Sunflower seeds are a delicious, healthy source of vitamin E

( Natural News ) Sunflower seeds are delicious, healthy superfoods that can be eaten on their own or added to other healthy snacks. They are particularly rich in vitamin E , providing nearly 40 percent of your recommended daily intake of the vitamin with one serving. Also known as alpha-tocopherol, vitamin E is a fat-soluble compound that has potent antioxidant properties. This means that it can protect the body from free radicals, which are metabolic byproducts that oxidize, damage, and age your cells and tissues. Vitamin E may also reduce your risk of heart disease. Studies found a link between vitamin E and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease . This effect may likely be due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin E also plays a role in many physiological and metabolic process in the body, such as immune function, cell communication, and gene expression. (Related: Vitamin E slows aging, grows hair, prevents diabetes, improves brain function and blood flow .) Other health benefits of sunflower seeds As a superfood, sunflower seeds offer many other health benefits alongside vitamin E. They contain other antioxidants – Sunflower seeds contain other antioxidants such as selenium . They are also a good source of beneficial plant compounds, such as phenolic acids and flavonoids, which also function as antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent chronic diseases. They fight inflammation – A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that in more than 6,000 adults, those who reported eating sunflower seeds and other seeds at least five times a week had 32 percent lower levels of C-reactive protein than those who did not eat seeds. C-reactive protein is an inflammatory marker linked to an increased risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes . The vitamin E in sunflower seeds is also known to help […]

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