Sunflower seeds are highly nutritious—a good source of fiber, Vitamin E, magnesium and selenium—and they’re a staple of vegetarian and vegan diets. While popular as a snack food, sunflower seeds are often used as a crunchy addition to baked goods and salads.

Sunflower seeds are also used to produce sunflower seed oil which is used extensively for cooking and food processing. Sunflower seed oil is a plant product, and thus extremely low in saturated fats.

Numerous health and beauty products utilize sunflower seed oil for topical skin and hair care.