Most of us like to eat deep-fried food items which look all shiny, glittery & slippery. This is because when fried in oil food tastes more delicious than anything else. But is it really good for our health? How much oil intake is right for our body? Are we going to put on weight? I suppose we all have these questions running in our mind after we finish our delicious meal. Well, most of your questions will be answered shortly. Now, this is going to be a bit oily because it’s all about the Sunflower oil.
Sunflower is known to be cultivated from the past 8000 years. It is mainly cultivated as a food source. Sunflower is one of those few flowers which have a flower in the name itself. The name was given for the fact that it keeps tracking the sun for the whole day. This is the only flower that most of the kids would draw or paint very easily. The long and slim bright yellow petals encircle the brownish inner head. The outer flowers are the ray florets which are sterile & can be yellow, orange or red. The inner head is nothing but hundreds and hundreds of small flowers called the disc florets, which will ultimately turn into seeds.
Sunflowers are pollinated by the world-famous pollinators “The Bees”. If in case the bees don’t show up then the sunflowers also have a back-up plan. They can self-pollinate and form the seeds. Also, sunflowers need 10-12 hours of proper sunshine for its seed setting. After the seeds are fully developed the ray florets wither. Then the flower heads will be cut off to harvest the seeds for oil extraction.
Most commonly produced in the farmed sunflower for oil purposes. The seeds are enclosed in black shells. While the non- oilseeds are those which are meant for human consumption. These seeds are high in vitamin E content. Just like peanut butter sunflower seed butter is also available. People who are allergic to nut butter can shift to sunflower seed butter which has many health benefits over others. Apart from food, sunflower farming has also evolved into sectors like art, décor, fashion etc.
Oils are nothing but lipids or fats. This is the reason that people whose oil intake is more tend to put on weight easily. These fats are of two types: Saturated & Unsaturated. The saturated ones are not good for health. Their higher intake may eventually cause illness. The unsaturated fats are monounsaturated fats & polyunsaturated fats. Getting a bit into the chemistry part of these fatty acids, unsaturated fats are those that do not have a double bond in its chemical structure whereas the unsaturated fatty acid may contain one (monounsaturated) or many (polyunsaturated) double bonds. These unsaturated bonds just look like 2 sisters holding both their hands together.
Did you guys ever notice that most of the oils solidify in winters? The reason is that the unsaturated fats have less heat tolerance and therefore solidify in cold climates. The unsaturated fats are the ones that are good for health. They contain the omega 3 fatty acids & omega 6 fatty acids. These are the essential fatty acids that are required for our brain development. Since they cannot be produced in the body and are essential for our well-being, they have to be taken through food. The foods that are rich in these fatty acids are walnuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, fish, safflower seeds, soya beans, etc. People say that fish is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acid. Yes, it is, but it does not produce on its own. It accumulates the omega 3 FA by consuming algae & planktons. And sunflower oil contains almost 66% of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Since oil is used daily for culinary purposes, one should be sure enough that it contains good amounts of both mono & polyunsaturated fatty acids. And sunflower oil serves just the best. Sunflower oil contains high amounts of both omega 3 & omega 6 fatty acids. The omega 3 fatty acids help in reducing heart diseases such as arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), lowers triglycerides, and prevents building up of plaque in the arteries. While the omega 6 fatty acids help in lowering the blood pressure, blood sugar and prevents the risk of diabetes. Sunflower oil does not contain unsaturated fats at all and therefore, it lowers the blood cholesterol in the body. These two fatty acids work to keep your heart in its perfect functioning. Then you can say that you are good at heart!
Here is a small tip for Girls! Sunflower oil contains vitamin E and A which act as antioxidants and aid in regenerating the dead & damaged skin. It reduces acne-causing bacteria. Sunflower oil is light and acts as a moisturizer which gets easily absorbed into the pores treating the dry & sensitive skin. It also acts as a hair conditioner. Sunflower oil contains GLA (gamma alpha-linolenic acid) which is widely used in the treatment of hair loss.
Sunflower oil is an energy booster. It energizes you by releasing the stored form of glucose (glycogen) into the bloodstream. Well, this might remind you guys about the “No Entry board”. This oil strengthens the cell membranes which makes it harder for the micro-organisms like bacteria & viruses to enter into the body. It saves us from many harmful infections.
Does anyone know why sunflower oil is mostly used for cooking or frying? The reason is that it is extremely light, easy to digest and also gets absorbed quickly into your blood. It helps prevent constipation. So if you are continuously facing digestive problems try switching your cooking oil to sunflower oil.
Sunflower oil is also rich in Vitamin D. So even if there is no sunshine you have sunflower oil for vitamin D. The sunflower oil has anti-inflammatory properties which help in reducing the pain. Some studies show that sunflower oil can increase the gestation period in pregnant women to decrease the premature births of babies.
Any food taken in excess may also form complications. Taking too many fats daily may also lead to obesity. We derive 9 calories from 1g of fat. This is twice the calories that we derive from carbohydrates or proteins. Fats are primarily required for energy production. 25-30% of daily unsaturated fat consumption is advisable by the doctors. And also the intake of saturated fats should be limited to only 6% or 13g. Higher intake of saturated fats may lead to heart problems.
Grab a can of Sunflower oil immediately from the grocery store and start living healthier than ever. And also don’t forget to share your little health sutra with your loved ones. So eat healthily and stay healthy!
Pisum Foods is one of the leading sunflower oilseeds exporters from India. Our executives at Pisum Foods are trained to support you at every step on the way, right from documentation to the final delivery of the products. Our global connections and in-depth knowledge of the market has proven to be beneficial to most of our past clients. We have extensive experience in the food export industry and are well-equipped to help you. If you are looking for Sunflower Oil export from India, Contact Pisum now!