Sunflower halva is popular in the former Soviet Union, Bulgaria, and Romania.
It’s made with roasted and ground sunflower seeds, instead of tahini. In the 1990s, Ukrainians produced around 4000/5000 tons of sunflower halva annually.
Dr. Navindra P. Seeram, an American professor who studies medicinal plants and their natural derivatives, said: “I continue to say that nature is the best chemist, and that maple syrup is becoming a champion food when it comes to the number and variety of beneficial compounds found in it.”
He added that his team's research showed the presence of numerous antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds to fight cancer, diabetes, and bacterial diseases.