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The Sunflower—Beautiful and UsefulAwake!—2005 | August 22
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But by about the middle of the 18th century, its seeds came to be viewed as a delicacy.
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The Sunflower—Beautiful and UsefulAwake!—2005 | August 22
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The sturdy stalk and rough, green leaves are crowned with a big, round flower with bright-yellow petals. These surround a dark center composed of smaller, tubular flowers. When pollinated by insects, these smaller flowers develop into the sunflower’s edible seeds. A sunflower’s center can vary from 2 to 20 inches [5 to 50 cm] in diameter and may produce from 100 to 8,000 seeds.
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The Sunflower—Beautiful and UsefulAwake!—2005 | August 22
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Most sunflowers today are grown for their seeds, which produce an excellent oil. Sunflower oil is used for cooking, in salad dressings, and in margarine. The seeds have a high nutritional value, containing 18 to 22 percent protein and other nutrients.
Many people enjoy lightly roasted, salted sunflower seeds as a snack. Flour made from the seeds is used as an additive in baking.
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