Sunflowers are used for more than only oil production in Mzansi; farmers use them to feed their animals, and it also has nutritional and therapeutic properties. Sunflower seeds include a variety of vitamins and minerals that help boost your immune system and improve your capacity to fight illnesses.
Sunflower seeds and oil may provide a variety of health advantages to your diet, according to registered dietitian Megan Pentz-Kluyts, spokesperson for the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA).
Sunflower seeds are rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, fibre, plant-based protein, heart-healthy fatty acids, and other nutrients, according to Pentz-Kluyts. Additionally, they have a little amount of zinc and selenium, which can promote a robust immune system. If you have a food allergy, they are a perfect substitute for peanuts and other tree nuts since they are allergy-friendly.
“Sunflower seed oil is a heart-healthy oil that’s high in poly- and monounsaturated fats, as well as vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.”
Registered dietitian Megan Pentz-Kluyts
She explains that all sunflower oil includes vitamin E, which has antioxidant qualities related to cell protection. Vitamin E, in particular, helps to scavenge free radicals (found in some foods and pollutants) that cause cell damage and combat oxidative stress to promote healthy ageing.
“Vitamin E may support good vision by warding off eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration.”
Growing your own sunflowers
Athizintle Nkaqa, the founder and owner of Flying Eagle Mixed Farming from Flagstaff’s Mketengeni location in the Eastern Cape, grows sunflowers to feed her animals.
Nkaqa studied animal production at the Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute before pursuing an advanced diploma in agricultural extension at the Central University of Technology (CUT).
She says that when learning about animal production, one of the most important things to practise is animal feed. “Proper nutrition gives your animals the energy they need to grow, develop, and reproduce, as well as strong immunity to fight off infections.”
She goes on to say that all these benefits lead to more lucrative and sustainable agriculture.
When is the best time to plant sunflowers?
Nkaqa has experimented with both autumn and spring to plant sunflowers.
“I usually plant a sunflower in the spring, and it’s been doing well for about three years. However, I tried it on in autumn and it also flourished.”
She says that growing sunflowers is simple and easy; you only need your seeds, to make holes in them before covering them with soil.
Something to keep in mind while planting sunflowers is to leave enough spacing between plants.
“You should have at least 20-45 cm between them.”
Closer spacings for garden aesthetics are conceivable, but congested plants will yield lesser flowers, she notes.
Sunflowers do not require watering since they thrive with just rainwater, says Nkaqa. While large sunflowers may not begin to bloom for three to four months after planting, shorter varieties with a single head may begin to bloom in less than two months.
“You can easily see when it’s not fully grown; it starts out yellow, turns brown, and stays that way until you can see the complex pattern of seeds on the plant.”
Athizintle Nkaqa
It’s a good protein source for cattle, chickens and pigs, she adds. “Sunflower has a high protein, fibre, and oil content.”
Cooking using sunflower oils
When heated, sunflower oil becomes less stable. To enjoy the best advantages, use this sunflower seed oil in recipes that call for a lower temperature.
“Examples can include salad dressing, marinades, or for shorter cooking times at lower temperatures., such as sauteing some veggies instead of grilling them.”
If you consume a lot of meals rich in linoleic acids and few foods high in oleic acids, Pentz-Kluyts advises that you think about a few simple substitutions that you can make. In brief, before purchasing sunflower seed oil, read the label carefully, as experts do not recommend consuming linoleic acid on a regular basis.
“Add them to a salad, trail mix or sprinkle over roasted veggies for a crunchy bite. Or put some in your yoghurt or oatmeal and even your favourite trail mix.”
Dangers of consuming excess sunflower oil
“Sunflower oil is less stable when exposed to heat.”
High-oleic acid sunflower oil is the healthiest kind. Oleic acid is an omega-9 fatty acid that has been linked to better heart health, especially with lower cholesterol and less inflammation, notes Pentz-Kluyts.
“Linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid. While we need some omega 6, too much has been associated with increased inflammation in the body.”
Pentz-Kluyts says that the fatty acid’s capacity to withstand oxidative damage during refining and heating is responsible for these variations in health effects.
“Oil that experiences significant damage can ultimately drive unhealthy processes in the body such as oxidative stress and inflammation.”
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