Nuts and seeds

Sunflower seeds nutrition, and why the portion matters.

1 oz of roasted sunflower seeds lands at 165 calories and brings 5.5 g of protein with it. In USDA’s database this is “Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, without salt”. Where it earns its place is vitamin E and selenium. Pick a portion in the panel and it recalculates on the spot; the nutrient table further down moves with it.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Source data is USDA FoodData Central (170562, 170563). The sums run on your device and nothing leaves it.

The calorie count for sunflower seeds

At 582 calories per 100 g, 1 oz of roasted sunflower seeds comes to 165. The weights shown for each portion come straight from the USDA record.

What sunflower seeds offers in protein

There are 5.5 g of protein in 1 oz of roasted sunflower seeds, or 11 percent of the 50 g the FDA uses as a daily reference. 13 percent of the energy in sunflower seeds is protein, which is too little to plan around.

Looked at as a share of calories: carbohydrate 15 percent, fat 72 percent, protein 12 percent.

How preparation changes sunflower seeds

Each line compares 28 g of sunflower seeds, prepared a different way.

Sunflower seeds in the kitchen

Sunflower seeds are the flat, teardrop-shaped kernels of the sunflower plant. You can buy them still encased in their striped black and grey hulls, or pre-shelled as pale green kernels. Look for plump, intact kernels with a uniform colour. Avoid any that smell musty or show signs of dampness in the bag.

These kernels toast quickly because of their high oil content. Dry-frying in a hot, bare pan coaxes out a rich, nutty fragrance. The most common mistake is leaving them unattended, as they scorch in moments. Once browned, transfer them immediately to a cold plate to stop the residual heat from burning them.

In Eastern European cooking, cooks press these seeds for oil or sprinkle them over dark rye breads. In American kitchens, the raw or toasted kernels bring a pleasant crunch to green salads and cabbage slaws. You can also grind them into a smooth, savoury butter as an alternative to sesame paste.

Vitamins and minerals in sunflower seeds

The figures worth noticing in 1 oz of roasted sunflower seeds are vitamin E at 49 percent of a day, selenium at 41 percent of a day, phosphorus at 26 percent of a day. The full list follows and tracks your selected portion.

Sunflower seeds packs 11 g of fibre into 100 g, covering 40 percent of what the label rules call a day’s worth.

Where sunflower seeds fits in a day

If you eat 2,000 calories a day, 1 oz of roasted sunflower seeds accounts for 8 percent of them, and for 11 percent of the 50 g protein benchmark. To replace 2,000 with your real number, use the TDEE calculator; to turn that into targets, the macro calculator.

Three ways to use sunflower seeds

Written by the Calorie Counter Team. The nutrition under each one is not an estimate: every ingredient is matched to its USDA FoodData Central record and the totals are summed from those, then divided by the servings.

Snack · British

Sunflower Seed Butter

A smooth spread made from roasted sunflower seeds, sunflower oil and honey.

20 min · serves 10

208kcal

6.2gprotein

18gfat

7.7gcarbs

Ingredients

• sunflower seeds 300 g
• sunflower oil 30 g
• honey 20 g
• salt 3 g

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C.
2. Spread the sunflower seeds on a baking tray.
3. Roast the seeds for 10 minutes until they turn light brown.
4. Transfer the warm seeds to a food processor and blend for 5 minutes until a paste forms.
5. Add the sunflower oil, honey and salt.
6. Blend for another 2 minutes until completely smooth.

Per serving, from 4 USDA FoodData Central records. Cooking changes weight and some nutrients; treat these as close rather than exact.

Lunch · Italian

Sunflower Seed Pesto

A green sauce made with basil, garlic, parmesan and sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts.

10 min · serves 4

385kcal

7.5gprotein

38gfat

6.2gcarbs

Ingredients

• sunflower seeds 80 g
• fresh basil 50 g
• garlic 6 g
• parmesan cheese 40 g
• olive oil 100 g
• salt 3 g

Method

1. Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry frying pan for 4 minutes until golden.
2. Cool the seeds completely at room temperature.
3. Place the seeds, basil, garlic, parmesan and salt into a food processor.
4. Pulse the mixture until coarsely chopped.
5. Pour in the olive oil slowly while blending until the sauce emulsifies.

Nutrition per serving, calculated across 6 USDA ingredient records. Expect small differences once cooked.

Side · Nordic

Sunflower Seed Crackers

Crisp baked crackers made with sunflower seeds, oats, and pumpkin seeds.

75 min · serves 6

285kcal

9.9gprotein

21gfat

17gcarbs

Ingredients

• Sunflower seed kernels 150 g
• Rolled oats 100 g
• Pumpkin seed kernels 50 g
• Water 200 g
• Olive oil 20 g
• Salt 4 g

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150C and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Mix the sunflower seeds, oats, pumpkin seeds, water, olive oil, and salt in a bowl.
3. Leave the mixture to stand for 10 minutes to thicken.
4. Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet to a uniform thickness of 2 millimetres.
5. Bake for 60 minutes, cutting the sheet into square crackers halfway through the baking time.

Figures are per serving and come from 6 USDA FoodData Central entries; cooking will shift them slightly.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

Sunflower seeds as part of a meal

One way to build a meal around sunflower seeds, costed from the same records. Substitute freely; the method carries over.

Nuts and seeds: where sunflower seeds sits

Per 100 g, each in the form its own page leads with; the second column says which.

Common questions on sunflower seeds

What is the calorie count for 1 oz of roasted sunflower seeds?

The USDA figure is 165 calories, or 582 per 100 g. It is taken from the record “Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, without salt”, FDC 170563.

How much protein does sunflower seeds have?

1 oz of roasted sunflower seeds has 5.5 g of protein. By weight that is 19 g per 100 g, and the serving covers 11 percent of the Daily Value.

Is sunflower seeds good for weight loss?

It can fit any calorie target; no single food decides the outcome. What matters here is that 1 oz of roasted sunflower seeds costs 165 calories and returns 5.5 g of protein, so 13 percent of its energy is protein — useful alongside a protein source rather than as one.

What is sunflower seeds a good source of?

Per 1 oz of roasted sunflower seeds, the standouts against the Daily Value are vitamin E at 49 percent, selenium at 41 percent, phosphorus at 26 percent. The full table above lists every nutrient USDA reports for this record.

How do you soften sunflower seeds for blending?

Cover the raw kernels with boiling water and let them sit until they become plump and pliable. This softening process allows you to blend them into a completely smooth, savoury cream or thick spread without grainy flecks.

Why did my baked goods containing sunflower seeds turn green?

The chlorogenic acid in the seeds reacts with alkaline leavening agents like baking soda during baking. This natural chemical reaction turns the kernels green as they cool, which is completely harmless to eat.

Sources

• Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, without salt — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170563
• Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dried — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170562
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9