Looking for some healthy evening snacks? Try sunflower seeds!

Yes, got that right, sunflower seeds make for a great crunchy snack that keeps you cracking for hours! It’s the best whole-food source of vitamins like vitamin B1 and B5, vitamin E and folate. It also provides a healthy dose of copper, magnesium, selenium and phosphorous–important minerals. Just a quarter of cup–four tablespoons–of seeds holds half the daily requirement or more of these important nutrients. The fats present in sunflower seeds are also good quality, heart healthy fats that can help increase “good” cholesterol and protect the heart and cardiovascular system.

Sunflower seeds are easily available and can be a great substitute for high-calorie candy bars or other less healthy snack options. Replacing a package of potato chips with a handful of sunflower seeds can go a long way toward increasing the nutritional value of a day’s food intake. With its mild, nutty flavour, sunflower seeds can enhance a wide range of foods, making it easy to add them to the everyday diet. Some quick and easy ways to add sunflower seeds to a daily nutritional regimen include—adding to breads or muffins for a nutty, crunchy flavour, sprinkling on salads at lunch time or adding to yogurt for a breakfast treat.

So what are you snacking on today?