Sunflower Seed Butter

The products of sunflower are plenty, and most of them have an unmatched value in nutrition aspects. Crispy sunflower seeds are popularly consumed as tasty snacks, or used in bakery products and savory dishes for additional nutrition. The purported sunflower seeds health benefits are attributed to the presence of phytosterols, proteins, vitamin E, selenium and other trace minerals. Similarly, sunflower seed butter also called sunflower butter is a healthy alternative to other nut based butter.

Sunflower Butter Nutrition Facts

When people think of adding sunflower seeds in the diet menu, the first things that come to their mind are their calorie content. As with any type of seed and nut, sunflower seed calories are moderately high. Serving ½ cup of these seeds yield approximately 400 calories. So, you can expect fairly high calories from butter made from these seeds. When it comes to calories, consuming 1 tablespoon of butter provides 93 calories, while serving 1 cup is equivalent to providing 579 calories. Of these, more than ⅔ calories come from total fats.

As per sunflower seeds nutrition facts, they contain essential fatty acids and possess cholesterol lowering property. The same health benefits can be obtained from sunflower seed butter. It contains carbohydrates, healthy fats, proteins, vitamins, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, selenium and other minerals. When added in specific amounts, butter derived from sunflower seeds is useful to minimize the risk of heart and cardiovascular diseases. Also, it is a safer food choice for heart patients, as this butter contains no cholesterol, no sugar and negligible amount of salt. But, you need to monitor the serving amount, as its calorie count is high.

Making Sunflower Butter at Home

With butter from sunflower seed, you can reap the health benefits of sunflower seeds without spending extra effort in cracking the seeds. Also, those who have allergic reaction to peanuts can enjoy this butter without worrying about adverse reactions. Despite the source difference, the consistency and texture of sunflower butter are identical to that of peanut butter. However, there are not many products of this butter in the market. You may come across Trader Joe's sunflower seed butter and some other brands. And as expected, they are quite costly. If you really love the taste of this bread spread more than peanut butter, try making this butter at home.

In order to make homemade sunflower seed butter, you will need roasted and unsalted sunflower seeds (2 cups), some canola oil and dash of salt (optional). The choice of buying shelled or shell-less sunflower seeds is up to you. However, with the former option, you need to crack open the seeds and remove the kernels. Considering that you are ready with the supplies, add sunflower seeds in a food processor and grind them at medium high setting to make a smooth paste. In between, scrape off the sides of a mixer bowl with a spatula. As they start forming a paste, add canola oil slowly and salt, and continue mixing at a lower speed. Stop adding the oil, when you get the desired consistency.

Keep the butter in a clean jar, and store it in the refrigerator. You can use this butter to substitute for nut butter in nearly all recipes. You can also bake tasty cookies with this nutty flavored butter. I am sure you will love to have these delicious cookies for breakfast and any time snacking. The only thing is to keep a note of sunflower seed nutrition and calories, so that you can adjust the amount of this seed butter added in the daily diet.