The sunflower seed is the fruit of the Helianthus annuus or the sunflower. The term “sunflower seed” is a misnomer since the seed is in its hull.When dehulled, the edible portion is called the sunflower kernel.

There are three types of commonly used sunflower seeds. Linoleic, high oleic and Nusun. Each variety has its own unique levels of monounsaturated, saturated, and polyunsaturated fats.

If the husk is solid black, the seeds are called ‘black oil sunflower seeds’ or ‘oilseed sunflower crops’. These seeds are used to extract oil.

Striped sunflower seeds are primarily used for food; as a result, they may be called confectionery sunflower seeds.

Over the past decades sunflower oil has become popular worldwide. The oil may be used as is, or may be processed into polyunsaturated margarine.

The protein rich cake left behind is used as a livestock feed.The original sunflower oil is high in polyunsaturated fatty acids and low in saturated fats,

However, various hybrids have been developed to alter the fatty acid profile of the crop for various purposes.

In the future, sunflower oil could become a renewable bio-source for hydrogen. Although sunflower oil could certainly be used for this purpose, it is not, by any means, a ‘free’ or even an ‘Eco-friendly’ source of energy.