Healthy, natural sunflower oil is produced from oil type sunflower seeds. Sunflower oil is light in taste and appearance and supplies more Vitamin E than any other vegetable oil. It is a combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats with low saturated fat levels.
The versatility of this healthy oil is recognized by cooks internationally. Sunflower oil is valued for is light taste, frying performance, and health benefits.
There are three types of sunflower oil available; NuSun, Linoleic, and High Oleic sunflower oil. All are developed with standard breeding techniques. They differ in oleic levels and each one offers unique properties.
With three types of sunflower oil available, sunflower oil meets the needs of consumer and food manufacturers alike for a healthy and high performance non-transgenic vegetable oil.
What is High Oleic Sunflower Oil?
High oleic sunflower oil is very high in oleic (monounsaturated) acid.
The oil has a neutral taste and provides excellent stability without hydrogenation. High oleic sunflower oil offers Trans free oil solution for customers. the oil has many uses including bakery applications, spray coating oils for cereal, cracker and dried fruit; it is used in non-dairy creamers, many types of frying and other uses.
The patent on high oleic sunflower oil and seed is expired. Thus, more companies are getting involved in producing and merchandizing this oil. However, for the near term at least, it will continue to be grown on a contracted acre basis with customer needs driving total acres. As with all sunflowers, high oleic hybrids have been developed through conventional breeding methods.
Diet and cardiovascular benefits: Sunflower oil is high in Vitamin E and low in saturated fat. The two most common types of sunflower oil are linoleic, a common cooking oil that has high levels of the essential fatty acids called polyunsaturated fat that is known for having a clean taste and low levels of trans fat, and high oleic which are classified as having monounsaturated levels of 80% and above. Newer versions of sunflower oil have been developed as a hybrid containing linoleic acid. They have high monounsaturated levels lower than other oleic sunflower oils. Sunflower oil of any kind has been shown to have cardiovascular benefits as well. Diets combined with a low fat content and high levels of oleic acid have been suggested to lower cholesterol which, in turn, results in a smaller risk of heart disease. Sunflower oils fit these criteria. Studies of adults suggested that a balanced diet in which small quantities of saturated fats are replaced with sunflower oil has detectable cholesterol-reducing benefits. Research suggests that lower cholesterol levels can be caused by balances of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Sunflower oil may help with this balance.
Summary: A diet rich in high-oleic-acid sunflower oil favorably alters low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and factor VII coagulant activity.
Findings: Substitution of foods rich in saturated fat with foods rich in high-oleic-acid sunflower oil and margarine has favorable outcomes on blood lipids and factor VIIc. This oil presents another useful source of MUFA for diets aimed at prevention of heart disease.
High oleic sunflower oil can be used as a frying oil, it behaves as a typical vegetable triglyceride. In cosmetics, it has smoothing properties and is considered noncomedogenic. Only the high-oleic variety possesses shelf life sufficient for commercial cosmetic formulation. Sunflower oil’s INCI name is Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil.
Restaurant and food industry uses: Restaurant and food manufactures are becoming aware of health benefits of sunflower oil. The oil can be used in conditions with extremely high cooking temperatures 440 degree smoke point, if refined. Our cold pressed sunflower oil has a light smoke of about 380 degrees. It is a Non GMO product. It may also help food fresher and healthier for longer periods of time. Food manufactures are starting to use sunflower oil in an effort to lower the levels to Trans fat in mass produced foods. A number of common snack foods currently contain sunflower oil, including New York Fries French fries, Majans BHUJA Mix healthy snacks, the Sri Lankan style Bombay Mix – Rani Mix, Kettle Chips, Sun Chips, Sunflower Chips, Ruffles, Walkers and Lay’s potato chips; the recipe of the latter was modified in late 2006 in order to include the oil.
Sunflower oil as skin protection: Sunflower oil, like other oils, can retain moisture in the skin. It may also provide a protective barrier that resists infection in pre-term infants. Studies using sunflower oil have been conducted involving low birth weight pre-term infants that are often susceptible to infection due to their underdeveloped skin. The study determined that infants receiving a daily skin treatment of sunflower oil were 41% less likely to develop infections in hospital.
Benefits of Cold Press vs. Chemically Extracted Oils
All plant oils are cholesterol free, but commercial oils go through several processing stages to prevent rancidity. Refined oils are de-gummed, de-pigmented through charcoal or clay, clarified by deodorizing under high heat and chemically preserved. Unfortunately, processing also destroys healthy antioxidants and forms hazardous free radicals. Refined oils are clear, odorless, and almost totally devoid of nutrients.
– Unrefined vegetable oils are the least processed and most natural. They are mechanically pressed and
filtered (cold pressing). They have small amounts of sediment, and taste and smell like the nut, seed,
or fruit they came from.
– Solvent extracted oil is the second pressing from the first pressing residue. The petroleum chemical
hexane is generally used to get the most efficient extraction; even though minute amounts of hexane
remain, it is still considered an unrefined oil.
Vegetable oils are traditionally seen as top dietary sources of essential fatty acids. Commercial oils contain such a large number of contaminates and are so heavily processed that they can no longer be regarded as good sources of EFA’s.