[Creative Cultivation Program] Eating a handful of sunflower seeds = drinking a spoonful of oil? For those who love to eat sunflower seeds, it is best to understand these 4 things first!

Melon seeds are a must-have snack for entertaining guests. The more you eat, the more you get addicted. After a while, you can see a "hill of melon seed shells", which gives you a full sense of accomplishment. Whether it is pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, or sunflower seeds, they are all very easy to eat. Holding a handful in your hand while watching TV, chatting, or daydreaming can not only relieve the loneliness of your mouth, but also replenish nutrition for your body.
Don’t underestimate the small size of melon seeds, they are full of nutrition.

What nutritional values ​​do different melon seeds have?

There are many kinds of melon seeds, the most common ones are sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and watermelon seeds. They have different appearances and different nutrients. 1. Sunflower seeds Sunflower seeds are the most popular type of melon seeds, and people can't stop eating them. The total vitamin E content of fried sunflower seeds is particularly excellent , at 26.46 mg/100g, which is equivalent to the content of fried pumpkin seeds, but 21.5 times that of fried watermelon seeds. Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant that can not only maintain normal immunity and prevent cardiovascular diseases , but also play an anti-inflammatory and anti-aging role. Fried sunflower seeds are also rich in vitamin B1 , with a content of 0.43 mg/100g, which is 5 times and 11 times that of fried pumpkin seeds and fried watermelon seeds, respectively. Lack of vitamin B1 will cause symptoms such as fatigue, headache, irritability, and forgetfulness. It will also affect nerve conduction, slow gastrointestinal motility, and increase the risk of constipation. 2. Pumpkin seeds Compared with fried sunflower seeds and fried watermelon seeds, fried pumpkin seeds have a higher protein content of 36 g/100 g, which is 1.6 times and 1.1 times that of fried sunflower seeds and fried watermelon seeds respectively. And its potassium content is as high as 672 mg/100 g, which is nearly 1.4 times that of fried sunflower seeds, and is more suitable for people who need to control blood pressure. There is a rumor among the people that eating pumpkin seeds can improve men's sexual function. The reason for this rumor is that fried pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc, with a content of 7.12 mg/100 g, which is 1.2 times that of fried sunflower seeds. However, this does not mean that eating pumpkin seeds can improve men's sexual function , but only helps to maintain reproductive health. 3. Watermelon seeds Few people usually eat watermelon seeds. In addition to ordinary watermelon seeds, most of the watermelon seeds used for direct "eating" are actually seeds for beating melons. This kind of melon is also called seed melon, seed melon, and melon seed melon. It is smaller than a normal watermelon, and has many and large seeds, which is suitable for making raw materials for "eating melon seeds". The iron content of fried watermelon seeds is relatively high , at 8.2 mg/100g, which is 1.3 times that of fried sunflower seeds. Although the absorption rate is not as good as animal iron, it can still contribute a little to iron supplementation. The potassium content is also good, at 612 mg/100g. Although it is not as good as fried pumpkin seeds, it is almost the same, and it is also suitable for people who need to control blood pressure. The above three kinds of melon seeds all contain lignans , also known as lignans, which are a type of phenolic plant compounds and are mainly found in grains, nuts and legumes. Lignans can lower plasma total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, playing a role in preventing cardiovascular disease. [1] Studies have shown that long-term intake of lignans can reduce the total risk of coronary heart disease in men and women. [2] In addition, they all contain linoleic acid . The highest content is in fried sunflower seeds, with a linoleic acid content of 77.1%, and the lowest content is in fried pumpkin seeds, with a linoleic acid content of 44.7%. Linoleic acid is an unsaturated fatty acid and an essential fatty acid for the human body, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease . If you want a more balanced nutritional intake, you can eat different types of melon seeds.

Eat a handful of melon seeds = drink a spoonful of oil?

Rumor has it that 1 handful of melon seeds = 1 spoon of oil. Is this statement reliable? According to the data in the "Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition", the fat content in various melon seeds is not low. Among them, the fat content of fried sunflower seeds is the highest at 52.8 grams/100 grams, followed by fried pumpkin seeds at 46.1 grams/100 grams, and the lowest is fried watermelon seeds at 44.8 grams/100 grams. Fat content: fried sunflower seeds > fried pumpkin seeds > fried watermelon seeds. A handful of melon seeds like the one in the picture below is about 10 grams, with a fat content of 5.2 grams, while a porcelain spoon of cooking oil is about 10 grams. So the statement that 1 handful of melon seeds = 1 spoon of oil is a bit exaggerated , which is about half a spoon of oil. If your hands are bigger, you may have the fat of 1 spoon of oil. But if it is a handful of melon seeds with shells, the edible part is about 5 grams, which is even less than the fat content of 1 spoon of oil. So 1 handful of melon seeds is not terrible, but the terrible thing is that you can't stop eating one handful after another ... 03

Will eating too many melon seeds cause dry mouth?

