|  | Diet Nutrition | Nutrition

Health Benefits of Sunflower Oil

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the demand for sunflower oil has increased. The oil, which has a neutral flavor, is used to fry foods and also in salad and cooking oils and in margarine and dairy substitutes. Sunflower oil has a variety of health benefits, depending on which type is used.

  1. High-Oleic Oil

    • High-oleic sunflower oil is a non-hydrogenated version of the oil. According to the National Sunflower Association, this variety of sunflower oil is high in oleic or monounsaturated acids. The association states that a study has found a diet that contains a large amount of oleic acids can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and contribute to a heart-healthy lifestyle. High-oleic sunflower oil is generally used in baking, in non-dairy coffee creamers and for frying.

    Linoleic Oil

    • Linoleic oil is a partially hydrogenated version of sunflower oil. According to the USDA, it used to be the most popular variety of sunflower oil. Because linoleic oil must be partially hydrogenated to retain stability during use, it contains trans fats. Despite this, the majority of the fat that linoleic sunflower oil contains is polyunsaturated fat in the form of linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid, which is one of the two fatty acids that people must incorporate into their diet. Because this is the predominant fat in linoleic sunflower oil, it is healthier than other types of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. Linoleic sunflower oil is generally used as liquid salad oil and to make margarine and shortening.

    Mid-Oleic Oil

    • Mid-oleic oil, commonly known by trademarked name NuSun, is the most popular type of sunflower oil in the United States. Mid-oleic sunflower oil is not hydrogenated, and it is lower in saturated fat than linoleic sunflower oil. It also has more oleic acid than linoleic oil, as well as some linoleic acid. According to the National Sunflower Association, a study has shown that the unique balance of fats in mid-oleic sunflower oil lowers total and LDL cholesterol.

    Fatty Acid Profiles

    • The main difference in health-benefit offerings in the various types of sunflower oils lies in their fatty acid profiles. The high-oleic oil is 82 percent monounsaturated fat, 9 percent polyunsaturated fat and 9 percent saturated fat. Linoleic oil is 20 percent monounsaturated fat, 69 percent polyunsaturated fat and 11 percent saturated fat. Mid-oleic oil is 65 percent monounsaturated fat, 26 percent polyunsaturated fat and 9 percent saturated fat. Of the three types of fat, saturated fat is the least heart-healthy option and therefore the best one one to avoid. However, all three of the oils are comparatively low in saturated fat, and the high level of linoleic acid present in the linoleic oil makes that oil a good choice, despite its saturated fat content.

    Vitamin A

    • Besides being a good source of healthy fat, the National Sunflower Association states that all three varieties of the oil contain more vitamin E than any other type of vegetable oil.

Nutrition - Related Articles