Is sunflower oil healthy for your diet?

Sunflower oil is a type of oil of vegetable origin that is obtained by pressing the seeds of the sunflower plant ( Helianthus annuus ).

This oil has long been linked as a healthy unsaturated fat, as it is believed to support heart health and increase good cholesterol . However, these benefits may vary according to the composition of the nutrients and the way this oil is made, which can be harmful and cause inflammation in the body or toxic gases at high temperatures.

Learn about the benefits and disadvantages of sunflower oil , as well as its difference from other oils available on the market.

Types of sunflower oil

According to their needs, man has developed sunflower cultivation techniques to obtain different fatty acid compositions, allowing the elaboration of various types of this oil, each one characteristic according to its use.

Among the most common types of sunflower oil , characterized by their percentage of fatty acids, are the following:

  • High content of linoleic acid (omega 6): 68%
  • Medium oleic acid content (omega 9): 65%
  • High content of oleic acid (omega 9): 82%
  • High content of oleic and stearic acids: 72 and 18% respectively.

Polyunsaturated (omega 6) and monounsaturated (omega 9) fatty acids are sources of energy that help to provide the body with the necessary strength for the proper functioning of cells and tissues. However, sunflower oil is usually unstable at high temperatures , forcing specialists to genetically modify its structure in some types of oil, to avoid possible negative effects on the health of consumers.

Sunflower oil high in oleic and stearic acids is solid at room temperature due to the qualities that stearic provides, which is usually a substitute for palm oil and is a base ingredient in food, cosmetics and industrial products.

However, although sunflower oils have become popular, they are not recommended for home cooking since, depending on the type, they can generate toxic gases. That is why it is mostly used in packaged food, ice cream, chocolate or industrial frying (using high oleic oils).

Tipos de aceite de girasol

Nutritional composition of sunflower oil

Sunflower oils are 99.9% fat and do not contain proteins, carbohydrates or cholesterol, although for each tablespoon they provide the body with about 41% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin E , which favors the regeneration of cells against damage originated by age.

Nutritional value of the most commercialized sunflower oils

Input Portion of 100 g 10 g portion Daily recommendation: Men / Women
Energy (Kcal) 899 90 3000/2300
Total lipids (g) 99.9 10 100-117 / 77-89
Saturated fatty acids (g) 12.3 1.23 23-27 / 18-20
Monounsaturated fatty acids (g) 25.15 2.52 67/51
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (g) 62.3 6.23 17/13
Water (g) 0.1 0 2500/2000
Vitamin E (mg) 49.2 4.9 12/12

Similarly, in the industry, oils with a high level of oleic acids have been developed, which have a higher ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids and allow greater resistance to high temperatures. The composition of this type of oil, per 100 grams, is approximately 85 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids and 4 grams of polyunsaturated.

Valor nutricional de los aceites de girasol más comercializados

Positive effects of sunflower oil

Sunflower oil, due to its percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids, can help you lose weight and reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and inflammation, as well as promote insulin sensitivity in patients diagnosed with diabetes (Robertson, 2017).

A scientific study carried out on 15 healthy people, aged between 35 and 69 years, for 10 weeks, showed that consuming foods rich in sunflower oil and margarine with a high content of oleic acid, favors low levels of triglycerides and LDL or bad cholesterol , being a recommended diet to prevent or control heart diseases (Allman, Gomes, Favaloro and Petocz, 2005).

Another study carried out over 8 weeks in 24 adult patients with hyperlipidemia (high levels of lipids in the blood), to whom a diet with saturated and monounsaturated fats was applied, showed a representative increase in HDL or good cholesterol and an effective control of cardiovascular diseases in those patients who included sunflower oil and avocados in their diet (Jenkins, 2010).

Due to studies proving all their benefits, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a claim regarding high oleic sunflower oils and other similar products, allowing their manufacturers to label them as a favorable food to prevent heart disease .

However, despite these benefits, this oil, if not consumed in a moderate way or according to the specifications given by the manufacturer, can be harmful to the body.

