Sunflower butter, also known as sunflower seed butter, is a creamy, nutritious spread made from ground up sunflower seeds. Its health benefits and mild flavor make it a perfect match for a variety of recipes, and it’s a fantastic substitute for people with tree nut or peanut allergies. But the benefits of sunflower butter don’t stop there—take a look at the list below to learn more about this unique and tasty treat.
Health Benefits of Sunflower Butter
1. Fight Inflammation and Decrease Cholesterol
One of the best-known benefits of sunflower butter is its ability to lower cholesterol and fight inflammation.
The paste naturally contains no cholesterol and is full of healthy fats, which contribute to lower levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol.
2. Increased Protein
If you’ve ever been asked, “Where do you get your protein?” you can easily answer, “Sunflower butter!”
A single tablespoon of sunflower butter has about 3 grams of protein, which makes it an ideal pick-me-up for athletes. And since protein helps you feel fuller for long amounts of time, sunflower butter is effective at preventing mid-day cravings.
3. Manage Blood Sugar
Sunflower butter is packed with magnesium and fiber, which is an ideal match for people with blood sugar concerns. Magnesium helps increase insulin sensitivity while fiber helps regulate the absorption of blood sugar.
Together, magnesium and fiber can help prevent diabetes, and for people who already have diabetes, this means a decreased chance of developing complications.
4. Regulate High Blood Pressure
We haven’t even begun to list all the benefits of sunflower butter!
Along with the nutrients and vitamins we’ve already listed, sunflower butter also contains calcium and potassium, both of which play a role in managing hypertension.
Calcium is important for blood vessel function, and potassium regulates sodium levels. This combination makes sunflower butter especially beneficial for people who want something tasty but need to keep an eye on their salt intake.
5. Support Bone Health
Like we mentioned earlier, sunflower butter contains magnesium, which is important for strong teeth and bones.
In fact, a single tablespoon of sunflower butter can contain 12% of your daily magnesium needs.
Sunflower butter also contains copper and phosphorous, which are important for bone mineralization. Even better, sunflower butter is rich in manganese, which helps fight inflammation and osteoporosis.
Beauty and Balance
6. Shiny Hair and Nails
Another vitamin found in sunflower butter is Vitamin E, which helps keep your hair and nails healthy and shiny.
A single serving of sunflower butter can provide nearly 25% of your daily Vitamin E needs. Plus, sunflower butter’s potassium and iron help regulate blood flow to the scalp, thereby stimulating hair growth and creating thicker, luxurious locks.
7. Clear Skin
The beauty benefits of sunflower butter don’t stop with healthy hair!
Along with aiding hair thickness and shine, Vitamin E has long been touted as a miracle cure for skin health. So, rather than take a Vitamin E supplement, you can eat a single serving of sunflower butter to keep your skin youthful and radiant.
8. More Restful Sleep
You might notice we mention magnesium a lot on this list, and that’s because it’s an incredibly important mineral.
Despite that, 75% of people don’t get enough of it, even though sunflower butter can easily help people meet their recommended dietary needs.
Magnesium is especially helpful when it comes to restful sleep. It helps improve serotonin levels while simultaneously decreasing cortisol levels, which results in lower stress and an overall better mood.
Additionally, sunflower seeds are chockful of tryptophan, an amino acid that aids in relaxation.
9. Safely Manage and Lose Weight
If you’re looking to maintain or lose weight, sunflower butter can be a useful tool.
Fiber helps with digestion, and as we mentioned earlier, it decreases your desire to snack. Combined with sunflower butter’s B vitamins, you’ll feel energized while eating less, which will make working out easier, too!
Safe for Food Sensitivities
10. Good Substitute for Those with Nut Allergies
Nut butters are delicious, but millions of people have severe nut allergies that make eating nut butters impossible.
Allergies to peanuts, a type of legume, are also common; meaning that many people can’t enjoy PB&Js without finding a substitute spread.
Fortunately, sunflower butter is entirely nut and legume-free, making it suitable for people who can’t eat peanut butter or nut butters.
Better yet, in some ways, it’s healthier than those other butters and less likely to contain additives. And since it tastes similar to peanut butter, it’s easy to incorporate in other meals.
11. Safe for Pets
Dogs can enjoy many of the same benefits of sunflower butter as humans, such as glossier hair and improved fat metabolism. They’re also less likely to develop hot spots and more likely to feel calm after eating it.
Next time you’re filling your dog’s kong with peanut butter, try putting in a spoonful of sunflower butter instead. Just make sure to give sunflower butter to your dog in moderation and avoid any added salt or xylitol.
Perfect Ingredient for Cooking
12. Provides for Many Meal Options
As we mentioned before, sunflower butter is hypoallergenic, which makes it a great substitute for peanut and nut butters.
And just like with those other spreads, it can be used in a variety of dishes, from sweet snacks to savory meals and everything in between.
If you’re making soup, adding sunflower butter can make for a thicker broth.
And if you’re looking for a sauce to pair with spring rolls, try this sunflower butter dipping sauce.
For kids, we have several sandwich suggestions, and for a quick breakfast, you can’t go wrong with granola bars or a delicious smoothie.
13. Sweet Desserts
If you’re craving something sweet, sunflower butter is a terrific choice. It pairs well with jam muffins and green pistachio muffins, and it’s also an excellent addition to cookies, which is why there are a number of different recipes.
Like with peanut and pistachio butter, you can easily incorporate sunflower butter into a chocolate cup, no baking required! And speaking of chocolate, sunflower butter is a core ingredient in this super simple, super tasty fudge recipe.
Conclusion
The benefits of sunflower butter are wide and varied, and it’s little surprise that shoppers are making it a staple of their grocery lists.
Nutritious, allergy-friendly, and delicious, sunflower butter is a great substitute for peanut butter; as well as a tasty choice all on its own.