If you, like me, blame yourself when you overindulge, think again.

Food companies spend a lot of time, thought, energy, and money goes into making sure that you & I overeat.

Though I appreciate sesame seeds in stir fries and sushi and have been known to throw pumpkin seeds into the occasional batch of muffins, my experience with seeds as a whole is much too limited - especially sunflower seeds.

According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, sunflower seeds standout among their fellow nuts and seeds, with the highest concentration of phytochemicals - the plant chemicals that have been shown to lower cholesterol levels and improve overall heart health. Despite their tiny size, sunflower kernels contain a giant helping of photchemicals specifically, vitamin E, betaine, phenolic acids, choline, arginine, and lignans. And they don't stop there. Sunflower seeds also contain healthy fats, protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamin E.