Sweet, nutty sunflower seeds are an excellent source of essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals Delicious, nutty, and crunchy sunflower seeds are widely considered as healthful foods. They are high in energy Roasted and salted, they can be enjoyed as a healthy snack. They add crunchiness to salads. Sprinkle sunflower kernels over fried-rice dishes or saut�ed vegetables as garnish. The seeds can be coated with chocolate, candied, or added in cakes, and muffins. The seeds can be added to salad dressings, casseroles or baked goods Oleic acid, present in Sunflower seeds that helps lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increases HDL or "good cholesterol" in the blood Sunflower also are an excellent source of proteins loaded with fine quality amino acids such as tryptophan that are essential for growth, especially in children Also, sunflower seeds contain health benefiting polyphenol compounds such as chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, and caffeic acids. These compounds are natural anti-oxidants, which help remove harmful oxidant molecules from the body. Further, the seeds are indeed a very rich source of vitamin-E Sunflower kernels are one of the finest sources of the B-complex group of vitamins. They are very good sources of B-complex vitamins such as niacin, folic acid, thiamin (vitamin B1), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), pantothenic acid, and riboflavin. Sunflowers are incredible sources of folic acid. When given in anticipant mothers during the peri-conceptional period, it may prevent neural tube defects in the baby. Niacin and pyridoxine are other B-complex vitamins found abundantly in the sunflower seeds The seeds are incredibly rich sources of many essential minerals. Calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, magnesium, selenium, and copper are especially concentrated in sunflower seeds. Just a handful of sunflower kernels a day provides much of the recommended level of phenolic antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and protein