Sunflower seed butter is a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional kinds of butter like peanut butter, almond butter, and other kinds of butter.
See also Amazing Benefits of Sesame Seeds and Flax Seeds Benefits for Skin.
And for those with nut allergies, sunflower butter is nut free and can help boost your nutrition without causing any side effects.
You can use sunflower butter as a spread on bread, a dip for crackers and fresh vegetable sticks, or add a creamy texture and nutty flavor to recipes, including soups and stews.
This butter is also rich in nutrients, including vitamin E, magnesium, antioxidants, and protein. It’s also very inexpensive and easy to make at home.
In this article, we’ll look at everything you need to know about sunflower butter: its nutritional content, health benefits, how it’s made, and how to use it in recipes.
Let’s get started!
What is Sunflower Seed Butter?
As the name suggests, sunflower seed butter or sunflower butter is butter made from sunflower seeds.
This is a spreadable, creamy condiment made from sunflower seeds and is often used as a substitute for nut butters like peanut butter, especially in people with nut allergies.
Sunflower Seed Butter Nutrition
One tablespoon (about 16 grams) of sunflower seed butter nutrition offers about:
- Calories: 93
- Carbohydrates: 4.4 grams
- Protein: 3.1 grams
- Fat: 7.6 grams
- Vitamin E: 3.7 milligrams, or 24 percent of the daily recommended value (DV)
- Manganese: 0.3 milligrams, or 17 percent DV
- Copper: 0.3 milligrams, or 15 percent DV
- Magnesium: 59 milligrams, or 15 percent DV
- Phosphorus: 118 milligrams, or 12 percent DV
- Pantothenic acid: 1.1 milligrams, or 11 percent DV
- Folate: 37.9 micrograms, or 9 percent DV
- Vitamin B6: 0.1 milligrams, or 6 percent DV
- Zinc: 0.8 milligrams, or 6 percent DV
- Niacin: 0.9 milligrams, or 4 percent DV
- Iron: 0.8 milligrams, or 4 percent DV
Sunflower Seed Butter Health Benefits
Sunflower butter is high in protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, and you can easily make it at home with a food processor and a little patience.
The seeds are also rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids, and other phytonutrients that can boost your health and well-being.
1. Sunflower butter is a good source of magnesium
Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in our bodies. It’s needed for your nerves and muscles to work properly, to maintain normal blood sugar levels, to regulate blood glucose levels, especially in diabetes, and to build bones and create and repair DNA and RNA.
Magnesium has also been shown to boost exercise performance. It does this by causing sugar to move into your muscles while getting rid of lactic acid, which can build up and cause fatigue.
In one study, a high dietary magnesium intake was associated with increased muscle mass and power.
This means adding sunflower butter to your pre-workout smoothie can provide that extra boost to see you through the whole session.
Magnesium can also help combat depression and prevent anxiety. In fact, low levels of magnesium have a direct link to depression, especially in younger adults.
One study found that a daily intake of 500mg of magnesium for 8 weeks improves depression symptoms in depressed patients with magnesium deficiency.
Additionally, magnesium may maintain a strong and healthy heart.
This is because magnesium helps your heart muscles relax and allows your heart to beat properly. It also transports electrolytes such as potassium and calcium across the cell membrane, which help maintain a healthy heart rhythm, lower blood pressure, and support overall cardiovascular health.
So including sunflower butter in your meals is a great way to lower depression and maintain a healthy heart without even thinking about it.
2. Sunflower seed butter is a good protein source for vegans
A single tablespoon of sunflower butter can offer up to 3.1 grams of protein. This can come a long way in boosting your intake and ensuring you don’t fall the risk of deficiencies.
Protein is an essential macronutrient in the body. It’s called macronutrient because the body needs it in large amounts.
And like the amount you need, its functions and benefits in the body are many.
For instance, protein is very important for regulating your appetite and hunger levels, and it can make you feel full quickly with less food and keep you full longer. This can be very beneficial for anyone looking to lose some weight.
In addition, protein reduces late-night cravings that may further make it difficult to lose weight.
Protein also boosts metabolism, and having a spoonful of sunflower butter with your breakfast can help speed up your metabolism even at rest.
Additionally, protein can help maintain healthy blood pressure as well as promote tissue growth and repair.
3. Sunflower seed butter is full of vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, meaning it can scavenge free radicals in the body and prevent their cell-destructive processes.
In case you don’t know, free radicals are unstable molecules in the body that can pair with other compounds and cause a chemical reaction that can damage cells and cause disease formation.
Antioxidants act by neutralizing these free compounds such that they no longer have the power to react and cause damage.
Besides its antioxidant properties, vitamin E can help boost the immune system, maintain healthy skin, improve cognitive function, and promote healthy lung function.
Vitamin E may also benefit people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
In one review, supplementing with vitamin E reduced alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), two liver enzymes that at high levels indicate liver disease or liver damage. This resulted in improved liver health in those with NAFLD.
Vitamin E may also help women manage painful periods. So during those days of the month, adding some sunflower seed butter to your diet can help lessen the pain.
A study on 100 women with dysmenorrhea (painful periods) found that a daily intake of 200IU of vitamin A reduced the pain more than the placebo group.
4. It’s rich in manganese
Manganese is another important mineral that you can easily obtain from sunflower butter. It helps the body metabolize amino acids, glucose, cholesterol, and carbohydrates.
