10 Things to Know About Sunflower Oil - 24 Mantra Organic

Sunflower oil is becoming popular in the Indian kitchen for its numerous health benefits, including the high content of unsaturated fats. It is prepared by pressing the seeds of the sunflower plant. However, sunflower oil nutrition and its potential benefits depend upon the type of sunflower plant and its composition. And using a lot of it can potentially be harmful to your health.

Also, the organic variant of sunflower oil, or organic sunflower oil, is often considered a superfood of a different class due to the lack of harmful chemicals in it.

In this article, we’ll look at different types of sunflower oil, sunflower oil nutrition, and ten things to know about it.

Various Types of Sunflower Oil

There are four common types of sunflower oil based on sunflower seeds and different fatty acid compositions [1]. These are:

• Low oleic sunflower oil – This type of sunflower oil comprises approx. 30% of oleic acid (monounsaturated) and around 60% linoleic or Omega-6 PUFA).
• Mid-oleic sunflower oil – The fatty composition of this oil has at least 69% of oleic acid (monounsaturated) and around 26% linoleic (Omega-6 PUFA).
• High oleic sunflower oil – The sunflower oil nutrition includes a minimum of 82% oleic acid (monounsaturated) and 9% linoleic (omega-6 PUFA).
• High stearic sunflower oil – This oil is a stable oil and contains roughly 72% oleic (monounsaturated), and 18% stearic (saturated). It needs no hydrogenation, making it unhealthy since it has a high volume of trans-fats.

Most of these oils are distinguished based on their linoleic or oleic acid content. Linoleic acid is popularly known as Omega-6, a polyunsaturated fatty acid. On the other hand, oleic acid is known as Omega-9, a monounsaturated fatty acid.

Both Omega-6 and Omega-9 are responsible for providing energy to the body and strengthening body cells and tissues. When these two fatty acids are heated, they react differently and have varying impacts on your health [2]. The combination of these fatty acids is extremely critical for maintaining human health.

Now that we know the various types of sunflower oils, let’s look at the sunflower oil nutrition before we discuss the ten amazing things about this oil.

Sunflower Oil Nutrition

Here the top 10 things to know about sunflower oil nutrition

Most of the benefits of sunflower oil come from consuming it rather than applying it. Let’s look at the top 10 benefits of sunflower oil:

1. Reduces Cholesterol Levels

The sunflower oil nutrition makes it a healthy oil, implying it does not have saturated fats. On the contrary, it has a high quantity of Omega-3 fatty acids that are believed to reduce cholesterol levels.

2. Beneficial for Heart

Sunflower oil is a rich source of choline, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as well as phenolic acid – all of which prevent blockage of arteries and reduce the chances of stroke or heart attack.

3. Good for Skin

As seen from the above sunflower oil nutrition, the oil has plenty of Vitamin E, which is great for the skin. Vitamin E helps regenerate cells, provides a healthier glow, and helps the skin look more youthful.

4. Potentially Fight Cancer

Since sunflower oil is a rich source of antioxidants, it can potentially help fight cancer. Sunflower oil contains tocopherols, which helps eliminate free radicals. However, there is limited research on this subject and not enough conclusive studies to show that sunflower oil surely helps fight cancer.

5. Boosts Immune System

The rich, fatty acids in sunflower oil boost the immune system so that the body remains healthy and does not fall sick. It helps fight infection and minimizes inflammation.

6. Helps With Athlete’s Foot

Applying sunflower oil on Athlete’s Foot speeds up the healing process. This is a topical benefit of sunflower oil and works well when the oil is applied to the affected area.

7. Reduces Inflammation

Following up on our previous point, sunflower oil nutrition includes fatty acids and vitamin content that are responsible for minimizing inflammation. This is especially beneficial for people with asthma since the anti-inflammatory properties of the oil reduce asthma attacks.

8. Increases Energy Levels

Sunflower oil is a rich source of unsaturated fats, which are critical for maintaining the body’s energy levels. If there are more saturated fats in the body, you will have low energy levels and feel lethargic. That is why consuming unsaturated fats is important to stay active, and sunflower oil has an abundance of it.

9. Prevents Infection

There are several studies that indicate that sunflower oil nutrition content is important to prevent numerous infections in infants. While the effect of sunflower oil may not be the same on infants as it is on adults, it can be used to prepare delicious dishes for your young ones or mixed to prepare your favorite spreads.

10. Lowers the Risk of Arthritis

The major cause of arthritis is inflammation, and as discussed before, sunflower oil has anti-inflammatory properties. Consuming healthy oils that are rich in unsaturated fat (like sunflower oil) can reduce the inflammatory process and inevitably lower both pain and inflammation.

Final Words

The above benefits show that sunflower oil, when consumed in moderation, is good for you and your well-being. Unlike mustard or other heavy oils, sunflower oil has a light taste, which makes it an excellent ingredient for cooking tasty dishes. The best cooking oil is the one that is cold-pressed. So, the next time you buy sunflower oil, look for its processing method.

A word of caution: sunflower oil, like any other oil, is not considered a low-fat type of food. Therefore, consume it in moderation to lead a healthy lifestyle and realize these amazing benefits.

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