We are used to using sunflower oil both for dressing salads and for frying meat. Many of us are not ready to trade the mild sweetish taste for overseas grape seed oil, coconut or sesame oil. However, the level of interest in food products is increasing. It becomes important for people what they eat and how this food affects their body. The scientific opinion on the quality and benefits of sunflower oil is disappointing. It turns out that it is strictly forbidden to fry food in your favorite oil, and no more than 1 tablespoon can be used for salad dressing.
What is the product we are used to, what danger or benefit is hidden behind the solar flowing liquid?
General characteristics
The oil is made from peeled sunflower seeds. Depending on the type of treatment, 2 type of oil is isolated: unrefined and refined. In the first case, the product is filtered, eliminates harmful impurities and poured into industrial containers for further implementation.
Refined oil is neutralized, deodorized, frozen and bleached. Thus, heavy metals, pesticides, chemical impurities and free fatty acids are removed from the product. Together with harmful chemical components, useful ones are removed from the food product – vitamins, amino acids, minerals.
A Brief Historical Reference
The homeland of the product is North America. The sunflower was domesticated by the indigenous population of America, after which the products from it and the plant itself went to other continents. In Europe, the product began to gain popularity in the 1829th century; oil came to Russia much later – in the XNUMXth century. Peter Ⅰ brought an overseas product with him after his trip to Holland. At first, the peasants grew sunflowers just for beauty. The solar plant attracted with its aesthetic and striking appearance. Occasionally, seeds were used for food, but, in general, it was only from XNUMX that the plant began to be used on an industrial scale. Oil mills were established in all provinces, which brought unprecedented income and popularity. The church also appreciated the product and declared it lean.
What you need to know about sunflower oil
Each person has a full bottle of sunflower seed oil in their kitchen cupboards. It is used everywhere: for dressing salads, frying food, making sauces and marinades. We are so used to the sweetish, delicate taste that our receptors refuse to perceive other oils (for example, sesame or olive).
The level of public awareness comes down to what we know about the existence of refined and unrefined sunflower oil. Our grandmothers managed to put into our heads the postulate that unrefined is definitely more useful. But is it really?
Sunflower oil is famous for its high content of tocopherol (vitamin E) and linoleic acid .… According to the Linus Pauling Institute, a person needs to consume 11-15 grams of linoleic acid to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This acid is responsible for the activation of muscle mass, weight loss due to the fat layer, the prevention of malignant tumors and internal inflammatory processes. farmer-online.com.
It seems that sunflower oil is the key to a long and healthy life, but there is one caveat. One teaspoon of this product contains 8,9 grams of linoleic acid. The same teaspoon contains a large amount of Omega-6, the excess of which is bad for your health. The ratio of linoleic acid to omega-6 should be 1: 1, and in 1 spoon of sunflower oil it is 10: 1. As a result, a person runs the risk of getting pathologies of the heart, blood vessels, obesity and other serious health problems.
This does not mean that you need to stop using oil right now. It is necessary to learn how to properly combine it with other foods, to monitor the healthy ratio of substances and the amount in the weekly (not daily) diet.
Useful properties of the product
Indeed, premium unrefined oil has medicinal properties farmer-online.com..… It differs from other species in composition, taste palette and aroma. Pay attention to the way it is processed and the appearance of the product to get benefits, not gastrointestinal problems.
The sediment at the bottom of the bottle does not indicate a poor-quality product and an unfair manufacturer. On the contrary, the precipitate is formed due to phosphatides. This substance is vital for cell membranes.
Phosphatides strengthen cell walls, fill the body with phosphoric acid and stimulate its performance.
How sunflower oil affects the body:
- restores the body in chronic diseases of the digestive system;
- eliminates respiratory diseases;
- cleans the liver;
- copes with diseases of the heart and blood vessels ..;
- facilitates the course of diseases of the reproductive system;
- relieves toothache and headache;
- has a preventive effect on the bone and muscle system in order to avoid arthritis, rheumatism;
- minimizes wounds and inflammation both on the outer skin and inside the body ..
Chemical composition
Nutritional value (based on ingredient 100 grams)1
Caloric content 899 kCal Proteins 0 g Fats 99,9 g Carbohydrates 0 g Dietary fiber 0 g Water 0,1 g
Nutrient Balance (in milligrams based on 100 grams of ingredient)
Tocopherol (E) 44 Phylloquinone (K) 0,0054 Phosphorus (P) 2 Saturated fatty acids 11,3 Monounsaturated fatty acids 23,8 Polyunsaturated fatty acids ..
59,8
Hazardous properties
The list of useful qualities of sunflower oil is overshadowed by possible side effects from the use of the product. Among them:
- an increase in the risk of developing oncological neoplasms of a different nature;
- obesity;
- exacerbation of diseases of the gallbladder and biliary system.
