No flower can lift someone’s spirits quite like sunflowers. These bright, yellow flowers are used for more than only oil production in Mzansi; farmers use them to feed their animals, and sunflower oil also has nutritional and therapeutic properties.
In an article published on Health For Mzansi, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA), Megan Pentz-Kluyts unpacks the many health advantages of adding sunflower seeds and oil to your diet.
“Sunflower seed oil is a heart-healthy oil that’s high in poly- and monounsaturated fats, as well as vitamin E, a potent antioxidant,” she explains.
According to Pentz-Kluyts, all sunflower oil includes vitamin E, which has antioxidant qualities related to cell protection.
Vitamin E, in particular, helps to scavenge free radicals (found in some foods and pollutants) that cause cell damage and combat oxidative stress to promote healthy ageing.
“Vitamin E may support good vision by warding off eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration.”
Growing your own sunflowers
Athizintle Nkaqa, the founder and owner of Flying Eagle Mixed Farming from Flagstaff’s Mketengeni location in the Eastern Cape, grows sunflowers to feed her animals.
Nkaqa studied animal production at the Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute before pursuing an advanced diploma in agricultural extension at the Central University of Technology (CUT).
She says that when learning about animal production, one of the most important things to practise is animal feed. “Proper nutrition gives your animals the energy they need to grow, develop, and reproduce, as well as strong immunity to fight off infections.”
She goes on to say that all these benefits lead to more lucrative and sustainable agriculture.
The article published first on www.healthformzansi.co.za and written by Vateka Halile, also features tips on how to grow sunflowers, water requirements and more. Read more here.
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