| Composition | | | | with a low fat content and high levels of oleic acid |
| Sunflower oil contains predominantly linoleic acid in | | | | have been suggested to lower cholesterol which, |
| triglyceride form. The British Pharmacopoeia lists | | | | in turn, results in a smaller risk of heart disease. |
| the following profile: | | | | Sunflower oils fit this criteria. Studies of adults |
| Palmitic acid : 4 - 9%, | | | | suggested that a balanced diet in which small |
| Stearic acid : 1 - 7%, | | | | quantities of saturated fats are replaced with |
| Oleic acid : 14 - 40%, | | | | sunflower oil has detectable cholesterol-reducing |
| Linoleic acid : 48 - 74%. | | | | benefits. Research suggests that lower cholesterol |
| There are several types of sunflower oils | | | | levels can be caused by balances of |
| produced, such as high linoleic, high oleic and mid | | | | polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. |
| oleic. High linoleic sunflower oil typically has at least | | | | Sunflower oil may help with this balance. |
| 69% linoleic acid. High oleic sunflower oil has at | | | | Restaurant and food industry uses |
| least 82% oleic acid. Variation in unsaturated fatty | | | | Restaurants and food manufacturers are |
| acids profile is strongly influenced by both genetics | | | | becoming aware of the health benefits of |
| and climate. In the last decade high stearic | | | | sunflower oil. The oil can be used in conditions with |
| sunflower lines have been developed in Spain to | | | | extremely high cooking temperatures. It may also |
| avoid the use of hydrogenated vegetable oils in | | | | help food stay fresher and healthier for longer |
| food industry. | | | | periods of time . Food manufacturers are starting |
| Sunflower oil also contains lecithin, tocopherols, | | | | to use sunflower oil in an effort to lower the |
| carotenoids and waxes. Sunflower oil's properties | | | | levels of trans fat in mass produced foods. A |
| are typical of a vegetable triglyceride oil. | | | | number of common snack foods currently contain |
| Sunflower oil is produced from oil type sunflower | | | | sunflower oil, including NewYork Fries French fries, |
| seeds. Sunflower oil is light in taste and | | | | Majans BHUJA Mix healthy snacks, the Sri Lankan |
| appearance and has a high Vitamin E content. It is | | | | style Bombay Mix - Rani Mix, Kettle Chips, Sun |
| a combination of mono-unsaturated and | | | | Chips, Sunflower Chips, Ruffles, Walkers and Lay's |
| polyunsaturated fats with low saturated fat levels. | | | | potato chips; the recipe of the latter was modified |
| Physical properties | | | | in late 2006 in order to include the oil. |
| Sunflower oil is liquid at room temperature. The | | | | Sunflower oil as skin protection |
| refined oil is clear and slightly amber-colored with a | | | | Sunflower oil, like other oils, can retain moisture in |
| slightly fatty odor. | | | | the skin. It may also provide a protective barrier |
| Smoke point (refined) | | | | that resists infection in pre-term infants. Studies |
| 232 C | | | | using sunflower oil have been conducted involving |
| 450 F | | | | low birth weight pre-term infants that are often |
| Smoke point (unrefined) | | | | susceptible to infection due to their |
| 227 C | | | | underdeveloped skin. The study determined that |
| 440 F | | | | infants receiving a daily skin treatment of |
| Density (25 C) | | | | sunflower oil were 41% less likely to develop |
| 917 kg/m3[citation needed] | | | | infections in hospital. |
| Refractive index (25 C) | | | | Negative health effects |
| 1.473[citation needed] | | | | A high consumption of omega-6 polyunsaturated |
| Viscosity, 25 C, unrefined: 0.04914 Kg/(M*S) | | | | fatty acids, which are found in most types of |
| Uses | | | | vegetable oil including sunflower oil, may increase |
