Which sunflower oil is healthier? Technologies and composition. Is there cholesterol in sunflower oil?

Sunflower oil for a healthy diet

Sunflower oil- This is the most popular oil in our country. Oil is obtained from sunflower seeds.

Special Benefits

Sunflower oil - useful properties

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Sunflower oil - composition, fatty acids, vitamins, calories

The composition of sunflower oil includes:

• monounsaturated oleic acid Omega-9 (82.6%),
• polyunsaturated linoleic acid Omega-6 (3.6%),
• saturated fatty acids.

Sunflower oil contains phytosterols, vitamins E, K and choline.

There is more vitamin E in sunflower oil than in olive oil. As you know, vitamin E is the strongest natural natural antioxidant that protects the human body from aging at the cellular level. In sunflower oil, vitamin E per 100 g is 41.08 mg, in olive oil - 14.35 mg.

calories

Calorie content per 100 g - 884 kcal.

Medicinal and beneficial properties

Sunflower oil - benefits for the cardiovascular system, medicinal properties

Regular and dosed consumption of sunflower oil in food contributes to the process of blood purification. Oil reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood, respectively, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Sunflower seed oil improves immunity, improves metabolism, regulates the fat balance of the body, treats chronic diseases of the stomach, intestines, liver, and lungs.

Sunflower oil - benefits, medicinal properties

The benefit of sunflower oil is that the beneficial substances that make up this oil have a positive effect on the activity of the endocrine and gonads.

Sunflower oil - benefits, medicinal properties

Sunflower seed oil promotes bone growth and development. Helps with rheumatism, arthritis. Helps reduce skin inflammation and heal wounds. Based on the oil, solutions for ointments and patches are prepared. Sunflower seed oil can relieve headaches and migraines. Helps with tooth and ear pain.

Application in cosmetology

Sunflower seed oil is suitable for all skin types. It cleanses the skin, moisturizes dry and chapped skin, has softening and regenerating properties, smoothes fine wrinkles.

Application in cooking

Sunflower oil will bring undeniable benefits if used correctly and in reasonable quantities. Try to use first cold pressed oil. Oil of dubious production cannot be of benefit to the human body.

Sunflower seed oil is divided into two types - unrefined and refined oil.

Unrefined oil is more valuable, as it retains all the beneficial substances. It cannot be heated, it is perfect for dressing salads, appetizers, ready-made stews and boiled dishes, cereals and cereal side dishes. Sunflower oil is used to make homemade mayonnaise, various dressings and salad dressings.

Refined oil is intended exclusively for cooking by frying. During refining and deodorization, sediment, mucus, coloring substances are removed from sunflower oil, and the smell characteristic of sunflower oil is also removed. And at the same time, the minimum amount of useful substances remains in refined oil.

Why you can fry in unrefined sunflower oil

Where did the slogans about not using unrefined sunflower oil for frying come from? After all, this is an advertising campaign for refined sunflower oil! And all because it is much cheaper and faster to produce refined oil than unrefined oil. Think about it, before there were no technologies for the production of refined oil, and our grandmothers used natural sunflower oil with a smell. And refined oil is a surrogate in which, after so many stages of processing, nothing useful for the body remains. In addition, it is produced using petroleum products, which are not completely removed during oil refining, and we use them together with oil. Eating refined sunflower oil is bad for your health!

If you want to fry something, then it is better to use unrefined sunflower oil. Its disadvantage is that when heated, many useful substances are lost. And some may not like that the products are saturated with the smell of sunflower oil. But sometimes it is better to use unrefined oil than refined refined oil that is harmful to health.

Of course, the best oil for frying is ghee. You can also fry in coconut, soy, mustard oils.

How to choose and how to store sunflower oil

When choosing unrefined sunflower seed oil, pay attention to the sediment. Fresh oil may have a slight sediment and slight haze at the bottom of the bottle. High-quality oil has a pleasant taste. A bitter taste is a sign of stale or spoiled oil.

To check the quality of the oil, put a drop on the skin and rub it. A good oil absorbs quickly into the skin.

Try to buy oil in a small bottle, because after opening and contact with air, the shelf life of the oil decreases dramatically.

