Olive oil and coconut oil may be more popular, but sunflower oil has also started to get the recognition it deserves from the international community. Organic sunflower oil is rich in omega fatty acids, known as oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fat. There are many benefits for using organic sunflower oil, since it is known to lower bad cholesterol. The best thing about organic sunflower oil is that you can use it in more than one way, because of its beneficial properties.It is commonly used as a cooking pantry staple, for skincare, and for coating fruits to make them shiny. We are going to look at some of the different ways you can use sunflower oil:

5 Ways You Can Use Sunflower Oil

In this short guide, we will be looking at 5 ways in which you can use sunflower oil in your daily life:

1. In baking recipes as a substitute for butter – You can use sunflower oil as a substitute for butter, as it keeps the cake moist and has a subtle flavour.
2. It can also be used in homemade cosmetics because sunflower oil is rich in vitamin E, which is good for your skin.
3. You can also use sunflower oil as an under-eye moisturiser. Just apply it at night and let it absorb into the skin when you sleep.
4. Sunflower oil can also be used for scalp & hair treatment. Just apply it to your scalp and massage gently before wrapping a hot towel on your head, to leave it for an hour. Then shampoo it off.
5. It also has a high smoke point, and a neutral flavour, which makes sunflower oil great for deep-frying and stir-frying anything.

There are a lot of great benefits you gain from sunflower oil, as it has been found to prevent cancer, reduce inflammation, protect against asthma, lower cholesterol, improve skin health, strengthen the immune system, boost energy, and improve heart health.However, before we begin discussing the many health benefits of sunflower oil, let’s find out what it is.

What Is Sunflower Oil?

Sunflower oil is extracted from sunflowers and is a non-volatile oil. The great thing about sunflower oil is that it can replace most of the healthy cooking oils in the market, and is also used in some cosmetic applications. One of the main reasons why sunflower oil is growing in popularity is because it has impressive fatty acid content, including linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid. The combination of fatty acids in the body are very important, since they are tied to different parts of the body and will help maintain proper balance.Vitamin E and the fatty acids in the body, along with organic compounds act like antioxidants in sunflower oil, which have a positive effect on different conditions that people suffer from. The reason it has become so popular in the international market is because it is a great alternative for people looking for healthy eating options.

Why is Sunflower Oil So Popular?

Sunflowers oil, extracted from sunflowers has been used in cooking for generations. The oil is extracted from the seeds of sunflowers, and has a lot of nutritional value. The nutritious composition of the oil makes it one of the healthiest oils used for application on skin, and hair, and for consumption. That has turned sunflower oil into one of the most popular oils in the international market.

Sunflower Seeds and Oil

There are two main types of sunflower seeds: non-oil sunflower seeds and confection sunflower seeds. The non-oil sunflower seeds aren’t suitable for human consumption and are used for feeding animals, while the confection sunflower seeds are edible, and are used in making the oil. The cold pressed sunflower oil has an amber color and a pleasant, but mild taste. The refined oil has a pale-yellow color, and is extremely light and rich in polyunsaturated fat.This is one of the main reasons why sunflower oil is extremely popular around the world, and is even preferred over other oils like olive, corn, safflower, and canola oils for cooking. Sunflower oil has great smoothening properties and a longer shelf-life, which makes it great for cosmetic preparations.

Health Benefits of Sunflower Oil

The best thing about sunflower oil is that it has a lot of amazing health benefits, which allow the body to remain strong and healthy. Even though it has a lot of high-fat items, it is the best cooking oil, because of the amazing health improving nutrients it features. It can reduce bad cholesterol levels, since it has the perfect balance of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.This has led to more and more people using sunflower oil for cooking and making it a part of their diet. Getting into the amazing health benefits of sunflower oil can be lengthy, but we have tried to keep it short in this guide. So, here are some of the health benefits you can gain with sunflower oil:

1. Cardiovascular benefits:

Sunflower oil is low in saturated fats and rich in vitamin E, apart from being rich in phenolic and choline acids, which are great for your heart. It is the healthiest oil for consumption because it has the perfect balance of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. This is what makes sunflower oil amazing at reducing the chances of heart attacks and preventing cardiovascular diseases.

2. Prevents arthritis:

Sunflower oil has essential vitamins and nutrients that help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, and is the best solution for preventing arthritis.

3. Prevention of asthma and colon cancer:

Due to the high quantities of vitamin E in the sunflower oil, it prevents asthma and colon cancer, when you add it to your diet.

4. Prevention of other cancers:

Sunflower oil has carotenoids, which prevent skin, lung, and uterine cancers. It is also rich in vitamin A, which is great in preventing cataracts.

5. Lowers cholesterol:

Sunflower oil is rich in lecithin, which is an important ingredient that helps reduce cholesterol levels in the body, by sticking to the cell and nerve linings.

6. Fights free radicals:

It also has antioxidant properties, which are great in neutralizing the threat of cancer causing free radicals, which can damage the immune system and the cells.

