Canadian Prairie Farmers
SUNFLOWERS ARE NATIVE to both North and South America, where Indigenous Peoples were the first to cultivate them. For 4,000 years, gatherers would select the largest seeds from the biggest heads, year after year, developing the largest sunflowers that, in turn, produced the largest seeds.
Research shows that seeds were an important staple for Indigenous cultures as early as 2300 BCE. Sunflower seeds were part of a regular diet along with corn, squash and beans, known as the Three Sisters.
Not quite as old, Nuts to You started producing Sunflower Seed Butter in 1989, and we are proud to produce a seed butter from seeds grown by Canadian farmers. Our Sunflower Seed Butter is made exclusively from seeds grown in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Harvested from the heads of dried sunflowers, sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E, iron, essential fats and protein, and are non-GMO and gluten free. Sunflower Seed Butter is a great staple for smoothies, salad dressings and sauces for stir fries. Naturally occurring chlorophyll present in sunflower seeds will react with baking soda or powder during the baking process, and baked goods will turn a completely harmless green colour.
Photography: Louise Carduner, The Scouler Company