Macadamia Nuts vs Sunflower Seeds: Which Is Healthier?

Macadamia Nuts 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 macadamia nuts 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.

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts (Macadamia spp.) are native to Australia and are now grown in many tropical regions worldwide.

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

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

They are also a good source of healthy fats, including monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to have various health benefits.

There are many ways to incorporate macadamia nuts into your diet.

They can be eaten raw or roasted and are often used in baking or as a topping for salads and other dishes. Macadamia nuts are also available in various forms, including whole, chopped, and ground into flour.

Macadamia nuts are widely available and can be found at most grocery stores.

They are often sold roasted or raw and can be purchased with or without the shell. It is important to store macadamia nuts in the refrigerator or freezer to keep them fresh and prevent them from going rancid.

If you’re looking for a tasty and nutritious nut to add to your diet, consider giving macadamia nuts a try. They are flavorful, versatile, and have a variety of health benefits.

Macadamia Nuts are an excellent source of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine).

They also contain a good amount of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid), and Vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine) and some Vitamin E.

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).

Macadamia Nuts 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 macadamia nuts vs sunflower seeds.

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

Macadamia Nuts vs Sunflower Seeds Calories

Nuts and seeds are generally high in calories; the same goes for macadamia nuts 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 sunflower seeds vs macadamia nuts for weight loss, sunflower seeds are slightly lower in calories, with 171 calories per serving, compared to 201 calories per serving of macadamia nuts.

However, both macadamia nuts 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.

Macadamia Nuts vs Sunflower Seeds Protein

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

Sunflower Seeds offer around 63% more protein than macadamia nuts.

Sunflower Seeds have 21 grams of protein per 100 grams (or 5.9g per serving), while macadamia nuts have 7.9 grams of protein per 100 grams (or 2.2g per serving).

Macadamia Nuts 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 macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds.

The total amount of carbohydrates is around 19% higher in sunflower seeds than in macadamia nuts. They have 17.1 grams per 100 grams, compared to 13.8 grams in macadamia nuts.

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There’s less sugar in sunflower seeds than in macadamia nuts, 100% precisely.

One handful of sunflower seeds (28 grams) contains 0 grams of sugar, while the same amount of macadamia nuts contains 1.3 grams.

Lastly, let’s take a look at the dietary fiber in macadamia nuts 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 macadamia nuts which offer 2.4 grams per portion.

Macadamia Nuts vs Sunflower Seeds Fats

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

Total fat in macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds:

• Macadamia Nuts: 75.8 grams per 100 grams
• Sunflower Seeds: 56.1 per 100 grams

Speaking of saturated fats, sunflower seeds are 55% lower in saturated fats.

Sunflower Seeds and macadamia nuts contain 5.4 grams and 12.1 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams, respectively.

Macadamia Nuts vs Sunflower Seeds Vitamins Content

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

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

Macadamia Nuts have a higher amount of 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 C, and vitamin B1 (Thiamine).

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

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

Macadamia Nuts 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 macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds comparison focuses on their mineral content.

Macadamia Nuts are a better source of copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, and zinc than sunflower seeds.

On the other hand, sunflower seeds have a higher amount of calcium, and manganese.

Macadamia Nuts and sunflower seeds contain the same amount of fluoride.

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

The Final Word

Macadamia Nuts 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 macadamia nuts 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.