Sunflower uses and interesting flower facts

The sunflower is one of the most recognisable of all fresh blooms. This is mostly due to their tall stems, large size and bright petals. Apart from being amazing blooms to brighten your home, there are a number of fascinating sunflower uses that we couldn’t imagine living without today. Here are some of the most common uses for this brilliant bloom.

Sunflower oil

When you visit your local grocery shop, you will come across a section dedicated to various types of cooking oil. Sunflower oil is one of the most affordable and most popular household cooking oils of all. It is one of the main sunflower uses ever since the 1930s. It is often used to fry foods and in salad dressings. It can also be used to make margarine.

Delicious snack

One of the most interesting sunflower uses of all is quite simple – snacking on the seeds. Roasted or raw, salted or unsalted, these seeds are loved by people and animals alike. You will find them included in bird and rodent foods. You will also notice that there are different varieties from which you can choose. Black and white striped seeds are usually larger while the plain black seeds are smaller with softer exteriors. They are rich in fibre and methionine and they have plenty of protein too.

Industrial use

Not all sunflower uses are for human or animal consumption. There are some industrial uses too. Sunflower oil can be used in the manufacturing process of some plastics, varnish and paint products. It helps preserve the rich colour of these products. It is also interesting to note that sunflower oil can be used to make hydrogen which means that it offers an alternative to fossil fuels.

Relaxation

If you love a soothing massage from time to time, you can be sure that sunflower oil will come in handy. This is one of the best sunflower uses of all because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love being pampered? According to studies, sunflower oil is easily absorbed which means that can help treat various skin issues, including acne.

Absorb toxins

Something many people don’t know about sunflowers is that they were actually used to absorb 95% of the radioactivity in the water after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident of 1986. The roots were placed in the water and, over time, this made the water safe once more.

Now that you know just how many sunflower uses there are, you will most likely think twice when you spot a huge field of these blooms or even a pretty bouquet at your local florist. Mother Nature has a wonderful way of offering us all the solutions we need, if we take the time to investigate, experiment and discover them.