Peanuts vs Sunflower Seeds: What’s The Difference?

Peanuts 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 peanuts 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.

Peanuts

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) are a type of legume that is native to South America and is now grown in many parts of the world.

These nuts have a slightly sweet and slightly nutty flavor, and are often used in both sweet and savory dishes.

Peanuts 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 peanuts 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.

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

Peanuts 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.

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

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

Peanuts are an excellent source of Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), and Vitamin E.

They also contain a good amount of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid), and Vitamin B9 (Folate).

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).

Peanuts 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 peanuts vs sunflower seeds.

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

Peanuts vs Sunflower Seeds Calories

Nuts and seeds are generally high in calories; the same goes for peanuts 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 peanuts vs sunflower seeds for weight loss, peanuts are slightly lower in calories, with 164 calories per serving, compared to 171 calories per serving of sunflower seeds.

However, both peanuts 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.

Peanuts vs Sunflower Seeds Protein

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

Peanuts offer around 13% more protein than sunflower seeds.

Peanuts have 24.4 grams of protein per 100 grams (or 6.8g per serving), while sunflower seeds have 21 grams of protein per 100 grams (or 5.9g per serving).

Peanuts 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 peanuts and sunflower seeds.

The total amount of carbohydrates is around 20% higher in peanuts than in sunflower seeds. They have 21.3 grams per 100 grams, compared to 17.1 grams in sunflower seeds.

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

One handful of sunflower seeds (28 grams) contains 0 grams of sugar, while the same amount of peanuts contains 1.4 grams.

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

Peanuts vs Sunflower Seeds Fats

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

Total fat in peanuts and sunflower seeds:

• Peanuts: 49.7 grams per 100 grams
• Sunflower Seeds: 56.1 per 100 grams

Speaking of saturated fats, sunflower seeds are 30% lower in saturated fats.

Sunflower Seeds and peanuts contain 5.4 grams and 7.7 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams, respectively.

Peanuts vs Sunflower Seeds Vitamins Content

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

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

Peanuts have a higher amount of vitamin B1 (Thiamine), vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), vitamin B9 (Folate), vitamin E, and vitamin K.

However, sunflower seeds have a higher amount of vitamin B3 (Niacin), and vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid).

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

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

Peanuts 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 peanuts and sunflower seeds comparison focuses on their mineral content.

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

Peanuts and sunflower seeds contain the same amount of fluoride.

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

The Final Word

Peanuts 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 peanuts 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.