Sunflower Seeds (Leb Ebad El-Shams)
Name
Arabic: لب عباد الشمس (Leb Ebad El-Shams), بذور دوار الشمس (Buzoor Dawar El-Shams), زهرة الشمس (Zahret El-Shams)
English: Sunflower seeds (Scientific name: Helianthus annuus)
Botanical Description
Family: Asteraceae
Plant: Annual herb, can grow up to 3 meters tall.
Leaves: Large, rough, heart-shaped.
Flowers: Large yellow flowers that follow the sun (heliotropism).
Fruits: Small oval seeds, black or striped with gray, containing a nutritious white kernel.
Types
Oilseed varieties: Used for extracting sunflower oil.
Roasting seeds (salted or roasted): Consumed as snacks.
Ornamental varieties: Such as Helianthus debilis and Helianthus tuberosus (grown for their tubers).
Health Benefits
Rich in healthy fats: Omega-6 and antioxidant vitamin E.
Promotes heart health: Reduces bad cholesterol (LDL).
Supports the nervous system: Due to its magnesium and selenium content.
Beneficial for diabetics: Helps regulate blood sugar.
Boosts immunity: Thanks to zinc and selenium.
Medicinal Uses
Sunflower oil: Used for muscle massage, skin moisturizing, and hair strengthening.
Seeds: Enhance energy and improve digestion (high in fiber).
In traditional medicine: Used to treat constipation and joint inflammation.
Cultivation Methods
Climate: Requires warm and sunny weather (25-30°C).
Soil: Well-drained, fertile, slightly alkaline (pH 6-7.5).
Planting season:
In Egypt: Planted in February-March (summer crop) or September-October (winter crop).
In temperate regions: After the last frost.
Irrigation: Regular but not excessive.
Harvesting: After 70-100 days (when flower heads dry).
Part Used as Medicine
Seeds: Eaten raw or roasted.
Oil: Cold-pressed for medicinal and cosmetic uses.
Active Compounds
Fats: 50% oil (linoleic and oleic acids).
Protein: 20-25%.
Vitamins: E, B1, B6, and folic acid.
Minerals: Magnesium, zinc, iron, selenium.
Export details to all parts of the world
Sunflower Seeds grains for export
Drying: Natural sun drying and
industrial drying
Packaging: Bags
Package Weight: 20 kg
Container: 20-foot container
Sorting and Packing: Automate
Black Sunflower Seeds