After the first use, unrefined sunflower oil should only be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed glass bottle.

Introduce different oils into your diet so that you don’t use the same oil for a long time, but stick to

Vegetable oils have firmly entered human life. They are actively used in cooking and cosmetology. Some of their species are a curiosity for us. But there is a type of vegetable oil that is in almost every kitchen - this is sunflower oil.

Description and characteristics of the product

Sunflower oil is obtained from the seeds of a flower from the Astrov family - the sunflower. It is a very common agricultural oilseed throughout the world.

The sunflower was introduced to Europe from North America and was first grown as an ornamental plant and later for its seeds.

Did you know? In England, there is a patent dating back to 1716, which describes the process of obtaining sunflower oil. But the large-scale production of this product began thanks to the simple serf Count Sheremetyev Daniil Bokarev. It was he who in 1829 invented a way to make sunflower oil. In 1833, the first oil mill began operating in Russia, and its production quickly took on an industrial scale.

Now there are several ways to produce sunflower oil and, according to them, it is divided into refined and unrefined.

refined

This product is refined mainly to get rid of the specific taste and smell, so as not to interrupt the taste of the dish being prepared. It is also more suitable for frying and other heat treatments.

Two refinement methods are currently in use:

• physical, in which adsorbents are used for cleaning;
• chemical - alkalis are used. The most common cleaning method, usually using a petroleum product, hexane.

In the chemical method, sunflower seeds are mixed with hexane, which contributes to a better release of fat from the seeds. Then the oil product is removed with steam, and the remaining product is treated with alkali.

The resulting product then undergoes deodorization, in which it is purified with water vapor under vacuum.

unrefined

The unrefined product is obtained from seeds without additional exposure, it can be obtained in several ways:

• cold pressing. The prepared material is pressed using temperatures up to +40 °C. This is the most useful product that has retained all the vitamins and nutrients, but is stored the least;
• hot pressing. Plant material is heated up to +120 °C, at such temperatures more fat is released and this prolongs the shelf life, but some of the nutrients are destroyed. Such a product has a taste of roasted seeds and a darker color;
• extraction. A chemical solvent is used, which is then removed from the resulting product. This is the most productive and used way.

Unrefined varieties have a richer taste and smoke when frying.
On a product that is produced only by pressing, they put the marks "Top Grade", "First Grade". The shelf life of a high-quality unrefined version is no more than two months. Such oil has a darker yellow color than refined oil. At the same time, as well as refined, it can be purified, but more gentle. It is settled, filtered, hydrated and neutralized, while retaining useful substances.

We study the composition

Any sunflower oil is almost 100% vegetable fats. The most useful composition of the high-oleic sunflower product, as it contains less Omega-6 and more Omega-3.

vitamins

This product in 100 g contains the following vitamins:

• - 41.08 mg;
• - 5.4 mcg.

Did you know? The content of youth vitamin (E) in unrefined cold-pressed sunflower oil is much higher than in olive oil (12.1 mg per 100 g).

Minerals

This product cannot boast of the presence of any mineral substances.

Fatty acid

The composition of 100 g of high oleic sunflower oil is represented by the following acids:

• monounsaturated fatty acids - 83.689 g;
• saturated fatty acids - 9.859 g;
• polyunsaturated fatty acids - 3.798 g.

Monounsaturated fatty acids are:

• - 82.63 g;
• gadoleic (Omega-9) - 0.964 g;
• palmitoleic - 0.095 g.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids include:

• - 3.606 g;
• - 0.192 g.

Saturated fats are stearic, palmitic, behenic, pentadecanoic and myristic fatty acids.

Calorie content and nutritional value of the product

Sunflower oil, like any fat, belongs to high-calorie foods and contains 884 kcal per 100 g. Any sunflower oil is almost 100% vegetable fats.
Contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) that are important for the body.

We study the benefits, harms and uses of refined oil

Refined oil has a longer shelf life (up to 18 months). It is used to produce margarine and other cooking oils, it is used in manufacturing for lubrication and insulation, for the manufacture of paints and varnishes, it can be used to fill kerosene lamps. It is used by the cosmetic (for the manufacture of soap, creams, etc.) and the pharmacological industry (therapeutic ointments).

