How healthy is sunflower oil? Any oil’s processing should be one of the first things to be taken into account since it will affect how it functions during cooking and, ultimately, how nutritious it is. A large portion of the sunflower oil on our grocery store shelves has undergone chemical refinement and processing. As a result, although they may benefit from more extended shelf life, they are likely to include chemical residues. They won’t keep their natural nutrients or enzymes.
In addition to having a high concentration of polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) in omega-6 fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, sunflower oil is naturally low in saturated fat. We must get these omega-6 fatty acids from our food since our bodies cannot produce them. We use them for our immunological response, growth, and development and for maintaining appropriate blood cholesterol levels.
Although the polyunsaturated component of sunflower oil first led to claims of health benefits, a growing understanding of the advantages of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) has caused us to reconsider how beneficial oils like sunflower oil really are. While it’s true that we require omega-6 fatty acids, there are questions about how much of them we now consume and theories that doing so may contribute to some of the chronic inflammatory illnesses we frequently see today, including heart disease, obesity, and cancer.
Additionally, animal studies have shown that ingesting linoleic-rich sunflower oil throughout a lifetime may affect how effectively the animal ages, raising cholesterol and causing DNA damage.
How healthy is sunflower oil?
These findings, along with others, may be connected to one of sunflower oil’s primary drawbacks: regardless of the cooking employed, it can produce more harmful aldehydes than palm, rapeseed, or soya oils. This is particularly important when the oil is regularly heated to 180C, as when deep-frying. Due to its relatively high smoke point, sunflower oil is a common choice for high-temperature cooking; nevertheless, this smoke point does not account for the oil’s propensity to create certain harmful compounds.
New types of sunflower oil, including one high in the MUFA, oleic acid, have been developed due to a greater awareness of these and other health considerations. This enhances the oil’s reputation as a heart-friendly substance and makes it more stable at higher temperatures. Keep in mind that linoleic and oleic acids are utilized by the body to create cells and are fat sources of energy, but what distinguishes them is how they react to heat.
Potential advantages of sunflower oil for health
The fact that sunflower oil is a good source of vitamin E is one unquestionable truth. Some sunflower oils may contain up to 40% of the necessary daily amount of vitamin E, albeit not all of them state it on the nutrition information panel (RDA). According to registered dietitian Amy Gonzalez, R.D., FNTP, CLT, vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant. She is involved in metabolic processes, including cell communication, hormone homeostasis, and gene expression. It is also the most prevalent fat-soluble antioxidant in the skin, where it promotes wound healing by reducing skin inflammation and UV damage.
According to Ashley Jordan Ferreira, PhD, RDN, vice president of scientific affairs at mbg, “In mbg’s ultimate multivitamin+, we chose to leverage the amazing sunflower, specifically the native oil of the sunflower seeds, to source our vitamin E in its most bioavailable and bioactive form, alpha-tocopherol.” In this plant-centric vegan multi, we wanted to elevate and celebrate as many premium botanicals as possible, even if there are alternative high-quality plant oil sources of vitamin E.
Due to its high quantities of unsaturated fats and low levels of saturated fats, sunflower oil is also promoted as a heart-healthy oil. In contrast to mid-oleic and high-linoleic kinds of sunflower oil, research indicates that this might only be true for high-oleic sunflower oil. According to Ferreira, oleic acid is a well-known heart-healthy component of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle.
According to several research, consuming monounsaturated fats, including oleic acid, may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. In one study, people with high blood lipid levels who consumed high-oleic sunflower oil for eight weeks saw an increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol. In another study, people who consumed high-oleic sunflower oil for ten weeks saw a decrease in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides compared to those who consumed a similar amount of saturated fat. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a qualified health claim that suggests substituting 1.5 tablespoons of oleic acid-rich oils for saturated fats daily may lower coronary heart disease risk. This decision was made in response to research like that mentioned above.
Sunflower oil may also be used physically, and you may find it an ingredient in body or face oils. Use a high-linoleic version of sunflower oil for this purpose since it may increase hydration and skin barrier integrity more effectively than other oils, such as olive oil. Sunflower oil may also assist in balancing skin that is prone to breakouts since, according to a study, those who suffer from acne often create less linoleic acid in their sebum.
