Nuts, Seeds & Pastes
Sunflower Seed Butter in gelato
Sunflower seed butter is a smooth paste of roasted, ground sunflower seed kernels, roughly 55% fat and completely nut-free. In gelato it belongs to the nut/seed-paste family, contributing flavor, richness, and total solids as an allergen-friendly alternative to peanut or tree-nut butters.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 98.9% |
| Water | 1.1% |
| Sugars | 10.6% |
| Fat | 55.2% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 17.3% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 10.6 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 10.6 |
Typical use: Typically 6-12% of the recipe, similar to tahini or nut butters.
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Because it is about 55% fat and very low in water, sunflower seed butter enriches the mix and raises total solids, giving creaminess and stable body much like tahini or nut pastes. Its own sugar (~10 g/100 g, mostly sucrose) adds only a small POD and PAC contribution (~11 each per 100 g of paste), so treat it as a fat and solids ingredient rather than a sweetener or antifreeze, and set the scooping temperature with your main sugar blend. Watch the fat load: reduce cream or lean on an emulsifier so the texture does not turn heavy or greasy. Roasting intensity drives the toasted flavor; note that the paste can lend a pale grey-green tint to the finished gelato.
Origin & background
Sunflower seed butter gained mainstream traction as a peanut- and tree-nut-free spread. SunButter, the leading US brand, was launched in 2002 by Red River Commodities in Fargo, North Dakota, in part to serve school nutrition programs seeking safe nut-free options. The USDA later added a standard reference entry for sunflower seed butter (FDC 170155) to its nutrient databases.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, "Seeds, sunflower seed butter, without salt" (FDC ID 170155): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170155/nutrients
- USDA SR mirror (nutritionvalue.org): https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Seeds%2C_without_salt%2C_sunflower_seed_butter_nutritional_value.html
- SunButter Natural Sunflower Butter, manufacturer Nutrition Facts panel (Red River Commodities): https://www.recipal.com/ingredients/168157-nutrition-facts-calories-protein-carbs-fat-sunbutter-natural-sunflower-butter
- USDA ARS, "Sunflower Seed Butter and Almond Butter as Nutrient-Rich Snacks": https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400525/Articles/ADA10_SunflowerAlmondButter.pdf