In cooking

This option is great for culinary use. It does not smoke and does not foam when frying, it has a neutral taste and smell, it helps to preserve the taste of dishes. It is this oil that is used for deep-frying, frying, baking and any other heat treatment.

It is used for the manufacture of baby food, canning.

Important! When frying any fat, including vegetable origin, trans fats are formed, which contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, ischemia, various tumors, Alzheimer's disease and lead to hormonal disruptions. Therefore, fried foods are considered the most harmful. Most trans fats are found in recycled fats. Therefore, after each frying, it is recommended to change the oil.

For good health

Refined sunflower oil has a definite plus for health - it, like any other vegetable products, does not contain cholesterol and is more acceptable for people with high cholesterol than butter.

Vitamins in such a product are not stored, but there are fatty acids (Omega-3, Omega-6) that the body needs for normal functioning. Their ratio is the most optimal in high-oleic varieties.

If the content of vitamins E, A, D and others is written on the package with a refined product, then this is an additive of synthesized vitamins. True, these vitamins are still destroyed during heat treatment.

Based on the refined version, various therapeutic ointments are made, both in pharmacology and in traditional medicine.

Can it be used in cosmetology

The refined product no longer contains vitamin E, which is so useful and important for skin and hair care, but artificially synthesized vitamins (E, A) can be added to it. The vegetable fats contained in it soften and moisturize dry skin, add shine to the hair, so it can be added to home cosmetics if there is no unrefined one on hand. In addition, the shelf life of products prepared from it is longer, so the cosmetic industry uses it. Often used for maceration, as the cheapest and most stable option.

It is never used in its pure form, it is added to cosmetics up to 10%.

We study the benefits, harms and uses of unrefined oil

The most useful sunflower oil is made by cold pressing. It retains all the beneficial properties and contains a shock dose of vitamin E, which is famous for its antioxidant properties. Fragrant, with the taste of sunflower seeds, the oil is perfect for many vegetable dishes, salads, marinades. Once opened, this oil will keep for only two months in the refrigerator. You can extend its shelf life by placing it in the freezer.

In cooking

This oil, during frying, strongly smokes and foams, while the dish cooked with it acquires its specific taste and smell. It also produces harmful trans fats.

But it is perfect for vegetable salads, marinades. They can be seasoned with cereals, soups, vegetable dishes. It goes well with salted herring and sauerkraut, boiled potatoes, salted and pickled mushrooms. This is a classic vinaigrette dressing.

Did you know? The sunflower got its name from the fact that its head with yellow petals turns after the sun. This behavior of plants is called heliotropism.

For good health

Vitamin E helps maintain youth, improves immunity, promotes reproductive functions, and reduces the likelihood of cancer. Together with the omega-fats that make up unrefined sunflower oil, it participates in metabolic processes, promotes growth, has a good effect on the cardiovascular system and the normal functioning of the central nervous system, and stimulates the liver.
It is enough for a person to consume one or two tablespoons of this herbal product per day for the normal functioning of the body.

Application in cosmetology

They like to use this species for the manufacture of home cosmetics. It contains a lot of vitamin E, which rejuvenates the skin and smoothes wrinkles, as well as fatty acids, perfectly moisturizing and softening it. It is most rational to use it in disposable home masks.

Great for dry and chapped skin. In winter, the owners of such skin can be helped by a procedure of oil compresses: a napkin soaked in warm sunflower oil is placed on a cleansed face and washed off with a decoction of linden in half an hour.

Cracked areas of the skin (feet, elbows, lips, etc.) are lubricated for healing with a mixture of 100 g of this unrefined product and the contents of a bottle of vitamin A purchased at a pharmacy.

Face masks
You can also make the following face masks:

• for mature skin. In heated 50 ml of cream, add 30 g of fresh yeast, 1.5 tbsp. l. honey, 2 tbsp. l. of this vegetable oil, mix thoroughly and beat. Apply to face, neck and décolleté for half an hour;
• for any skin type. In 3 st. l. with unrefined sunflower product add 1.5 tbsp. l. honey, 1 tbsp. l. oatmeal, 50 ml of warm milk. Mix all components well and apply on cleansed face for 20 minutes;
• for oily skin. Mix 2 tbsp. l. unrefined oil with a pinch of fine sea salt, 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. l. wheat flour. Keep on face and neck for 15 minutes.