Unstable fatty acids
The product is based on polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are unstable in chemical structure and subject to rapid oxidation. When the oil is heated, free radicals are released, which accelerate the aging process, exacerbate pathologies in a state of remission and transfer them to the category of chronic ones.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are deposited in the cell membranes, provoke a rapid killing of the cell or partially reduce its performance.
Omega-6
It would seem that “omegas” are substances that cannot harm the human body. However, the benefits of Omega-6 are determined by its quantity and quality ratio to other fatty acids. Consuming sunflower oil quickly upsets the balance, and omega-6 levels skyrocket. What is it fraught with? Chronic pathologies are formed, cholesterol levels rise, vascular blockage occurs, which leads to heart attacks and strokes.
What’s more, the high Omega-6 content makes digestion more difficult. It is much more difficult for the organs to digest and assimilate food. As a result, there is a violation of the stool, sharp abdominal pain, lack of appetite, nausea / vomiting.
Use in cosmetology
In its pure form, the product is rarely used in cosmetology, but extracts from sunflower seeds are a frequent visitor in jars of face and body care products. The main fear of consumers is a greasy film on the face, which can remain after oil. This side effect is excluded, since the product is not used in pure form, but diluted. A minimal amount of the extract enters the cosmetics, which enriches the dermis with useful vitamins. The extract is as close as possible in composition to human skin, therefore it is able to penetrate into the deep layers, actively cleanse and smooth them.
Sunflower oil can also be found in oils, creams and body scrubs. It nourishes the skin, heals minor rashes, lesions, cracks and gives a special velvety shine.
Hair will not refuse enrichment with oils. There is no need to apply pure product to the ends. The modern cosmetic market has saved women from the forced oily sheen and a specific smell that lasts on their hair for several hours. It is enough to choose the right care line and apply the mask / nourishing balm according to the instructions.
Degree of comedogenicity of the product
Comedogenicity is one of the characteristics of cosmetics. It measures the degree of contamination of the skin and clogged pores caused by exposure to a particular product.
Many people see a legitimate connection between what we eat and how our skin looks. Indeed, the skin is the largest and most sensitive organ of the human body. Every internal process affects her condition, whether it is taking antibiotics or skipping breakfast. Toxins are no longer excreted from the body as the pores are blocked. The result is purulent eruptions on the face.
The degree of comedogenicity may vary in different people. In some, eating chocolate stimulates an immediate reaction in the form of acne and a rash, in others – an absolute absence of symptoms.
Can sunflower oil cause acne? Dermatologist James E. Fulton says it can’t. He has compiled his own list of comedogenic and non-comedogenic agents that can cause so-called “cosmetic acne” (acne that manifests itself due to an incorrectly selected cosmetic product). Fulton ranks sunflower oil as the lightest and most non-comedogenic product .....
This does not mean that sunflower oil can be rubbed into the face to get rid of imperfections. On the contrary, it is this approach that will stimulate the rash. This means that cosmetics that contain an herbal ingredient are quite suitable for treating acne, and there is no need to fear it.
Product Storage Rules
All oils must be stored until the expiration date. Getting severe food poisoning is not a joyful prospect, so keep track of the expiration date and better get rid of the oil 1-2 months before the deadline.
The container in which the sunflower oil is stored tends to become dirty and sticky. It looks unaesthetic and can really affect the quality of the product. Periodically pour the oily liquid into glass bottles and thoroughly clean the oily used containers. Tighten the container tightly, otherwise the oil may become bitter and unusable.
There is no point in storing the product in the refrigerator: it becomes thick. Keep container of food in a dark place to minimize exposure to UV rays. The best container is a dark glass bottle with thick walls.
Alternative to sunflower oil
Some nutritionists recommend removing sunflower seed oil from the diet for good, since its harm is much stronger than the benefit. But what can replace such a familiar product?
Use coconut oil for frying. It does not emit harmful carcinogenic substances and does not start to smoke when heated. The product is absolutely safe for the human body and, moreover, is multifunctional. When frying pancakes, a ball of coconut oil can be applied to hair, face, cuticles and rough areas of the body. The oil nourishes the skin with useful vitamins, and the pancakes – a pleasant coconut aroma.
For dressing salads, it is recommended to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Do not forget that the amount of healthy fats should be strictly regulated. Do not consume more than 2 tablespoons of the product per day, so as not to disturb the internal balance. It is forbidden to fry in olive oil, because during the heat treatment the product loses all its beneficial properties and turns into empty calories.
For other uses, look at sesame, cottonseed, apricot, truffle, grape seed oil ..… Each plant product is distinguished by both useful properties and taste. While some will enjoy seasoning their vegetable salad with corn oil, others will find the combination of meat and canola (rapeseed) oil to be the pinnacle of food pleasure. Try and experiment without harm to your health.
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