Sunflower Seeds
By: Anonymous

About

Sunflower seeds are the gift of the beautiful sunflower that has rays of petals emanating from its bright yellow, seed-studded center. The flower produces grayish-green or black seeds encased in tear-dropped shaped gray or black shells that oftentimes feature black and white stripes. Since these seeds have a very high oil content, they are one of the main sources of polyunsaturated oil.

Information
Translations: Saulespuķu sēklas, Saulėgrąžų sėklos, Seminte de floarea-soarelui, Sjemenke suncokreta, Hạt hướng dương, Nasiona słonecznika, Zonnebloempitten, सूरजमुखी के बीज, Sementes de girassol, Семечки, Ηλιόσποροι, بذور عباد الشمس, 해바라기 씨앗, Slunečnicová semena, Sunflower binhi, 向日葵种子, Llavors de gira-sol, Sončnično seme, Slnečnicové semená, Semi di girasole, גרעיני חמניות, Solrosfrön, Семе сунцокрета, ひまわり種子, Graines de tournesol, Solsikkefrø, Solsikkefrø, Semillas de girasol, Насіннячка, Auringonkukansiemenet, Слънчогледови семки


Physical Description
Sunflower seeds are the gift of the beautiful sunflower, a plant with rays of petals emanating from its bright yellow, seed-studded center. The sunflower's Latin scientific name, Helianthus annuus, reflects its solar appearance since helios is the Greek word for sun, and anthos is the Greek word for flower.
The sunflower produces grayish-green or black seeds encased in tear-dropped shaped gray or black shells that oftentimes feature black and white stripes. Since these seeds have a very high oil content, they are one of the main sources used to produce polyunsaturated oil. Shelled sunflower seeds have a mild nutty taste and firm, but tender texture. Their taste is oftentimes compared with the Jerusalem artichoke (not to be confused with the bulb artichoke), another member of the Helianthus family. 
Colors: grayish-green or black


Tasting Notes
Mouthfeel: Crunchy.  it tases better when you eat a few seeds at one time.
Food complements: Salads
Substitutes: Pumpkin seeds


Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Choosing: Sunflower seeds are sold either shelled or unshelled and are generally available in prepackaged containers as well as bulk bins. Just as with any other food that you may purchase in the bulk section, make sure that the bins containing the sunflower seeds are covered and that the store has a good product turnover so as to ensure the seeds' maximal freshness. 
Buying: You can buy sunflowers seed at you nearest grocery store.


Preparation and Use
Can Microwave in oven in microwave safe dish at 3 minute intervals by keep mixing for about 10 minutes.
Cleaning: Rinse in cold water before toasting raw sun flower seeds.  


Conserving and Storing
When purchasing unshelled seeds, make sure that the shells are not broken or dirty. Additionally, they should be firm and not have a limp texture. When purchasing shelled seeds, avoid those that appear yellowish in color as they have probably gone rancid. In addition, if you are purchasing sunflower seeds from a bulk bin, smell them to ensure that they are still fresh and have not spoiled.
Since sunflower seeds have a high fat content and are prone to rancidity, it is best to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can also be stored in the freezer since the cold temperature will not greatly affect their texture or flavor. 


Social/Political
Anti-Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Benefits from Sunflower Seeds' Vitamin E
Sunflower Seeds' Phytosterols Lower Cholesterol
Calm Your Nerves, Muscles and Blood Vessels with Sunflower Seeds' Magnesium
Improved Detoxification and Cancer Prevention from Sunflower Seeds' Selenium
more info:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=57
History: While sunflowers are thought to have originated in Mexico and Peru, they are one of the first plants to ever be cultivated in the United States. They have been used for more than 5,000 years by the Native Americans, who not only used the seeds as a food and an oil source, but also used the flowers, roots and stems for varied purposes including as a dye pigment. The Spanish explorers brought sunflowers back to Europe, and after being first grown in Spain, they were subsequently introduced to other neighboring countries. Currently, sunflower oil is one of the most popular oils in the world. Today, the leading commercial producers of sunflower seeds include the Russian Federation, Peru, Argentina, Spain, France and China.