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Quick Summary
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What did ConsumerLab's tests of sunflower seeds and butters reveal?
Our tests revealed a concerning amount of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, in the majority of sunflower seed and seed butter products. Some contained up to 8 times as much cadmium as other products. The largest amount found was 20.8 mcg per serving -- way above the 4.1 mcg limit in California without a warning label. None of the products had concerning levels of other heavy metals, microbial contamination, or amounts of sodium than their listed levels (although two products has less sodium than listed (see What CL Found and How Products Were Evaluated).
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Why does the amount of cadmium vary across sunflower seed products?
This is likely affected by the amount of cadmium in the soil in which it grows. There are some clues to look for on labels.
Which are the best sunflower seeds and butters (spreads)?
Among the products that passed testing and were "Approved" for their quality, CL selected two as Top Pick among sunflower seeds and one as its Top Picks for sunflower seed butter based on lack of cadmium, taste, consistency (for butters), and cost.-
What are the nutritional benefits of sunflower seeds?
Sunflower seeds are rich in healthy, unsaturated oils and provide significant amounts of protein, fiber, vitamin E, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and small amounts of other minerals such as potassium, magnesium, clacium, and iron (see What It Is).
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What's the difference between sunflower seeds that are raw, dried, roasted, and sprouted?
Not much, although roasted seeds have less water than raw or dried seeds (about 1% vs. about 5% of total weight), resulting in slightly higher amounts of other nutrients (see What CL Found).
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Sunflower seed safety and side effects:
The fiber content of flaxseed may cause some gastrointestinal side effects, and, although rare, may cause allergic reactions (see Concerns and Cautions).
See our separate
Review of Flaxseed and Other Seed Oils Supplements.
Products tested in 2024
+— 13 sources
In addition the results of its expert testing, ConsumerLab uses only high-quality, evidence based, information sources. These sources include peer-reviewed studies and information from agencies such as the FDA and USDA, and the National Academy of Medicine. On evolving topics, studies from pre-print journals may be sourced. All of our content is reviewed by medical doctors and doctoral-level experts in pharmacology, toxicology, and chemistry. We continually update and medically review our information to keep our content trustworthy, accurate, and reliable. The following sources are referenced in this article:
You must
be a member to get the full test results along with ConsumerLab.com recommendations and quality ratings. You will get results for 9 sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butters selected for testing by ConsumerLab.com.
In this comprehensive review, you'll discover:
Which sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butters failed our tests and which ones passed- CL's Top Picks among products as the best sunflower seeds and butters based on quality, taste, and value
- The nutritional content of sunflower seeds and butters, including amounts of protein, fats (including amounts of linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid) and vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc
- Whether there are differences between raw, dried, roasted, or sprouted sunflower seeds
- Which sunflower seed products are contaminated with heavy metals like cadmium -- and whether organic products are less likely to be contaminated
- The best way to store sunflower seeds and butters
- Safety and other potential concerns with consuming sunflower seeds and butters
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![365 [Whole Foods Market] Organic Sunflower Kernels - Roasted & Unsalted](https://cdn.consumerlab.com/images/products/365_Organic_Sunflower_Kernels-Roasted_and_Unsalted-Sunflower-2024-small.png)
