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Carbs in Sunflower Seeds

Azmin Taraporewala
Carbs in sunflower seeds depend on conditions such as how they are processed and the amount of fiber they actually contain. It is essential to know the carb content in sunflower seeds, when the seeds are processed in different ways.
Sunflower seeds, according to studies, are considered a protein food, apart from eggs, fish, poultry and meat. Sunflower seeds contain a blend of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It depends on the ingredients that you are interested in discovering in terms of its content.
To provide this story with an overview, sunflower seeds are richly packed with nutrients such as Vitamins E, B6, selenium, manganese, magnesium, copper, thiamine and phosphorous. These nutrients are a thorough requirement in order to maintain a healthy body with a fit mind.
Before the sunflower seeds are processed, they are low in cholesterol, salt and carbohydrate content.

Carbohydrate Content in Sunflower Seeds

Carbohydrates are required in order to supplement the body with adequate energy. In order to understand and evaluate the carb content in sunflower seeds, it is required that we consider the various forms of sunflower seeds before they are processed.

Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels

To calculate the carb content in sunflower seeds, it is suggested that you subtract half of the grams from the total fiber content from the grams of carbohydrates in the sunflower seeds, when the grams of fiber is equal to or greater than 5. It is only in this fashion that carbs in sunflower seeds could be figured.
A cup of dried sunflower seed kernels contains 9 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fiber. Thus, the net carb content of dried sunflower seed kernels is 9 grams of carbs. The measurement is in terms of one cup.

Toasted Sunflower Seed Kernels

When we take toasted sunflower seed kernels into consideration, we may say that a cup of them may contains 28 grams of carbs and 15 grams of fiber. When we subtract half of the total quantity from the fiber content from the total carb content, we derive the net content. 28 grams (carbs) - 7.5 grams (half of the total fiber content being 15) = 20.5 net carbs.

Dry Roasted Sunflower Seed Kernels

A cup of dry roasted sunflower seed kernels without hulls contains 31 grams of carbs and 14 grams of fiber.
When you subtract half of the gram content from the total fiber content grams of carbs, that is when half of fourteen being seven is subtracted from the carbohydrate content, that being 31, we derive the content as 24 grams. The value 24 grams is thus the net content of carbs found in one cup of dry roasted sunflower seed kernels without hulls.

Raw Sunflower Seeds

If we are taking the raw form of sunflower seeds nutrition into consideration in order to find the net content of carbs, including the hulls, we may conclude that this form of sunflower seeds have 28 grams of carbs and 8 grams of fiber.
As we subtract 4 grams of fiber, this being half of the total fiber content being 8, from the 28 grams of total carb content, we ought to get 24 grams net carbs. This is the quantity that is derived through a cup of raw sunflower seeds.

Health Benefits of Sunflowers Seeds

Sunflower seeds are extremely helpful for all those who are looking to lower their cholesterol levels. They are a rich source of fiber being beneficial for maintaining sound health. They also contain unsaturated fats and high levels of plant chemicals called phytosterols. This plant content is an essential component in lowering the cholesterol levels.
Phytosterols are known to curb the risk of countering cancer and escalate the functioning of the immune system. Sunflower seeds are great for all those who are looking out to control their cholesterol content, and are extremely healthy and filling as they contain protein and fiber.
However, consuming 'n' number of servings of these seeds is not recommended as they are found to contain a lot of calories along with the nutrients they provide.
One way that you are sure to find anecdotal yet useful is to buy sunflower seeds for consumption with their shell on. This may naturally take longer for you to eat, as the act of peeling them, getting them out of their shell, and finally consuming them may be troublesome.
This leaves you with considerably less energy to de-shell them and curb your urge to consume more of them. Well, it works, you see!