Sunflower seeds vs. Peanut — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

Compared to peanuts, sunflower seeds provide more calories per hundred grams. In a 100g serving, sunflower seed and peanut have 584 calories and 567 calories, respectively. One cup of peanuts (146 grams) provides 828 kcal, whereas one cup of sunflower seeds (140 grams) has 818 kcal.

Protein

Both are good sources of protein. Peanuts have more protein than sunflower seeds. In a 100g serving, sunflower seed and peanut have 20.78 grams and 25.8 grams of protein, respectively. Both sunflower seeds and peanuts provide all essential amino acids, but sunflower seeds are higher in all of them except for histidine, leucine, and phenylalanine.

Fats

Sunflower seeds and peanuts are high in fats. Compared to peanuts, sunflower seeds have slightly more fat. A hundred grams of sunflower seed has 51.46g of fat, whereas a peanut provides 49.24g. Peanuts are high in monounsaturated fat, whereas sunflower seeds have more polyunsaturated fat and less saturated fat.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Sunflower seeds

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 4.455 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 18.528 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 23.137 g

Peanut

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 6.279 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 24.426 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 15.558 g

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat	-29%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+48.7%

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat

+31.8%

Fatty acids

Sunflower seeds and peanuts are high in omega-6 fatty acids. In a 100g serving, sunflower seed and peanut have 23g and 15.6g of omega-6 fatty acid, respectively. Sunflower seeds contain also 0.014g of omega-3 fatty acid, whereas peanuts lack it.

Carbohydrates

A hundred grams of sunflower seeds have 20g of total carbs, whereas peanuts provide 16.13g. Compared to peanuts, sunflower seeds have more net carbs. In a 100g serving, sunflower seed and peanut have 11.4g and 7.63g of net carbs, respectively. They have equal amounts of dietary fiber. A hundred grams of sunflower seed and peanut have 8.5g of fiber.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Sunflower seeds

1

Starch: 0 g

Sucrose: 2.5 g

Glucose: 0 g

Fructose: 0 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0 g

Galactose: 0 g

Peanut

0

Contains more SucroseSucrose

+∞%

~equal in Starch ~

~equal in Glucose ~

~equal in Fructose ~

~equal in Lactose ~

~equal in Maltose ~

~equal in Galactose ~

Cholesterol

Sunflower seeds and peanuts are cholesterol-free.

Vitamins

Sunflower seeds have over two times more vitamin B1 (thiamin), 2.5 times more B2 (riboflavin), and four times more B6 (pyridoxine) and E. In a 100g serving, sunflower seed and peanut have 35.17mg and 8.33mg of vitamin E, respectively. 

In contrast, peanuts have more vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), folate, and 1.5 times more vitamin B3 (niacin). Moreover, sunflower seeds have 1.4mg of vitamin C and 50IU of vitamin A, whereas peanuts lack them. Both do not have vitamins K, D, and B12.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Sunflower seeds

6

Peanut

2

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+322.2%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+131.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+163%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+286.5%

Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+44.8%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+56.4%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin K ~0µg

~equal in Folate ~240µg

~equal in Choline ~52.5mg

Minerals

Sunflower seed has more phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, choline, and copper. Sunflower seed also has over seven times more selenium. In a 100g serving, sunflower seed and peanut have 53µg and 7.2µg of selenium, respectively. 

On the other hand, peanuts provide more potassium and calcium. Compared to peanuts, sunflower seed has over two times less sodium content. In a 100g serving, sunflower seed and peanut have 9mg and 18mg of sodium, respectively.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Sunflower seeds

7

Peanut

1

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+93.5%
Contains more IronIron	+14.6%
Contains more CopperCopper	+57.3%
Contains more ZincZinc	+52.9%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+75.5%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-50%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+636.1%

Contains more CalciumCalcium

+17.9%

~equal in Potassium ~705mg

~equal in Manganese ~1.934mg

Oxalate

The oxalate content of peanuts is equal to 76mg. Sunflower seeds are oxalate-free.

Glycemic Index

Peanuts have a glycemic index of 13. The glycemic index of sunflower seeds is equal to 20. Sunflower seeds tend to have a higher glycemic index than peanuts. However, the glycemic index of both falls in the low category.

Acidity

The Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) is a method used to measure the acidity of the food. The PRAL value indicates the food's ability to break down into acids or bases inside the body. Sunflower seeds have a PRAL value of 11.6, whereas the PRAL level for peanuts is 6.2. That means sunflower seeds are more acid-forming than peanuts.

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

The intake of peanuts positively impacts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), particularly when considering the type of peanut oil, such as high-oleic peanut oil and peanut sprouts, and when consumed by healthy individuals. However, peanut consumption shows no significant influence on other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors (3).

Sunflower seeds contain chlorogenic acid, which may reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation susceptibility and decrease LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (TG) levels in the blood (1).

In addition, sunflower seeds are an excellent source of magnesium and can significantly contribute to reducing arterial blood pressure. Consuming 100g of these seeds can cover up to 77% of the daily magnesium requirement.

Diabetes

According to the study, seeds like sunflower, flax, and pumpkin play a role in lowering glucose levels and the risk of developing diabetes and treating type 2 diabetes. Bioactive components, such as chlorogenic acid in sunflower seeds, help with insulin resistance in pre-diabetic persons and regulate glucose and insulin metabolism (4). 

According to the study, consuming more nuts and peanut butter may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in women (5). 

The high MUFA content of peanut butter may also promote insulin sensitivity and encourage a decrease in the glycemic response in insulin-resistant individuals. Peanuts are high in arginine and protein, which act as insulin secretagogues. They also contain a high concentration of zinc, which may activate the tyrosine kinase receptor and improve insulin sensitivity (2). 

Allergy

Common triggers for hypersensitivity reactions account for 90% of cases, including cow's milk, egg, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Among these, peanuts/tree nuts are particularly notable as a prevalent food allergen, capable of inducing severe and potentially fatal reactions upon ingestion. Peanut allergies typically manifest in the early years of life and often persist throughout one's lifetime, posing a constant risk of life-threatening reactions (6).

Symptoms related to the skin encompass urticaria, angioedema, and intermittent exacerbation of pre-existing eczema. Gastrointestinal symptoms may involve abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Respiratory manifestations include recurrent coughing, stridor, and wheezing (7).

Avoiding nuts is an essential aspect of nut allergy management. However, oral immunotherapy is considered an alternative treatment option (8).

While sunflower seeds are an uncommon source of allergy, some cases of sunflowers-related occupational allergies have been documented. Bird breeders are notably prone to developing allergies to sunflowers (9).