Hair masks

Its use is excellent for the condition of the hair, use it in the following masks:

• for dry hair. Grind two egg yolks with a teaspoon of calendula tincture, add 2 tbsp. l. unrefined oil. Rub everything and apply to your hair. Keep for 20-30 minutes under a plastic cap and wrapped, and then wash your hair with shampoo;
• for all hair types. Mix 4 tbsp. l. unrefined oil product, juice of one lemon and 3-4 drops of lavender ether and apply the resulting mass to the hair for 20-30 minutes. After washing your hair with shampoo.

Sunflower oil as a way to lose weight

This product is considered one of the simplest, most natural and affordable means to combat extra pounds. For weight loss, it is recommended to choose an unrefined cold-pressed version, since it contains more beneficial trace elements than others.

The product promotes weight loss due to the following properties:

• the fat contained in it does not settle on the walls of blood vessels, but, on the contrary, contributes to its removal;
• activates the gallbladder and gastrointestinal tract;
• the fatty acids contained in this product contribute to the burning, as well as the removal of excess body fat;
• linoleic acid during physical exertion helps to build and shape muscles;
• normalizes metabolism in the human body, improves the activity of the endocrine, cardiovascular and nervous systems.

But you need to use this product carefully, as it has a high calorie content. For weight loss, the recommended dose is no more than 25 ml per day fresh. To reduce weight, it is good to use the unrefined version as a dressing for salads made from fresh vegetables, as well as from boiled beets. For weight loss, there is a buckwheat diet with the addition of this product.

Product selection rules

Almost every housewife in the kitchen can find sunflower oil in refined and unrefined form. This product is massively sold on the shelves of many stores in a wide range.

Did you know? The largest world producer of sunflower oil according to 2014 data is Ukraine (4400 thousand tons). Russia is slightly inferior to it - 4060 thousand tons. The rest of the top ten countries (Argentina, Turkey, France, etc.) lag far behind them in terms of production volumes.

What to pay attention to

When buying a quality product, you should pay attention to the following points:

What not to pay attention to

When buying this product, you do not need to pay attention to the following inscriptions, as this is more of an advertising ploy:

• does not contain preservatives and dyes. In vegetable oil, chemical dyes or preservatives are almost never added. Such a product does not require their presence at all, since it already has a fairly long shelf life;
• first spin. The unrefined version is always made during the first pressing of sunflower seeds, and in the refined form it is obtained using chemical processing methods;
• contains vitamin E. Sunflower oil in any form contains this vitamin, but in a refined product it can be a small amount.

Harm and contraindications

Sunflower oil is a product of plant origin, so it cannot harm the human body. The only contraindication is individual intolerance to some of the elements that make up its composition in an unrefined form. It should be used in limited quantities due to its high calorie content. Excessive consumption of this product can also lead to an exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases. Do not abuse it with obesity and a diseased pancreas.

Important! It is advisable not to exceed the daily norm of sunflower oil. It is no more than 30 g per day.

It is imperative to ensure that this food product is fresh, observe storage conditions, and also monitor the expiration date.

Sunflower or olive: which one to prefer?

Benefits of sunflower oil:

• sold in any grocery store and more affordable;
• the refined version is great for heat treatment;
• the unrefined cold-pressed version contains much more vitamin E.

Benefits of olive oil:

• includes more vitamin K;
• it has a more beneficial ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 for the human body;
• contains phytosterols that help lower cholesterol levels;
• higher shelf life of the unrefined version.

In general, nutritionists do not see any special advantages of one product over another and recommend using both for the best benefit for the body.

More about oils

Along with sunflower oil in cooking and other areas, a person quite actively uses others: corn, olive, grape.

corn

It is prepared from corn germ, which is 1/10 of the corn kernels. On the shelves of shops you can find only its refined version. It is suitable for heat treatment, has a neutral taste. It is used in medicine as a means of anti-sclerotic action.

olive

Olive oil is made from the fruits of the evergreen olive tree that grows in the subtropics. This tree was grown by the ancient Greeks, and now the main production of this product is concentrated in the Mediterranean. Even the unrefined version is stable and can be stored for up to a year.

Grape

It is obtained from grape seeds, mainly by hot extraction, the cold pressing method is very rare. Its production is usually concentrated in wineries. Used in cooking and cosmetics.

Sunflower vegetable oil is a useful component of any diet, including children's. In any form, it contains the omega-fats necessary for the normal functioning of the body, and unrefined it also contains a lot of vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties. In a word, this product is simply indispensable in every kitchen!

Sunflower oil is the most popular vegetable oil in our country. Most people buy and use refined sunflower oil, which can be used to fry, add it to baked goods, and dress salads with it. Such oil has many advantages (it lasts longer, has no smell, you can fry on it) and one big drawback - it has much less useful properties than unrefined sunflower oil. Unrefined sunflower oil in terms of its benefits to the human body is not inferior to other vegetable oils (, and others), and even significantly surpasses them in some properties. It is about unrefined sunflower oil that will be discussed in this article.

Description of sunflower oil:
Like many vegetable crops (, ), sunflower appeared in our country during the reign of Peter I, and for some time remained an ornamental plant. Gradually began to eat sunflower seeds. And only in 1829, the peasant Daniil Bokarev decided to get oil from them. In a few years, sunflower oil has become the most popular in Russia and remains so to this day.
Unrefined sunflower oil is obtained by cold or hot pressing. Cold-pressed oil is usually produced at home, it has a very short shelf life, a light yellow color, and a pleasant aroma of seeds. On an industrial scale, mostly unrefined hot-pressed sunflower oil is produced. This oil has a brighter color, and a rich taste and aroma of roasted seeds. Unrefined sunflower oil usually contains a small amount of sediment. This type of oil has many useful properties, but, unfortunately, it also has contraindications. For culinary purposes, unrefined sunflower oil is used only for dressing salads, it cannot be cooked. This oil is used not only in cooking, it is a component of a huge number of traditional medicine recipes, and it is also often used in cosmetology.

Composition of sunflower oil:
Unrefined sunflower oil is rich in saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated linoleic acid. It contains, D, group B. There are several times more vitamin in sunflower oil than in.

Sunflower oil calories:
The calorie content of unrefined sunflower oil is about 900 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Useful properties of sunflower oil:

• Unsaturated fatty acids contained in unrefined sunflower oil are involved in the formation of cell membranes and nerve fibers, that is, they are important for the entire human body.

• Sunflower oil has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, helps lower cholesterol levels, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, serves as a preventive measure for atherosclerosis, thrombosis, heart attacks and other diseases of blood vessels and the heart.

• It has a positive effect on the functioning of the brain, improves mental abilities and memory.

• It helps to improve the work of the gastrointestinal tract, to cope with constipation, it is useful for gastritis and peptic ulcer.

• Experts recommend using unrefined sunflower oil for arthritis, rheumatism and gout.

• This type of oil has a positive effect on the endocrine and genitourinary systems of a person.

• Despite the high calorie content of unrefined sunflower oil, it is recommended for overweight people and those who monitor their weight.

• Sunflower oil improves skin condition and.

• It is recommended to include in the diet of children.

• Regular consumption of unrefined sunflower oil helps protect the body from premature aging.

Sunflower oil contraindications:
Unrefined sunflower oil, like other vegetable oils, should be consumed no more than 20 grams per day, but regularly. Abuse of oil can lead to disturbances in the functioning of internal organs. Before using unrefined sunflower oil for medicinal purposes, be sure to consult a doctor.

Recipes for healthy dishes using sunflower oil:
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Use unrefined sunflower oil and others with pleasure and be healthy!

And a little more about sunflower oil:

Unrefined sunflower oil of the first extraction, in the production of which no heat treatment is used, can bring the greatest benefit to the body. This allows you to save all the useful substances and properties in it.

The main disadvantage lies in the short shelf life. Another disadvantage is that it cannot be fried and stewed, that is, heated.

The sunflower was discovered for our country by a peasant named Bokarev back in the 19th century, which gives every reason to say that the Russian people invented it, although this plant comes from America. It was imported from Holland during the reign of Peter 1. Then this oil was all unrefined, since there were no production technologies available now at that time.

The benefits and harms of unrefined sunflower oil directly depend on its components. This is a fatty product, 99 and 9 percent of it, with no proteins with carbohydrates, harmful ingredients and food additives. It contains fatty acids and many minerals with vitamins in small amounts.

The preservation of all these components is possible due to the methods of its production through cold and hot pressing. In the first case, everything is simple - the seeds are pressed, followed by filtering the extract. It turns out a dark saturated color with a slight sediment - such unrefined sunflower oil is especially useful. But it can not be stored for a long time, using a maximum of a month.

In the second case, before the seeds are pressed, they are heated. The resulting extract is frozen or passed through a centrifuge. This oil is transparent without sediment, but there is less benefit in it for the body. But it can be stored longer. Unrefined oil - the benefits and harms are in close connection in the sense that when frying it becomes unsuitable for consumption, losing all its positive qualities and becoming a real poison for the body.

Useful properties of oil

Due to its rich composition, unrefined sunflower oil is useful in many cases:

1. It can improve memory.
2. Activate metabolic processes.
3. Prevent diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including the liver and lungs with bronchi.
4. Helps the endocrine system.
5. Makes the body immune to various viruses.
6. Prevents the appearance of atherosclerosis.
7. Helps lower bad cholesterol levels.
8. Relieves toothache.
9. Prevents the formation of blood clots with a therapeutic effect.
10. Rejuvenates the entire body.
11. Cleanses blood vessels.
12. Prevents heart and vascular diseases.
13. Helps to stabilize cerebral circulation.
14. Strengthens nail plates and hair follicles.
15. Prevents children's rickets.
16. It nullifies skin diseases, preventing their appearance.

Today we will tell you about how sunflower oil is made and what properties this product has. We will also tell you about what varieties of vegetable fat are available and what composition it has.

General information about the herbal product

Sunflower oil is a vegetable oil obtained from sunflower seeds. This is the most common type of vegetable oil in Russia. By the way, our country is one of the leaders in the production of this product in the world.

History of occurrence

The evolution of oilseed sunflower as a cultivated plant took place in the Russian Empire. Its industrial processing is closely connected with the name of Daniil Bokarev. It was he who in 1829 invented a unique method of obtaining oil from sunflower seeds. Four years later, in the Voronezh province (in the settlement of Alekseevka), with the assistance of Bokarev, the merchant Papushin built the first oil mill in Russia. Bokarev opened his own oil mill in 1834. And already in 1835, the active export of this product abroad began. By 1860, there were approximately 160 oil mills in the Alekseevka settlement.

Sunflower oil production

As mentioned above, the source of oil is sunflower seeds. Most crushing plants produce this product using the following technology:

• In a special rush-veechnoe department, seeds are cleaned from various litters. In it, collapse occurs, as well as the separation of the husk from the nuclei.
• In the roller shop, all the cores are passed through the rollers. As a result of this processing, mint is obtained. Subsequently, it is transported to the press department.

• In it, mint undergoes heat treatment in special braziers. Then the raw material enters the presses, where, in fact, the pressing oil is pressed. In the future, it is sent to storage and sludge. As for the resulting mass, called pulp, which has a high residual oil content (about 22%), it is fed to the oil extraction shop. If the pulp was pressed to a residual oil content of 8-9%, this product is called cake. In some cases, in the oil extraction shop, mint is sent to the roaster using a conveyor. There it is subjected to heat treatment, or the so-called toasting. After pressing, the pulp is immediately sent to the extractor.
• The extraction of vegetable oil is carried out in a special apparatus called an extractor. This process is carried out using organic solvents. As a result, the so-called miscella is obtained, as well as a solid fat-free residue, which is wetted with a solvent (i.e. meal). Subsequently, oil is distilled off from them in the extractor.

