Cooking oil is a vital and basic ingredient in any food preparation. Whether it is a serving of mixed greens or main course, oil is used for cooking and to enhance the flavor of the food. However, picking the correct cooking oil (quality and quantity) can spare you from cholesterol blockages, and other health concerns.
There are various oils that are used for cooking, that is – rice bran oil, coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, groundnut oil, soyabean oil, to name a few. All these oils have their own characteristics and are useful in their own respective ways.
While using cooking oils, health is the foremost concern that comes to people’s mind. How beneficial is this oil? Will it have harmful effects on one’s body? These are common questions that arise in the mind. The fact is that all oils have some or the other beneficial property hence oils are put to use in our daily life and the importance to keep changing our oils on monthly basis.
Refined Sunflower oil works wonders when it comes to health. Sunflower oil is extracted naturally from the seeds of sunflowers. There are several health benefits of Refined Sunflower oil which can be attributed to its polyunsaturated fatty acids also called as essential fatty acids.
One should remember that there are basically three main categories of dietary fats: Saturated (SFA), Monounsaturated (MUFA), and Polyunsaturated (PUFA) based on their chemical classification of the fatty acids. The main health benefit of Refined Sunflower oil is Cholesterol Management. Refined Sunflower Oil has a high content of Linoleic Acid which is a polyunsaturated fatty acid followed by Oleic Acid. The saturated fatty acids in sunflower oil, majorly palmitic and stearic acids, do not amount to more than 15 % of the fatty acid content.
Linoleic acid, which is a polyunsaturated fatty acid, is one of the essential fatty acid which is vital for good health. They cannot be synthesized by the body and need to be taken from an external source. PUFA rich oils also tend to lower LDL (Bad cholesterol) and Total/HDL Cholesterol ratio. There is convincing evidence that replacing SFA with PUFA decreases the risk of Coronary Heart Diseases (CHD). Sunflower oil is low in saturated fats and saturated fats if consumed in higher levels tend to increase LDL (Bad cholesterol).
Hence, refined sunflower oil is the preferred oil for general cooking as it has a high smoke point and brings out the natural flavor of the food. It can also be used as a salad oil and can find application in salad dressings, mayonnaise, ready to eat or cook foods, and sandwich spreads. It is also being used in many nutritional-cum-dietary supplements because of its high linoleic content.
Choosing Refined Sunflower oil amongst other oils to add to your life will be a wise decision. The maximum benefit can be obtained by changing the oils we use in our diet at frequent intervals. Switch to a healthy oil and lead a healthy life! #KhabarLive