| As a frying oil, sunflower oil behaves as a typical | | | | the likelihood that postmenopausal women may |
| vegetable triglyceride. In cosmetics, it has | | | | develop breast cancer. Similar effect was |
| smoothing properties and is considered | | | | observed on prostate cancer. Other analysis |
| noncomedogenic. Only the high-oleic variety | | | | suggested an inverse association between total |
| possesses shelf life sufficient for commercial | | | | polyunsaturated fatty acids and breast cancer |
| cosmetic formulation. Sunflower oil's INCI name is | | | | risk. |
| Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil. | | | | See also |
| Nutrition | | | | Food portal |
| Sunflower oil (high oleic (70% and over)) | | | | References |
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | | | | ^ British Pharmacopoeia Commission. "Ph Eur |
| Energy | | | | monograph 1371". British Pharmacopoeia 2005. |
| 3,699 kJ (884 kcal) | | | | Norwich, England: The Stationery Office. ISBN |
| Carbohydrates | | | | 0-11-322682-9. |
| 0 g | | | | ^ a b |
| Fat | | | | ^ |
| 100 gsaturated | | | | ^ National Sunflower Association : Health and |
| 9.748 gmonounsaturated | | | | Nutrition |
| 83.594 gpolyunsaturated | | | | ^ a b New Healthful Sunflower Oil Resists |
| 3.798 g | | | | Breakdown / June 11, 1998 / News from the |
| Protein | | | | USDA Agricultural Research Service |
| 0 g | | | | ^ |
| Vitamin E | | | | ^ Oil changes allows Frito-Lay to slash saturated |
| 41.08 mg (274%) | | | | fat |
| Vitamin K | | | | ^ Sunflower Oil May Help Reduce Nosocomial |
| 5.4 g (5%) | | | | Infections in Preterm Infants |
| Percentages are relative to US recommendations | | | | ^ Emily Sonestedt, Ulrika Ericson, Bo Gullberg, |
| for adults. | | | | Kerstin Skog, Hkan Olsson, Elisabet Wirflt (2008). |
| Health benefits | | | | "Do both heterocyclic amines and omega-6 |
| There are a variety of health benefits associated | | | | polyunsaturated fatty acids contribute to the |
| with the consumption of sunflower oil. | | | | incidence of breast cancer in postmenopausal |
| Diet and cardiovascular benefits | | | | women of the Malm diet and cancer cohort?". The |
| Sunflower oil is high in the essential vitamin E and | | | | International Journal of Cancer (UICC International |
| low in saturated fat. The two most common | | | | Union Against Cancer) 123 (7): 16371643. |
| types of sunflower oil are linoleic and high oleic. | | | | doi:10.1002/ijc.23394. PMID 10970215. Retrieved |
| Linoleic sunflower oil is a common cooking oil that | | | | 2008-11-30. |
| has high levels of the essential fatty acids called | | | | ^ Yong Q. Chen, at al (2007). "Modulation of |
| polyunsaturated fat. It is also known for having a | | | | prostate cancer genetic risk by omega-3 and |
| clean taste and low levels of trans fat. High oleic | | | | omega-6 fatty acids". The Journal of Clinical |
| sunflower oils are classified as having | | | | Investigation 117 (7): 18661875. doi:10.1172 |
| monounsaturated levels of 80% and above. | | | | JCI31494. PMID 1890998. Retrieved 2008-11-30. |
| Newer versions of sunflower oil have been | | | | ^ Valeria Pala, Vittorio Krogh, Paola Muti, Vronique |
| developed as a hybrid containing linoleic acid. They | | | | Chajs, Elio Riboli, Andrea Micheli, Mitra Saadatian, |
| have monounsaturated levels lower than other | | | | Sabina Sieri, Franco Berrino (2001). "Erythrocyte |
| oleic sunflower oils. The hybrid oil also has lower | | | | Membrane Fatty Acids and Subsequent Breast |
| saturated fat levels than linoleic sunflower oil. | | | | Cancer: a Prospective Italian Study". JNCL 93. |
| Sunflower oil of any kind has been shown to have | | | | PMID 11459870. Retrieved 2008-11-30. |
| cardiovascular benefits as well. Diets combined | | | | |