Although melon seeds are delicious, if you eat too many at one time, many people will feel dry mouth and even oral ulcers. This is because eating too many melon seeds will make them too salty and dry, and the texture of the melon seeds is hard and rough. When you eat melon seeds , you may hurt the oral mucosa and cause ulcers. To avoid this symptom, you should be careful not to eat too many melon seeds at one time and drink plenty of water .

How to eat melon seeds healthily?

Melon seeds are nuts. Eating them regularly is good for your health. They can not only reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death, but also reduce the concentration of total cholesterol and triglycerides in the human body. [3] However, if you eat them incorrectly, it can be harmful to your health! To eat melon seeds in a healthy way, you need to follow the following four suggestions: 1. Control the amount . According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents", it is recommended to eat 50 to 70 grams of nuts per week, or an average of 10 grams per day. This is equivalent to 1.5 to 2 handfuls of shelled melon seeds, 2 to 3 small walnuts, 1 paper-shell walnut, 7 to 8 cashews, and about 12 hazelnuts. In addition, if you eat too many melon seeds on a regular basis, using your front teeth to crack melon seeds for a long time will cause excessive wear of your teeth, forming "melon seed teeth", which will affect the beauty and health of your teeth. 2. Don't eat moldy and bitter melon seeds. When eating melon seeds, you will inevitably eat moldy and bitter ones. Many people choose to swallow them directly and then eat a few more to suppress the taste. This practice is not recommended! Moldy melon seeds contain aflatoxin, which is a highly toxic substance. How toxic is it? Potassium cyanide should be familiar to everyone. In film and television dramas, spies often hide it in their teeth and use it to commit suicide when their identities are exposed. This shows that potassium cyanide is already very toxic. Aflatoxin is 10 times more toxic than potassium cyanide! And aflatoxin is also carcinogenic to the liver. Even if it is consumed in small amounts over a long period of time, it will increase the risk of liver cancer. Therefore, if you eat melon seeds with a moldy and bitter taste, you must spit it out and rinse your mouth in time . 3. It is best to choose the original flavor . Many people like to eat flavored melon seeds, such as milk-flavored melon seeds, spiced melon seeds, caramel melon seeds, matcha melon seeds, sea salt melon seeds, etc. In fact, these flavors are not recommended. If there are moldy melon seeds in it, it is difficult to eat them. They will be covered by their unique flavors and are easy to be eaten by mistake, which is harmful to health. Moreover, these melon seeds are generally high in sugar and salt, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease . For example, the caramel melon seeds in the picture below have a sodium content of up to 3111 mg/100g. Many people can easily eat 50 grams at a time, which means they will consume nearly 4 grams of salt. The 2022 edition of the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends that the daily salt intake should be less than 5 grams. Even if the salt intake of three meals is not taken into account, just eating melon seeds can easily exceed the standard! Therefore, it is strongly recommended to choose original melon seeds and try to avoid consuming more sugar and salt. Even if there are moldy melon seeds, it is easy to taste them and spit them out. 4. Buy less and buy more frequently. Although the fat content of melon seeds is not low, they are mostly unsaturated fatty acids, which are easily oxidized and rancid to produce a rancid smell and a worse taste. In addition, during the rancidity process, peroxides and free radicals that are harmful to the human body will be produced, which will promote aging and endanger health. Therefore, it is recommended to buy less at a time, buy more after eating, and keep the unfinished ones in a sealed container. 05

Summarize

Melon seeds are not only delicious and nutritious, but also a perfect social lubricant for those with social anxiety. They can really ease the embarrassment at critical moments. But don’t eat them too much! References:

[1] Peterson J, Dwyer J, Adlercreutz H, Scalbert A, Jacques P, McCullough ML. Dietary lignans: physiology and potential for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Nutr Rev. 2010;68(10):571-603. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00319.x

[2] Hu Y, Li Y, Sampson L, et al. Lignan Intake and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021;78(7):666-678. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2021.05.049

[3] Chinese Nutrition Society. Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents[M]. People's Medical Publishing House. 2022

[4] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

Author: Xue Qingxin, Member of Chinese Nutrition Society, Registered Nutritionist, Registered Nutrition Technician, Health Manager, Public Nutritionist, Reviewer: Gao Chao, Associate Researcher, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention