Sunflowers are amazing flowers as they are used in many ways in our routine life. Who would have thought that these big beautiful yellow and golden faced flowers would play an important part in our health? That’s right, sunflower oil is one of the healthiest oils to cook with and it lowers the bad cholesterol (LDL) in the human body. It is commonly used as frying oil, cooking purpose and in cosmetics, sunflower oil was first introduced around 1835 in the Russian Empire.
Here are some very important nutrition benefits of this oil for us and we should know about these benefits to maintain our good health:
Antioxidant: Sunflower oil acts as an antioxidant since it is rich in Vitamin E. This property of sunflower oil helps in neutralizing cancer-causing free radicals. Vitamin E in sunflower oil also prevents rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and colon cancer.
Presence of Vitamin E: The Vitamin E present in sunflower oil also acts as a moisturizer which helps the body cells to retain water within them. This property makes sunflower oil useful in various cosmetic products as well.
Beneficial in Healthy Heart: Sunflower oil, due to its high levels of oleic acid and low saturated fat, is considered and recommended for cardiovascular benefits. This, in turn, results in reduced risks of heart diseases. Studies have proven the fact that a diet with less quantity of saturated fat substituted with sunflower oil has shown cholesterol reducing benefits. The right balance between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in sunflower oil reduces the cholesterol levels in a person.
Beneficial for Human Skin: Sunflower oil also helps the skin to retain its moisture. It helps in providing a protective barrier, resisting any kind of infection in pre-term infants. Studies have shown that infants receiving daily skin care using sunflower oil are less likely to develop any skin related infections.
Rich in Phytochemicals: Sunflower oil is rich in certain phytochemicals such as choline and phenolic acid, which are beneficial heart. There are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats present in sunflower oil, along with vitamins, which makes it one of the healthiest oil to consume.
Helps in Keeping Food Fresh and Health: Sunflower oil also helps in keeping the food fresh and healthy for a longer period of time. The oil can be used in extreme high cooking temperatures. Sunflower oil is being used by the food manufacturers for reducing the level of trans-fat in bulk production of food.
Caution: This oil should not used in a large quantity. Due to its high content of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, high consumption of sunflower oil is likely to cause breast and prostate cancer in post-menopausal women.
Some Cooking Tips about Sunflower Oil:
- Sunflower oil is very light in flavor and therefore, does not overpower the other ingredients used in a recipe. This light flavor of sunflower oil makes it a perfect oil to make pasta dishes, including shrimp and broccoli pasta and pastas using simple garlic and lemon sauce.
- Sunflower oil is low in saturated fat and hence, is a safe and healthy oil to be used for deep fry recipes. Sunflower oil is composed of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, making it a healthier alternative for oils like canola.
- Sunflower oil can also be used as a healthy alternative to traditional baking fats like butter, margarine and vegetable shortening.
- Sunflower oil is also beneficial to hair and skin health. Most of your hair care and cosmetic products have sunflower oil as an ingredient. With this oil being so rich in Vitamin E and antioxidants it also works as an anti-inflammatory, therefore, making it a healthy choice in preventing infections and certain diseases.
Related Post: