Sunflower oil for cooking

Which type: Unsaturated oil

Extracted from sunflower seeds, sunflower oil has taken place of sesame, groundnut and coconut oil. One of the primary reasons for the growing popularity of sunflower oil is its impressive fatty acid content, which includes palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. The combination of fatty acids in the body are extremely important to maintain various elements of human health, and sunflower oil can help maintain that balance.

Health benefits:

• Good for cardiovascular conditions
• Fights free radicals and hence good for cancer patients
• Good option of arthritis and osteoporosis patients
• Good antioxidants – prevents colon cancer
• Boosts immune system & promotes functioning of nervous system
• It is rich in Vitamin E and good for skin conditions

A concern about sunflower oil is that it contains more Omega-6 contents than any other vegetable oils. If sunflower oil is eaten in excess, without intentionally boosting omega-3 intake, then it can result in an imbalance of fatty acids in the body, which is dangerous.

Image credit: pexels.com/sunflower