Efectos positivos del aceite de girasol

Negative effects of sunflower oil

Although several studies have shown the benefits of sunflower oil for health, there is a risk of possible side effects that can affect the body.

High content of linoleic acid (omega 6)

Most of the presentations of sunflower oil contain high percentages of omega 6 (in relation to oleic acid) that, despite being an elemental fatty acid for humans, in excess is harmful and can be transformed into arachidonic acid, causing inflammation in the body (Jandacek, 2017).

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Toxic gases

Although sunflower oil is frequently used for cooking at high temperatures due to its supposed resistance to decomposition, not all types of sunflower oil are recommended , since they can release toxic gases (aldehydes) at temperatures above 82 ° C.

Aldehydes are compounds classified as toxic to humans, as they can affect cells and DNA, causing diseases such as Alzheimer's and heart. According to a scientific study, sunflower oil has a higher release of aldehydes compared to other cooking oils of vegetable origin (Peng, Lan, Lin and Kuo, 2017).

Because the longer this oil is exposed to high temperatures, the greater the release of aldehyde compounds, low-temperature cooking methods, such as frying, are the most recommended and safe for this type of oil (although the variety with high oleic acid levels is more stable and safer for frying at high temperatures).

Efectos negativos de consumir aceite de girasol

Differences of sunflower oil with other oils

Sunflower oil high in oleic acid, in small proportions, can provide great benefits for the body, especially for heart health. However, varieties with a high or medium level of omega 6 can obscure those benefits and be toxic if not consumed properly.

Similarly, oils such as olive and avocado are also rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, but more stable than sunflower oil, so they represent the same benefits but with a lower risk of toxicity at high temperatures.

Oils with low levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as sunflower (high in oleic acid), canola and palm, are safer to cook at high temperatures – relative to sunflower oil high in linoleic acid – ( Peng, Lan, Lin and Kuo, 2017).

Diferencias del aceite de girasol con otros aceites

conclusion

Sunflower oil, due to its known benefits and common use in cooking, is one of the most popular worldwide, along with olive, soy, rapeseed and palm oil. Some studies suggest that controlled consumption of this high oleic acid oil can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and bad cholesterol, as well as increase good cholesterol.

However, varieties rich in omega 6 or linoleic acid can be harmful to health, since they can cause inflammation or emit toxic gases such as aldehydes when exposed to high temperatures for a long time, so it is recommended to avoid their use in foods that require these characteristics or use sunflower oil with a high level of oleic acid, which is more stable and safe.

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References

  • Allman, M., Gomes, K., Favaloro, E. and Petocz, P. (2005). A diet rich in high-oleic-acid sunflower oil favorably alters low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and factor VII coagulant activity. Journal of the American Dietetic Association . doi: 10.1016 / j.jada.2005.04.008
  • Spanish Nutrition Foundation. Sunflower oil. [Revised March 2020].
  • Jandacek, R. (2017). Linoleic Acid: A Nutritional Quandary. Healthcare . doi: 10.3390 / healthcare5020025
  • Jenkins, DJ, Chiavaroli, L., Wong, JM, Kendall, C., Lewis, GF, Vidgen, E., Connelly, PW, Leiter, LA, Josse, RG, & Lamarche, B. (2010). Adding monounsaturated fatty acids to a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods in hypercholesterolemia. Canadian Medical Association Journal . doi: 10.1503 / cmaj.092128
  • List, G. (2017). Sunflower Seed and Oil. Lipid Technology . doi: 10.1002 / lite.201700005
  • Peng, C., Lan, C., Lin, P. and Kuo, Y. (2017). Effects of cooking method, cooking oil, and food type on aldehyde emissions in cooking oil fumes. Journal of Hazardous Materials . doi: 10.1016 / j.jhazmat.2016.10.045
  • Streit, L. (2020). Is Sunflower Oil Healthy? For Healthline. [Revised March 2020].
  • US Food and Drug Administration. (2018). FDA Completes Review of Qualified Health Claim Petition for Oleic Acid and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease. [Revised March 2020].