecotrition Hamster/Gerbil feed and she seems to like sunflower seeds so i give only 2 as treats sparingly because i friend of mine said they are a nice healthy treat and yet i read on the internet that they are very fattening and she does seem to be getting fatter. I used to give her lettuce but i stopped after learning that it can cause digestive problems and diarrhea. What are some other good treats?
I think it's more water retention than fat. Sunflower seeds have a lot of salt on them, causing your body, or the gerbils body, the retain water.
Sunflower Seeds
How to...Harvest and Eat Sunflower Seeds
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Sunflower Seeds Unsalted 1lb by NOW Foods $4 Sunflower Seeds Unsalted Sunflower Seeds Unsalted from NOW Foods and Supplementstogo.com. Roasted without salt, hulled Sunflower Seeds are a healthy and low sodium treat that can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime. These seeds can be used in baking, sprinkled on salads, or added to breads. Hulled Sunflower Seeds provide a wealth of important nutrients. they are an excellent source of vitamins E, Magnesium, Copper, and Unsaturated Fatty Acids. They are low in saturated fat and are a good source of dietary fiber. Details NOW supplies a complete line of natural foods, sweeteners, seeds, fibers, and unique products. NOW also is a leading source of natural vitamins, herbs, extracts, and pure cosmetics. Serving Size: 1/4 cup (31g) Servings per container: 14 Other Ingredients: Sunflower Seeds,Canola Oil Warnings: None Disclaimers: None |
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Sunflower Seeds Raw Hulled Unsalted 1lb by NOW Foods $4 Sunflower Seeds Raw Hulled Unsalted Sunflower Seeds Raw Hulled Unsalted from NOW Foods here at Supplementstogo.com. Raw Sunflower Seeds provide a wealth of important nutrients. They are an excellent source of Vitamin E, Magnesium, and Copper. They also provide Iron, Zinc, and some Calcium. They are low in saturated fat and are a good source of dietary fiber. Details Serving Size: 3 Tbsp Suggested Use: Hulled Sunflower Seeds can be used in baked goods, sprinkled on salads, and added to breads. Sunflower seeds can be used in sauces, or directly on rice cakes. Other Ingredients: 100% Hulled Sunflower Seeds Warnings: None Disclaimers: None |
How To Roast Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds can be eaten in just about any way that you can imagine. You can add them to your salads, stir-fries and baked goods such as cookies and muffins. But sunflower seeds are also great by themselves, or with other nuts and seeds in a trail mix.
Sunflower seeds are a good source of omega-6 fatty acids, dietary fiber, vitamin E, B vitamins, vitamin D, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, and zinc. They also contain antioxidants which help to get rid of free radicals. When roasting the seeds they do lose some antioxidants and healthy fats, but nevertheless they are still good for you.
You can buy raw or roasted sunflower seeds in the shell or out of the shell. When buying them in their raw state you can roast them yourself at home for a fresher taste. You can roast either hulled or unhulled seeds, and the process is very easy.
How to Roast Un-hulled Seeds
1) Put about 2 cups of seeds (still in the shell) in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 90 seconds.
2) Remove and add just enough water to the seeds to make them wet (about 2tbsp), then sprinkle on some unrefined sea salt to taste. Stir the seeds well to ensure all seeds are wet and salted.
3) Return to microwave for another 60 seconds.
4) Remove and stir.
5) Return to microwave for about 40 seconds.
6) Remove and stir. At this point taste the seeds and return again if needed for 20-30 seconds.
You may have to repeat step 6 several times depending on how roasted you like them. Just remember that sunflower seeds burn easily, and thus you have to be careful that you do not burn the seeds.
Health Benefits
Un-hulled sunflower seeds make for a great substitution for chips and other junk foods as they are tasty and keep you occupied just like a bag of chips. But the difference is that sunflower seeds are good for you. They can help you to lose weight by cleaning your digestive tract and regulate your bowel movements.
The seeds do not contain cholesterol or any other unhealthy fats, and therefore they can help to prevent high blood pressure and heart disease. They help with the eyes, teeth, skin, hair and nails.
To obtain these benefits just make the seeds a part of your diet. All you need is about a handful each day.
About the Author
To find out more about raw and living foods visit http://www.livingfood101.com/. You can also join me at http://www.triond.com/users/LivingFood. For more information on sunflower seeds visit: http://hubpages.com/hub/SunflowerSeeds
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West Bend 82386 Kettle Krazy Popcorn Popper and Nut Roaster $34.00 Traditional popcorn popper and nut roaster all in one. 2 settings to satisfy your appetite. Precision even heating, temperature controlled heating plate pops up to 6 quarts of popcorn or 1 cup of glazed nuts in minutes. Fully automatic, no need to stir, the machine does all the work. Simple operation, 3 position control offers exact temperature control. Use the popcorn setting for popcorn or the n... |
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Vitamix Eastman Tritan Copolyester 32-Ounce Container with Dry Blade, Lid, and Recipe Book $107.47 This smaller Dry Blade container is ideal for grinding rubs, making marinades and other jobs where you don't need the 64 oz. container. Also, grinding grain for bread is a snap! Comes with the Vita-Mix whole grain recipe book. Features a twist-off lid plug, conveniently marked with measurement - perfect for adding ingredients while machine is running..... |
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GOLDEN SERUM for Skin tightening, firming and sagging prevention. Also has 20% Argireline, DMAE, APT (Red marine Algae), Pepha tight, Hyaluronic acid, Vitamin A (retin-a), Vitamin C, and Syncoll plus much more. FREE GIFT WITH ALL PURCHASES! 1 oz/30ml $37.95 Golden Serum: This Serum is the best of the products for skin tightening, firming, and sagging prevention. The ingredients include Apt (red marine algae), Pepha-tight, DMAE, and Hyaluronic acid, which are mainly the product's firming ingredients. This formula can be used for most skin types, but results vary from skin to skin. Argireline is a proven alternative to Botox® injections and offers a... |
Sunflower Seeds