Sunflower Seeds Calories & Nutrition Calculator

Raw sunflower seed kernels contain 35.17mg vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) per 100g — 234% of the daily value and the highest concentration among all commonly consumed seeds and nuts. Almonds at 25.6mg (171% DV), hazelnuts at 15.0mg (100% DV), and pine nuts at 9.3mg (62% DV) all rank well below. Safflower seed kernels (34.1mg) are the closest competitor ^[1][2].

Per 1-ounce serving (28g): 9.85mg vitamin E (66% DV). Per quarter-cup (35g): 12.31mg (82% DV). Even a single tablespoon (9g) provides 3.17mg (21% DV). Sunflower seeds are the most vitamin E-efficient common food per calorie — delivering 6.0mg per 100 kcal, compared to almonds at 4.4mg per 100 kcal ^[1].

Dry roasting reduces vitamin E to approximately 26.1mg per 100g — a 26% loss from heat and oxidation. For maximum vitamin E logging, raw kernels outperform roasted. However, even roasted kernels at 26.1mg exceed almost every other food source. Pre-shelled kernels stored at room temperature also lose vitamin E over weeks — buy fresh for maximum content.

Sunflower seed kernels deliver three key minerals in substantial quantities per 100g: 53.0mcg selenium (96% DV), 5.25mg iron (29% DV), and 5.0mg zinc (45% DV). This triple-mineral density is unusual — most seeds excel in one or two minerals but not all three. Pumpkin seeds have more zinc but less selenium; flaxseed has more iron but less selenium ^[1][2].

Per 1-ounce serving (28g): 14.8mcg selenium (27% DV), 1.47mg iron (8% DV), 1.40mg zinc (13% DV). Combined, a single ounce of sunflower seeds contributes to three simultaneously tracked mineral targets. The selenium content varies with soil conditions — seeds grown in selenium-rich regions (US Great Plains) tend to have higher values ^[1][3].

The iron in sunflower seeds is entirely non-heme, with typical absorption of 5–12%. The zinc bioavailability is moderate, potentially reduced by phytic acid in the seed. For food journaling, logging these three minerals from a single food simplifies daily tracking compared to sourcing them from multiple different foods.

Sunflower seed kernels contain 1.48mg thiamine per 100g — 123% of the daily value and the second-highest among common seeds and nuts after flaxseed (1.64mg, 137% DV). Hemp seeds follow at 1.27mg, pine nuts at 0.36mg, and most other nuts have less than 0.7mg ^[1][2].

Per 1-ounce serving (28g): 0.414mg thiamine (34% DV). Per quarter-cup (35g): 0.518mg (43% DV). A 2-tablespoon addition of raw sunflower seeds to yogurt or salad provides 0.266mg (22% DV) — a meaningful contribution from a small garnish. Major thiamine sources like pork (0.89mg cooked/100g) and fortified cereals remain higher per serving ^[1].

Dry roasting dramatically reduces thiamine — from 1.48mg to approximately 0.30mg per 100g, a 80% loss. Thiamine is the most heat-sensitive B-vitamin, and the sustained high temperatures of dry roasting destroy most of it. For thiamine tracking, raw sunflower seeds deliver 5x more per gram than roasted.

Sunflower seed kernels provide 227mcg folate per 100g — 57% of the daily value and among the highest of any common seed or nut. Only peanuts (240mcg) consistently exceed sunflower seeds. Safflower seeds (160mcg), walnuts (98mcg), flaxseed (87mcg), and most tree nuts (25–51mcg) have substantially less ^[1][2].

Per 1-ounce serving (28g): 63.6mcg folate (16% DV). Per quarter-cup (35g): 79.5mcg (20% DV). Combined with the thiamine (123% DV/100g), niacin (52% DV/100g), and vitamin B6 (1.35mg, 79% DV/100g — not in the standard 25-field schema but noteworthy), sunflower seeds are an exceptionally B-vitamin-dense seed ^[1][3].

Dry roasting reduces folate modestly to approximately 210mcg (8% loss), making it one of the better-preserved B-vitamins during roasting. Unlike thiamine (80% loss), folate is relatively heat-stable at dry-roasting temperatures. For folate-conscious logging, both raw and roasted sunflower seeds are effective sources.

Sunflower seed kernels have 584 kcal per 100g — comparable to almonds (579), peanuts (567), and pine nuts (673). The standard 1-ounce serving (28g kernels) provides 164 kcal. Total fat at 51.5g per 100g has linoleic acid as the primary fatty acid (~45% of total fat), oleic acid at ~36%, and saturated fat at just 4.5g (8.7% of total fat) ^[1].

In-shell sunflower seeds are approximately 50–55% shell by weight. A 100g portion of in-shell seeds yields roughly 45–50g edible kernels (263–292 kcal). The act of cracking shells slows eating pace — research suggests in-shell consumption rates are 50–70% of shelled kernel snacking rates per minute ^[3][4].

For food journaling: if eating shelled kernels, weigh and log directly. If eating in-shell, either weigh the shells afterward (subtract from starting weight for kernel estimate) or divide total in-shell weight by 2 for an approximate kernel weight. 1 oz in-shell ≈ 14g kernels ≈ 82 kcal.