Sunflower oil: Is it good for your health?

Sunflower oil is a non volatile oil extracted from the seeds of sunflower. It is relatively new in the Indian kitchens as compared to the traditional mustard oils. It contains high traces of monounsaturated fats, which are good for heart. The MUFA contents make this oil easy to digest. This light yellow oil is mainly used for frying and roasting in Indian households.

It is rich in Vitamin E and Vitamin A that are antioxidants and regenerate damaged skin cells. Sunflower oil also contains Vitamins B3, B5 and B6 that are good for nervous system.

Sunflower Oil Nutrient profile:

One table of Sunflower oil contains

• Calories: 120

• Protein: 0

• Fat: 14 grams

• Carbohydrates: 0 grams

• Fiber: 0

• Sugar: 0

Sunflower oil benefits:

When coming to the benefits of sunflower oil, it is amazing natural oil. Read further to know how beneficial Sunflower oil is for us:

• Cardiovascular benefits: It is rich in oleic acid and monounsaturated fats which promote good heart health. It does not contain saturated fats which help in controlling the cholesterol levels in our body.

• Enhance Oral Health: Sunflower oil reduces the plaque related gingivitis. The oil has anti bacterial properties which are most common cause of infections on people.

May also help Fight cancer: Helps in prevention of colon cancer and other cancer. In a study, a mouse skin tumor model was studied and it was found that sunflower oil offered 40% protection against cancer. It was attributed to sesamol in oil. However more studies are needed in this respect.

Apart from this sunflower helps promote healthy skin and prevent arthritis.

Potential Health Risks of Sunflower oil:

Sunflower oil has been shown to release toxic compounds when heated to higher temperatures over time. Some varieties are also high in omega 6 and may contribute to inflammation in the body if consumed in excess.

You definitely need to watch your intake of sunflower oil for the following reasons:

Increase in Body weight: All fats even sunflower oil’s beneficial fatty acids are high calorie foods. Eating excess fats may contribute to obesity and its health risks.

Allergies: some people who are hypersensitive to Asteraceae plant family may develop allergic reactions to this oil.

Increase Blood sugar levels: Sunflower oil, when consumed in excess, seems to increase the fasting insulin, blood sugar levels and also the after meal blood fats, which might increase the chances of developing atherosclerosis in people with diabetes.

Final verdict:

Using sunflower oil in right amounts and low temperature is good for health. Using a variety of oils for different applications may result in a better balance of the types of fat in your overall diet.

Now let's talk about the best sunflower oil brands that are available in the market. Let me tell you that the brands that we will be talking about are also available online (BigBasket, Grofers, JioMart etc).

Best Sunflower oil brands to look out for:

There are a lot of brands in the market with various versions of sunflower oil. We have mentioned below the best sunflower oil brands in India

• Pure and Sure Organic Sunflower Oil

• Farm Naturelle Organic Virgin Cold Pressed Golden Sunflower Cooking Oil

• Pro Nature 100% Organic Sunflower Oil

• Natureland Organics Sunflower Oil

• GOLD Home Kitchen Sunflower Oil

• Sunrich Sunflower Oil