Sunflower Oil vs Rice Bran Oil: What's better for cooking? - 24 Mantra Organic

Oil is an irreplaceable part of cooking that is used in the process of sauteing, frying, and baking.

The main purpose of oil is to prevent foods from sticking to the bottom of the pan while the pan is hot. Cooking oil provides a barrier between food and the hot surface. Depending on the oil you choose for cooking, you can enhance the flavour of the food being cooked. Not only that but organic rice bran oil and sunflower oil are even better due to the general lack of harmful chemical compounds.

But there are so many different kinds of oils available for cooking. Plant-based oils, nut-based oils, and even animal fat are used for cooking food. Each oil has different nutritional factors that make it best for certain kinds of cooking. So how can you decide which is better – sunflower oil vs rice bran oil?

Depending on their specific composition, oils are used for different purposes. Some oils are best suited for preparing salad dressings, while some others work best for making dosas and crepes, some other oils are best suited for deep frying food.

Oils are also deemed good based on their smoking point. Both sunflower oil and rice bran oil have high smoking points.

Here you are going to learn the differences in sunflower oil vs rice bran oil. You can then decide which is better for you and your family.

What is sunflower oil?

Sunflower oil as the name suggests is extracted from sunflower seeds. The seeds are first cleaned to remove any dust and dirt and then ground into a coarse powder. The coarse powder is further ground and pressed to release the essential oils. The released oils are then refined further to make the packaged oils that we get in markets.

What is rice bran oil?

Rice bran oil is extracted from the husk of rice grains. Special machines are used to squeeze out the oils completely. The extracted oil is separately stored in the machine to prevent it from mixing with other leftovers of the rice husk. Hexane, the most commonly used solvent, is used to refine the rice bran oil into the quality you get in stores for purchase.

In the question of sunflower oil vs rice bran oil, you need to understand the actual differences between them.

The major points in the debate of sunflower oil vs rice bran oil are given here.

1. Appearance

Sunflower Oil – Sunflower oil has a distinct light, golden colour. It is one of the most commonly used oils for cooking. It is a flavourless oil and can be used for cooking a variety of dishes.

Rice Bran Oil – Rice bran oil is dark gold.. It is used abundantly in Asian countries where rice is majorly cultivated. This oil has a mild smell of rice, but it is otherwise flavourless.

2. Unsaturated Fats

Sunflower Oil – The concentration of monounsaturated fats in sunflower oil is 6 grams per serving. The saturated fat content is quite low – only 1.3 gms per serving. This makes sunflower oil one of the best oils to be used regularly for cooking.

Rice Bran Oil – Similar to sunflower oil, rice bran oil is also chock-full of good things. The monounsaturated fats in rice bran oil are at 5 grams per serving. Even the percentage of saturated fat content is quite low, at 2.7 gms per serving. Rice bran oil is also used extensively in cooking various types of food items.

3. Vitamins

Vitamin E is an essential, fat-soluble nutrient required to protect cells in the body from free radicals. Free radicals are produced during the process of digestion which turns food into energy. Vitamin E is also quite popular for helping in maintaining good skin health.

Sunflower oil – Vitamin E is a nutrient available in sunflower oil. One tablespoon of sunflower oil contains around 5.6 milligrams of vitamin E – which is around 37% of the required amount in everyday diet.

Rice Bran Oil – Vitamin E is found in rice bran oil also. However, in comparison to sunflower oil, the amount of the vitamin is a bit low at only 4.4 milligrams. This comes to around 27 % of the recommended amount of vitamin E in a day.

4. Cholesterol

Cholesterol is necessary for keeping the cells in your body healthy and functioning at peak conditions. However, too much cholesterol could lead to blocked arteries and increase the chances of heart problems and hypertension.

Sunflower Oil – Sunflower oil is considered as a heart-healthy oil. The healthy fats in the oil work to keep the heart healthy by reducing the LDL, i.e., bad cholesterol in the body. It also raises the amount of HDL, i.e., good cholesterol and maintain balance in the body.

Rice Bran Oil – Rice bran oil has a good concentration of oryzanol – an antioxidant that helps in reducing the amount of cholesterol the body absorbs. It also works in lowering the level of bad cholesterol in the body. Rice bran oil is a heart-healthy oil.

Nutritional Composition

The argument of sunflower oil vs rice bran oil is also done based on their nutritional composition. In the table below, the information regarding nutrients is given for one tablespoon each of the two oils.

Source: Eat This Much and Very Well Fit

Conclusion

In the debate between sunflower oil vs rice bran oil, it is quite evident that there is no clear winner. The health benefits you gain from both oils are at par.

The question of sunflower oil vs rice bran oil is an age-old one which can be deliberated on while keeping these health aspects at the forefront of your mind.

So, go on and choose the oil which is best suited for you and keep on cooking tasty, healthy, and nutritious food.

Try 24 Mantra Organics’s Sunflower Oil and enjoy its benefits!