7. Repairs the body:

It is rich in proteins, which are important to produce enzymes and hormones, and for repairing and building tissues. The body needs a lot of proteins, and sunflower oil is abundant in them, which makes it the ideal cooking oil to consume.

8. Prevention of infant infection:

Sunflower oil has also been used to reduce the risk of infection in infants with low birth weight. These infants may suffer from infections because of underdeveloped organs and immune system, and sunflower oil acts as a protective barrier to prevent infections.

9. Healthy nervous system:

Sunflower oil is also rich in vitamin B, which is a great source of energy, and promotes proper digestion, and a healthy nervous system.

10. Reduction of cardiac problems:

The selenium in sunflower oil is great for reducing the risk of hepatic degradation, and cardiac problems, while it also helps reduce the risk of skin and lung cancers.

The Other Benefits

Sunflower oil is also rich in folic and folate acid, which helps in the growth of new cells. The magnesium helps to prevent muscle cramp, and the tryptophan promotes sleep and relaxes the brain by helping produce more serotonin.

Skin Benefits of Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil also has many great benefits for the skin, which is why it is regularly used in cosmetic skincare products. It has moisturising properties, since it is rich in antioxidants and nutrients, and that has made its use in cosmetic and medicinal products quite common.Sunflower oil has also been found to be highly effective against skin irritation, general redness, inflammation, eczema, and acne. Here are some other skin benefits of sunflower oil:

11. Effective moisturizing agent:

The emollient properties of the sunflower oil help the skin to retain moisture, and that is why it is used as a moisturizing agent. It is found in lotions to be applied on pre-term infants, because it creates a protective barrier, and massaging infants with the oil reduces the risk of skin infections.

12. Improves skin health:

The high quantities of vitamin E in sunflower oil make it great for skincare products, since vitamin E is vital for preventing skin damage caused by UVA light from the sun. It also prevents scarring, and smoothes existing wrinkles, making it ideal.

13. Sunflower oil for acne:

Sunflower oil is rich in vitamins A, C, and D, and waxes, and healthy carotenoids, which create a protective barrier for the skin. The oil has been known to treat acne with good success, and is non-greasy and extremely light. It is absorbed easily by the skin, and doesn’t block or clog the pores. The fatty acids in the sunflower oil also regenerates skin cells and gets rids of bacteria that cause acne.

14. Rich in beta-carotene:

Beta-carotene is a fat-soluble compound, and is richly pigmented, and can be converted into vitamin A. The anti-oxidant properties it has are great for your health and appearance, which is why consuming this oil makes protects your skin against the sun.

15. Reduces premature signs of aging:

Sunflower oil has a lot of anti-oxidant properties, which stop the premature signs of aging. Exposure to sunlight and free radicals enhances the aging of the skin, and leads to wrinkles and fine lines occurring on the face at an early age. The antioxidant properties of sunflower oil prevent all that by reducing premature signs of aging.

16. Treats dry skin:

Sunflower oil is well known for its moisture retention capacity, and is therefore ideal for treating dry, sensitive, or dehydrated skin. Applying sunflower oil to the skin removes impurities and dead cells from the skin, and moisturises it.

17. Treats skin conditions:

Sunflower oil is also great at treating numerous skin conditions due to all the antioxidant properties and how rich it is in proteins and vitamins. It is great for normal to dry skin and has also been used in aromatherapy due to its light texture and mild scent.

Hair Benefits of Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil isn’t just great for consumption or for your skin, it has amazing benefits for your hair as well. The extensive array of antioxidants and nutrients, along with the fatty acids, make it the perfect oil to be applied to your hair. Here are some of the benefits of sunflower oil for your hair:

18. Controls frizzy hair:

Sunflower oil has mild flavour and light texture, which allows it to soften the hair and add a sheen to it. The oil tackles dryness, controls frizz, and treats damaged hair, allowing you to have manageable hair. The great thing about sunflower oil is that you can use it as a natural conditioner, and apply it to your scalp by massaging it before you bathe once a week.

19. Conditions hair:

Sunflower oil is extremely light, which allows it to condition greasy hair easily. It also prevents breakage, and nourishes the hair, making it an excellent hair conditioner.

20. Prevents thinning of hair:

Sunflower oil is also excellent for preventing thinning of hair, since it has gamma alpha linolenic acid (GLA), which treats hair-loss, alopecia areata, and baldness.

Sunflower Oil Nutrition Data

Sunflower oil is considered by many to be the healthiest oil in the world, because of the extensive health improving nutrients it has. The oil is rich in vitamins E, B1, B5, B6, and C, and has minerals like niacin, iron, riboflavin, calcium, potassium, folate, magnesium, zinc, phosphorous, and copper. This makes it the best choice for people, who want to eat health, since it has amazing health benefits. If you are looking for more information on sunflower oil and its many uses and benefits, check back again.