It also helps prevent osteoporosis, provides antioxidant protection, and promotes normal growth and development.
A tablespoon of sunflower butter can offer up to 17 percent of your daily needs. Pair these with other healthy manganese-rich foods like brown rice, chickpeas, spinach, lima beans, etc and you’re good to go for the day
Health Benefits of Homemade Sunflower Butter
While it’s convenient to grab your sunflower butter from the store, real convenience comes down to what ingredients went into the product.
By making your own butter, you have control over what goes into your homemade butter. This will help you eliminate any possible allergens and additives often used in conventional products.
Another benefit of making your own sunflower butter is that it’s cheaper. You only need sunflower seeds, some salt, and a food processor.
Finally, natural homemade products are delicious and healthy, and you can indulge without the thoughts of added calories that come with conventional products.
Should You Use Raw or Roasted Sunflower Seeds
You can use raw or roasted sunflower seeds to make your sunflower butter.
However, raw sunflower seeds may be difficult to process and release the oils in them.
If you still use raw sunflower seeds, add some olive oil to make it easy for your processor.
Also, butter from raw seeds may be a bit bland, while roasting brings out the natural nutty flavors and oils, making the butter more smooth and creamy.
How to make Sunflower Seed Butter at Home
What you need
- A powered food processor
- 1 cup of raw hulled sunflower seeds
- A pinch of salt (optional)
Method
- Start by roasting your sunflower seeds
Spread the raw sunflower seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated at 350ºF for 15 minutes or until they are nicely browned to a golden color.
- Don’t forget to stir occasionally to ensure they are roasted evenly.
- Add the roasted sunflower seeds into a powered food processor and let it grind.
- At first, they’ll be turned into powder, but don’t stop there. The whole process may take up to 10-15 minutes. So be a little patient. And don’t forget to pulse and scrap down the sides when necessary.
- As you keep grinding, the powder will start to thicken as the seeds release their oils. Keep going until everything is creamy and smooth.
- At this point, you can add in the salt or any other flavors of your choice. Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Some people may add maple syrup and natural vanilla extract to boost the flavor. But take note that the more flavors you add, the shorter the shelf life.
- Ideally, store your plain unflavored butter, then add the flavorings on each portion you take out.
What Does Sunflower Seed Butter Taste Like?
If you’ve never had sunflower butter before, you could wonder what it tastes like.
While some people may liken it to unflavored peanut butter, I find it nothing close to the taste of peanut butter. I think it tastes more like raw sunflower seeds with earthy, nutty, toasty undertones.
Recipes Featuring Sunflower Seed Butter
Sunflower seeds butter can be a nutritious and healthy ingredient in various recipes. Here are some delicious recipes that can feature sunflower butter.
- Sunflower Butter and Banana Toast: Spread sunflower seed butter on your favorite toast and top with sliced bananas and some strawberries.
- Sunflower Butter Smoothie: Add sunflower seed butter, plant-based milk, and banana to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Sunflower Seed Butter Vegetable Soup: To your regular vegetable soup, add some sunflower butter. This will add creaminess and a depth of flavor to the soup.
- Creamy Sunflower Seed Butter Soup: This soup is rich and creamy, perfect for a cold winter day or as a comforting starter to a meal.
- Sunflower Seed Butter Cookies: These tasty cookies are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth and are a delicious and healthy dessert option that your family will enjoy. Simply add the sunflower butter to your cookie batter and continue with your usual recipe.
- Sunflower Seed Butter Chocolate Chip Bars: This is a healthy twist to the classic chocolate chip cookies but shaped into bars. They make for a healthy, delicious, filling snack perfect for school-going children.
- Sunflower Seed Butter Banana Bread: To take this bread to the next level, use gluten-free flour and non-dairy milk as part of your other ingredients. This will result in a moist and flavorful banana bread that’s great to start your day.
- Sunflower Seed Butter Blondies: This can be a filling and indulgent treat. Follow your usual recipe but add in some sunflower seed butter. I like to use cooked chickpeas in mine instead of baking flour. This can offer extra protein, fiber, and antioxidants.
Risks and possible side effects
Sunflower butter is a healthy day-to-day ingredient that anyone can consume. However, it can be high in calories, with a single tablespoon containing 93 calories.
So always be mindful of how much you take, especially if you’re trying to lose weight.
Also, sunflowers are generally high in omega-6 fatty acids, and without a good omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, too much omega-6 fatty acids can end up causing inflammation in the body.
Adding some flaxseed oil to the recipe can provide the needed omega-3 and level out the effects of omega-6.
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Final Thoughts
Sunflower butter is a delicious and healthy condiment that can safely replace peanut butter in your kitchen.
It’s a good source of protein, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, all of which can boost your health, including promoting cognitive functions, boosting immunity, regulating blood sugar, increasing metabolism, and enhancing skin health.
Besides, it’s easy to make from the comfort of your home, which can save you money and give you control over what goes into the recipe.
Sunflower butter uses are endless, as you can add it to various recipes, including soups, cookies, smoothies, bread, and even on toast.
That being said, sunflower seed butter can be high in calories. To ensure you’re not going overboard, limit your intake to not more than one tablespoon. Other than that, this butter can be enjoyed by anyone, including those with nut allergies.
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This looks healthy I really love it