Although much of my sports attention is zeroed in on the NBA finals at the moment, I still try to keep up with what's going on in baseball. It's been a somewhat unusual year in MLB, but there are some things that are refreshingly unchanged. You can still expect to see sports fans (young and old) smiling through nine full innings of play, there are still plenty of great diving catches being made and old school hustling around the bases going on, and players and coaches are still littering dugouts with the shells of discarded sunflower seeds.

Good thing, too, since sunflower seeds are far more than just something to chomp on during tense moments in a game. Researchers from Northwestern University in Illinois found that these magnesium-rich seeds can help regulate blood sugar, thus reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome by as much as 31 percent.

Pumpkin seeds -- a sometimes alternative for sunflower seeds in some dugouts -- also offer similar protection against metabolic syndrome, as do flax and sesame seeds. Chewing tobacco, as you might expect, offers nothing in that regard, and instead offers the increased risk of mouth cancer. Stick to the seeds, kids.

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During my class last Thursday evening, I slipped three quarters into the vending machine for a snack. My classmates started betting what I was going to choose, yelling out, "M&Ms, Oreos, Hershey Bar!" Nobody won -- I plugged in D1 for a package of DAVID roasted/salted sunflower seeds.

I used to eat a ton of DAVID seeds during softball tourneys, but I haven't seen a package in a vending machine in awhile. I've carried around this same 1.75 oz package for nearly a week now, cracking open and spitting the salty shells like a bird on a feeder.

Sunflower seeds are immensely healthy for you. Whether roasted/salted or sprinkled on a salad, The World's Healthiest Foods reports a quarter cup of raw sunflower seeds is loaded with vitamin E, vitamin B1, magnesium, manganese, selenium, folate and more. Nuts do have fat, but sunflower seeds do not have any trans fats and saturated fat is low. Spit a handful of sunflower seeds this summer -- your body will thank you. FYI, if you're into stronger flavors, DAVID offers bbq, jalapeno and nacho cheese-flavored seeds, too!

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I don't think there's a person out there who doesn't want flatter abs, and if you don't, that's probably because you already have washboard abs, and you should know that we are all insanely jealous of you. But seriously. Getting flat abs is hard, but there are a few steps that can help you get closer to your goal.

The first step? Eating well. According to AOL Body, you should add these items to your diet to shrink your belly:

• Almonds
• Avocado
• Chocolate -- the dark or semi-sweet kind
• Flax seed oil
• Macadamia nuts
• Natural peanut butter
• Olive oil
• Pistachios
• Sunflower seeds
• Walnuts

Things to avoid? Think white -- mainly anything with refined sugar or refined flour. And go easy on the carbs, mmmmkay?

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As of the time you read this, I will be on the open road, travelling around 850 miles across country to visit friends. Since I'm spending a large amount of time in the car, I'm going to need some snacks. One of my favourites -- in the summer especially -- is sunflower seeds. It's not just that they're tasty, it's the whole experience of eating them that I enjoy -- It requires concentration, yet it's still pretty mindless. I can eat sunflower seeds constantly while in the car, which is why I probably shouldn't. I heard they were fairly high in calories but I've never actually looked in to it. Well, I am now.

How many calories does 100g of sunflower seeds have?

A) 80 cal
B) 220 cal
C) 385 cal
D) 585 cal

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For those of us who need regular caffeine fixes throughout the day (some days more than others!) there is yet another option besides coffee, Redbull, and Mt Dew. Dakota Valley Products, based out of Sioux Falls SD, has begun to successfully market energy-infused sunflower seeds.

The creators were inspired by the fact that many people munch on the seeds as a snack, and are also looking for a healthier alternative to energizing but sugary sodas and coffees. So the idea to take sunflower seeds to the next level by adding caffeine, lysine, taurine, ginseng was born. For now SumSeeds are only being sold locally in the Sioux Falls area, but it won't be long before they're available nationwide and even overseas.

I'm as hooked on coffee and caffeine as the next person, but after reading a few months ago about caffeinated donuts, and now caffeinated sunflower seeds, I think it's all getting a little ridiculous -- seriously!

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