Sunflower seeds are a nutritious, healthful snack. Full of protein, fiber and healthy unsaturated oils, they are also a good source for a wealth of important nutirents and an excellent whole food source of vitamin E. Most black oil sunflower seeds are pressed to make the heart-healthy sunflower oil, which can be used in cooking, and used as a feed for birds and livestock. However, they are also edible and make a tasty confectionery treat.
Calories
You can eat confectionery black oil sunflower seeds raw or roasted. A serving of 1 oz. of raw confectionery sunflower kernels contains 160 calories; that same ounce contains 168 calories when roasted and salted, according to the National Sunflower Association. If you eat more than 1 oz. of these sunflower seeds, you must add in the additional values for the total nutritional information. Your daily calorie requirements vary by your age, your gender and how active you are. If you eat a diet consisting of 2,000 calories per day, one serving of sunflower seeds provides approximately eight percent of your calorie needs.
Fat
A 1 oz. serving of raw confectionery sunflower seeds has 14 g of total fat; when roasted and salted, it has a bit more, 14.5 g. Black oil sunflower seeds are high in the healthier unsaturated fats. One serving of raw confectionery sunflower seeds contains 9 g of polyunsaturated fat and 3 g of monounsaturated fat. One serving of roasted and salted confectionery sunflower seeds contains 9.7 g polyunsaturated fat and 2.3 g monounsaturated. A serving of either type has 2 g of saturated fat. Confectionery black oil sunflower seeds make a healthy snack because including unsaturated fats in your diet may help reduce your risk of developing heart problems.
Carbohydrates, Protein and Dietary Fiber
Black oil sunflower seeds also contain some carbohydrates, protein and dietary fiber. You need carbohydrates and protein in your diet because they provide the fuel your body needs to operate efficiently. You also require dietary fiber to keep your digestive tract healthy and avoid constipation. There are 5 g of carbohydrates and 4 g dietary fiber on a 1 oz. serving of raw confectionery sunflower seeds. A 1 oz. serving of roasted and salted confectionery sunflower seeds has 6.5 mg of carbohydrates and 3 g of dietary fiber. There are 6 g of protein in confectionery sunflower seeds prepared either way.
Other Nutrients
Black oil sunflower seeds contain a wealth of other nutrients. One serving of confectionery sunflower seeds has 11.4 g of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that Harvard Health Publications says is known for reducing cell damage from free radicals. A 1 oz. serving contains 64.5 mcg of folate, a B vitamin important for production of red blood cells and DNA synthesis, along with 104 mg of magnesium and 33 mg calcium, which your body needs for blood clotting and maintaining strong teeth and bones. One serving also provides small amounts of iron, copper, selenium, zinc and other B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin and niacin.
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