High Levels of Toxin Found In Most Sunflower Seeds & Butters

White Plains, NY, August 19, 2024 —  Sunflower seeds are rich in healthy, unsaturated oils and provide significant amounts of protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals, but ConsumerLab's recent tests found high levels of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, in most of the sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butters it purchased and tested. In fact, one product contained 5 times the California Prop 65 warning level for cadmium.
 

Cadmium in Sunflower Seeds & Butters – Key Findings:

• All sunflower seeds and butters contained some cadmium: ConsumerLab found cadmium in all nine sunflower seed products it tested, but those with the least contained just under 3 mcg of cadmium per 30-gram serving (about ¼ cup of seeds or 2 tablespoons of sunflower seed butter). The state of California's Prop 65 law requires any product containing more than 4.1 mcg of cadmium per daily serving to bear a warning on the label. There is no established federal limit for cadmium in foods in the U.S.
• More than half of products contained excessive amounts: Six of nine products tested by ConsumerLab contained excessive amounts of cadmium — ranging from 4.8 mcg to as much as 19.5 mcg of cadmium per 30-gram serving.
• Where sunflower seeds are grown matters: ConsumerLab’s tests showed that, while no one type of sunflower seed (organic, non-organic, raw, dried, roasted or sprouted) was more likely to be contaminated with cadmium than another, seeds sourced from certain countries or regions, particularly those grown in the U.S., were more likely to contain high levels of cadmium.

Fortunately, none of the products were found to be contaminated with significant amounts of other toxic heavy metals (lead, arsenic, or mercury), Salmonella, or mold, which has been a problem with sunflower seeds in the past. Among products with added salt, none exceeded their claimed amounts of sodium, and two contained less sodium than listed on their labels.

Among products that were Approved for their quality, ConsumerLab selected a Top Pick among sunflower seeds and a Top Pick sunflower seed butter.
 

Access the Full Report:

Detailed test results and comparisons for the tested sunflower seed and sunflower seed butter products are available online in ConsumerLab’s Sunflower Seeds & Butters Review.

The report includes test results and comparisons for nine sunflower seed (including raw, dried, roasted, and sprouted) and sunflower seed butters selected for testing by ConsumerLab: 365 [Whole Foods Market] Organic Sunflower Kernels- Roasted & Unsalted, Go Raw Sprouted Organic Sunflower Seeds With Sea Salt, Nuts.com, Raw Sunflower Seeds (No Shell), Once Again Creamy Sunflower Seed Butter- Unsweetened, SunButter No Sugar Added Sunflower Butter, SunButter Organic Sunflower Butter, Terrasoul Superfoods Sunflower Seeds- Raw & Shelled, Trader Joe’s Raw Sunflower Seeds, and Trader Joe’s Sunflower Seed Spread.

As discussed in the review, cadmium is a known potential contaminant in plant-based foods, and ConsumerLab testing has also found high levels of cadmium in other plant-based foods including flaxseed and cacao and cocoa-based products. The review discusses which regions from which sunflowers seeds are sourced contained the most or least cadmium, and whether cadmium in sunflower seed oil is a concern. It also explains the nutritional value of raw, dried, roasted, and sprouted sunflower seeds and whether this differs based on the type of seed, the best way to store sunflower seeds, and concerns and cautions when consuming sunflower seed and butters.

Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to continually updated reviews of nearly every popular type of dietary supplement and health food, answers to reader questions, and product recalls and warnings. ConsumerLab also provides independent product testing through its voluntary Quality Certification Program. The company is privately held and based in New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.

Caution with Sunflower Seeds and Butters