Chestnuts vs Sunflower Seeds: How To Choose?

Chestnuts and sunflower seeds belong to the nuts and seeds food group, an important group for a healthy diet, as they provide a wide range of essential nutrients, such as protein, healthy fats, dietary fiber, and vitamins and minerals.

In this article, we’ll put a spotlight on chestnuts and sunflower seeds and compare their similarities and differences.

They both provide a variety of nutrients and are relatively high in calories, like other nuts and seeds.

Chestnuts

Chestnuts (Castanea spp.) are a nut native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

These nuts have a sweet and slightly starchy flavor and are often used in sweet and savory dishes.

Chestnuts are a good source of nutrients, including protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

They are lower in fat and calories compared to many other nuts and are a good source of complex carbohydrates, making them a good choice for those watching their carbohydrate intake.

There are many ways to incorporate chestnuts into your diet. They can be eaten raw or roasted and are often peeled and cooked before use.

Chestnuts are often used in sweet dishes, such as chestnut puree or chestnut flour, and used to make chestnut bread or pastries.

They can also be used in savory dishes, such as chestnut stuffing or soup.

Chestnuts are available fresh or canned and are often sold peeled or unpeeled. It is important to store chestnuts in the refrigerator or freezer to keep them fresh, as they can become rancid quickly.

If you’re looking for a tasty and nutritious nut to add to your diet, consider giving chestnuts a try.

They are versatile, flavorful, and can be easily incorporated into various dishes.

Chestnuts are an excellent source of Vitamin C.

They also contain a good amount of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid), Vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), and Vitamin B9 (Folate) and some Vitamin A, and Vitamin B3 (Niacin).

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus) are the seeds of the sunflower plant, which is native to North America and is now grown in many parts of the world.

These seeds have a slightly nutty and slightly earthy flavor, and are often used in a variety of dishes, including breads, cereals, and granolas.

Sunflower seeds are a good source of nutrients, including protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals.

They are also a good source of healthy fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

There are many ways to incorporate sunflower seeds into your diet.

They can be eaten raw or roasted, and are often used as a topping for salads and other dishes.

Sunflower seeds are also available in a variety of forms, including whole, chopped, and ground into flour.

Sunflower seeds are widely available and can be found at most grocery stores.

If you’re looking for a tasty and nutritious seed to add to your diet, consider giving sunflower seeds a try.

They are flavorful, versatile, and have a variety of health benefits.

Sunflower Seeds are an excellent source of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), Vitamin B9 (Folate), and Vitamin E.

They also contain a good amount of Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid).

Chestnuts vs Sunflower Seeds Nutrition

Now that we’ve described the origin, taste, and usage of these foods, we can move to the most interesting part – comparing chestnuts vs sunflower seeds.

This comparison will start by comparing the caloric value of chestnuts and sunflower seeds and their macronutrients and then go more in-depth by analyzing their vitamin and mineral contents.

Chestnuts vs Sunflower Seeds Calories

Nuts and seeds are generally high in calories; the same goes for chestnuts and sunflower seeds, so you should consume them in moderation.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a proper serving is one ounce, which is roughly equal to 1/4 cup or 28 grams.

To keep the portions under control, the amounts correspond to one serving size: 14 walnut halves, 16 cashews, 24 almonds, 28 peanuts, or 45 pistachios.

Comparing chestnuts vs sunflower seeds for weight loss, chestnuts are slightly lower in calories, with 63 calories per serving, compared to 171 calories per serving of sunflower seeds.

However, both chestnuts and sunflower seeds can and should be a part of a healthy diet, and neither one shouldn’t be avoided if you’re looking to lose weight. It’s just important to eat them in moderation.

Chestnuts vs Sunflower Seeds Protein

Nuts and seeds, including chestnuts and sunflower seeds, are an important source of plant-based protein.

Sunflower Seeds offer around 80% more protein than chestnuts.

Sunflower Seeds have 21 grams of protein per 100 grams (or 5.9g per serving), while chestnuts have 4.2 grams of protein per 100 grams (or 1.2g per serving).

Chestnuts vs Sunflower Seeds Carbs

Counting carbs can be important for some people for different reasons, including blood sugar control, weight management, or athletic performance.

It’s also important for people on a keto diet, so let’s compare the carbs content in chestnuts and sunflower seeds.

The total amount of carbohydrates is around 65% higher in chestnuts than in sunflower seeds. They have 49.1 grams per 100 grams, compared to 17.1 grams in sunflower seeds.

One handful of chestnuts and sunflower seeds (28 grams) contains 0 grams of sugar, the same amount.

Lastly, let’s take a look at the dietary fiber in chestnuts and sunflower seeds.

Dietary fiber keeps the digestive system healthy and helps with weight management by promoting a sense of fullness.

With 2.9 grams of fiber per portion, sunflower seeds are a better source of fiber than chestnuts which offer 0 grams per portion.

Chestnuts vs Sunflower Seeds Fats

Like the other nuts and seeds, fats in chestnuts and sunflower seeds are a great source of healthy unsaturated fats, naturally cholesterol free, and free of trans fats.

Total fat in chestnuts and sunflower seeds:

• Chestnuts: 1.1 grams per 100 grams
• Sunflower Seeds: 56.1 per 100 grams

Speaking of saturated fats, chestnuts are 96% lower in saturated fats.

Chestnuts and sunflower seeds contain 0.2 grams and 5.4 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams, respectively.

Chestnuts vs Sunflower Seeds Vitamins Content

This section will discuss the vitamin content of chestnuts and sunflower seeds.

Vitamins are micronutrients, meaning we need only a small amount. However, they are very important for many processes in our bodies.

Chestnuts have a higher amount of vitamin B1 (Thiamine), vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), vitamin B3 (Niacin), vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), vitamin B9 (Folate), vitamin E, and vitamin K.

However, sunflower seeds have a higher amount of vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Chestnuts and sunflower seeds contain the same amount of vitamin D, and vitamin B12 (Cobalamin).

The following table shows the exact amount of vitamins chestnuts and sunflower seeds contain side by side, so you can easily compare them.

Chestnuts vs Sunflower Seeds Minerals Content

Minerals are important for our body to function properly. We need only a small amount of minerals, so they are called micronutrients.

Some minerals, like iron, calcium, zinc or, iodine, are relatively hard to get on a plant-based diet, so it’s important to choose your foods thoughtfully. This part of the chestnuts and sunflower seeds comparison focuses on their mineral content.

Chestnuts are a better source of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, and zinc than sunflower seeds.

Chestnuts and sunflower seeds contain the same amount of fluoride.

Check out the table below to learn how chestnuts and sunflower seeds compare when it comes to mineral contents.

The Final Word

Chestnuts and sunflower seeds are highly nutritious and excellent sources of plant-based protein and healthy fats.

Although they are relatively high in calories, they are essential to a healthy, plant-based diet and are linked to many health benefits.

Both chestnuts and sunflower seeds are high in specific vitamins and minerals, and including them in your diet will give you the most benefits they offer.

Nuts and seeds are versatile foods, and can be part of any meal or salad, just be sure to eat them moderately, as they are loaded with calories.

Nuts and seeds are versatile foods and can be part of any meal or salad, just be sure to eat them moderately, as they are loaded with calories.