Other Names for Sunflower Seeds

History

• Sunflower seeds were initially used by Native Americans as a high-energy source of food. They were taken to Europe by Spanish explorers in 1510, and by the 1830s, Russians were farming the seeds for their oil. In the 1950s sunflower seeds were an important crop in North America, particularly for North Dakota and Minnesota, and even today these states are where 85 percent of sunflower seeds are grown.

Other Names

• Sunflower seeds are also called confection or non-oil seeds. The seeds are sized according to three different grades and are used differently, depending upon which category they fit into. The other type of sunflower seeds are called oilseeds.

Characteristics

• Confection or non-oil sunflower seeds have a hull with black and white stripes with a small kernel inside. The seeds look the same for each type, and the hull typically measures 5/8-inch.

Uses

• One of the most popular uses for confection sunflower seeds is consumption as a snack; this accounts for about 25 percent of their production, according to the National Sunflower Association. Some seeds remain intact and are sold in the shell while others have the seed mechanically, removed leaving only the kernel. Pet food and bird food account for use of the smallest sunflower seeds. The oil of oilseed sunflowers is also extracted and used as a cooking oil while other seeds are made into meal. Another commercial use of sunflowers is the manufacturing of SunButter, a spread similar to peanut butter made from sunflower kernels.