Let's talk sunflowers!
Nutty, crunchy, even a hint of lemon
One of our most popular items, sunflowers are the perfect go-to snack for everyday use and the premier addition to any salad.
But sunflowers are so much more than an accouterment. They add a dense nutritional, protein-rich boost unmatched in the plant world. Read about all the dietary reasons to eat sunflower microgreens.
This page will be updated frequently - we will add additional nutritional information and pass on the facts.
Protein
Source of plant protein
Protein is one of the macronutrients required for the optimum functioning of many biological processes in our bodies. Amino acids (the individual spheres in the chain in the diagram to the right) are chemical structures that are the "building blocks" of proteins. There are 20 different amino acids and you may have heard the use of "essential" vs. "nonessential" amino acids. Some amino acids our bodies can manufacture but there are 9, termed essential, we must obtain from our diet.
Sunflower seeds, once germinated, undergo significant biological changes one of which is the breakdown of the seed-derived protein into individual amino acids. 19 amino acids have been quantified and are available in the sunflower microgreen.
Journal of Applied Botany and Food Quality 89, 217 - 222 (2016), DOI:10.5073/JABFQ.2016.089.028
Molecules 2020, 25(20), 4648;