My boyfriend and I roadtripped it to San Francisco this weekend. It happened to be the weekend of the World Veg Fest (see this blog entry…) We spent a good portion of the trip in the car. Since the majority of our stops involved gas stations, food choices were limited. But we both love sunflower seeds, both in-shell and “dehulled.” And it occurred to me that these little buggers are a pretty amazing food. They contain a cornucopia of nutrition. Check it! The vitamin and mineral variety in them is incredible! Just 1/4 cup of these gems gives you 90.5% RDA of vitamin E and over 50% of vitamin B1 (thiamin). It’s also a solid source for manganese, magnesium, copper, tryptophan, selenium, phosphorus, B5, and folate. Plus you’re getting protein and fiber! It’s like taking a multivitamin.

Also, the phytosterols in sunflower seeds are believed to lower cholesterol! And these seeds can help prevent cancer! If you haven’t incorporated sunflower seeds into your diet yet, you really ought to give them a shot. They’re quite tasty. Sprinkle some on a salad. Add them to a trail mix. Make your body happy