After the pressing and extraction shops, the oilseed product is subjected to subsequent purification, or refining. In other words, the oil is purified from various organic impurities. Such methods usually include centrifugation, settling, filtration, hydration, alkaline and sulfuric acid refining, deodorization, bleaching and freezing (that is, the oil is cooled to 10-12 degrees to form wax crystals, which are subsequently filtered).

As for sunflower cake, a very valuable meal is obtained from it. Meal is a high-protein feed product that is included in the diet of livestock, fish and poultry. The content of crude protein in it is about 30-41% and quite strongly depends on the degree of purification and undermining of the mint, as well as the class of raw materials used.

As you can see, the production of sunflower oil is not an easy process. Despite this, this product is available to everyone and everyone.

Properties of vegetable oil

Almost all sunflower oils have the same properties. The raw product has a pleasant aroma and taste. Its density at 10 degrees is 920-927 kg per m3. The pour point ranges from -16 to -19 degrees. The temperature at which sunflower oils smoke is 232 degrees. The kinematic viscosity of the product occurs at 20 degrees.

It should also be noted that sunflower oil is classified as semi-drying vegetable oils. When exposed to oxygen (at room temperature), it forms a soft and sticky film. By the way, semi-drying oils include not only sunflower, but also soybean, safflower, camelina, poppy, and so on.

There are two types of unrefined sunflower oil: pressed (that is, obtained by cold pressing) and extraction. As a rule, it is produced in oil extraction plants.

Composition of the product

What is the composition of sunflower oils? Manufacturers of this product note that it contains a huge amount of fatty acids, namely stearic, palmitic, myristic, arachidic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic. At the same time, of polyunsaturated fatty acids, it contains only 1% omega-3. Sunflower oil is also rich in omega-6.

The benefits of sunflower oil are directly related to its composition. For example, it contains a large amount of vitamin E, which has a positive effect on the digestive tract and the condition of the skin.

It should be especially noted that sunflower oil (refined and unrefined) cannot contain cholesterol. This is due to the fact that it is exclusively of plant origin. Despite this, many manufacturers specifically emphasize its absence. This is for promotional purposes.

Types of oils

What are sunflower oils? Manufacturers produce unrefined and refined products. How do they differ from each other? Not all housewives know the answer to this question. Therefore, we decided to present this information below.

Unrefined or refined?

Everyone knows that vegetable oils are very beneficial for health. Unlike Soviet times, today in stores you can find completely different types of these products. But how to choose the right one among the many oils?

The main difference between oils produced from the same raw material is the degree of purification. Both refined (that is, completely refined through several stages) and unrefined sunflower oil, the purification of which is limited only by mechanical filtration, goes on sale.

There is an opinion that the first option is completely useless for health. But it's not. The fact is that the degree of usefulness of this product is determined by its fatty acid composition. So, in the process of refining, the composition of vegetable oil, as well as the ratio of its fats and acids, does not change. In view of this fact, it can be safely noted that if the oil is useless, then it is useless in any form (whether refined or unrefined). And the degree of purification does not affect it in any way.

Product Application

In the period from 2007 to 2008 agricultural year, about 10 million tons of sunflower oil were produced in the world. This product is one of the most important vegetable oils in the post-Soviet space. This is due to the fact that it is of great economic importance.

As for cooking, refined and unrefined sunflower oil can be used for frying, as well as dressing various salads. In addition, cooking fats and margarine are made from it (by hydrogenation). Sunflower oil is also used in the production of canned food, as well as in the paint and varnish industry and soap making. Moreover, it is part of many ointments.

Summing up

A spoonful of sunflower oil contains a huge amount of fatty acids and vitamin E. By regularly eating this product, you can forget about digestive problems forever. By the way, sunflower oil is a very popular ingredient in folk medicine. It is used to eliminate severe constipation (by taking orally or making enemas), as well as to make the skin smooth. If your hands or face are chapped, then lubricate them with sunflower oil and leave for a while. After a few procedures, you will notice that your skin has become soft, smooth and silky, and there are no signs of chapping left.

Thus, by purchasing high-quality refined or unrefined sunflower oil, you can not only cook delicious meals, but also noticeably improve your health.