The versatile, tasteless one Sunflower oil probably everyone knows. In the kitchen, it is not only suitable for frying, but also for almost every type of preparation.
What you should know about sunflower oil
The sunflower, which belongs to the daisy family and comes from North and Central America, was probably brought to Europe by the Spaniards at the beginning of the 16th century, where it was quickly used for oil production. Nowadays the sunflowers, which grow up to three meters high, are grown in all parts of the world, increasingly in Russia, France and southern Europe.
The inflorescence contains more than 1000 seeds. The flat seeds are black, gray or white and sometimes also striped. Unpeeled they contain around 30 percent oil and peeled more than 60 percent. Before the valuable oil is pressed out of the kernels, they are cleaned, dried and partially peeled. If unpeeled or partially peeled kernels are processed further, the sunflower oil acquires a dark yellow color and a rather spicy taste. Native, cold-pressed oils must not be heated above 30 degrees.
Thanks to the gentle treatment, the valuable vitamins and fatty acids in the sunflower oil are retained.
During extraction, the oil yield is around 10 percent lower than that of refined oils. The cold-pressed sunflower oil is suitable for cold dishes. With the refined sunflower oil, a temperature increase of up to 220 degrees is achieved through extraction, which gives the sunflower oil a beautiful, light yellow color and a mild, neutral aroma. However, a large part of the important ingredients is lost during production. Refined sunflower oil can be heated quite high, because the smoke point is around 220 degrees.
Importance to health
Whether for roasting, baking, a salad dressing and much more, the kitchen is hard to imagine without sunflower oil, but it is also very healthy. The oil also provides the body with valuable vitamins and fatty acids. People who eat copious amounts of olive oil are believed to have a 40 percent reduced risk of stroke.
Sunflower oil is one of the front runners among vegetable oils in terms of the number of polyunsaturated fatty acids it contains. Sunflower oil also contains a remarkable amount of monounsaturated fatty acids. The valuable vitamins include A, B, D, E and K. Sunflower oil can lower the cholesterol level and thus prevent cardiovascular diseases, heart attacks and arteriosclerosis.
Regular consumption also stimulates bowel movements. Another advantage is the high content of vitamin E, which is contained in sunflower oil. The valuable vitamin E acts as an important antioxidant and thus protects the cells from premature aging.
This vitamin is just as important for the heart and circulation, the immune system and muscles. Sunflower oil is also used as a remedy for detoxification and purification. Topical use is also effective on dry, rough skin or poorly healing wounds, because here too the sunflower oil does a good job and can simply be massaged in. In the case of painful joints, sore muscles or tension in the neck, rubbing in with sunflower oil helps, because it stimulates blood circulation and alleviates pain.
The sunflower oil also helps with colds, coughs and hoarseness, because it has an expectorant effect. Sunflower oil can therefore be used in many ways: in the kitchen, for the health and care of the body.
Ingredients & nutritional values
| Nutritional information | Amount per 100 gram |
| Calories 884 | Fat content 100 g |
| cholesterol 0 mg | sodium 0 mg |
| potassium 0 mg | carbohydrates 0 g |
| Fiber 0 g | protein 0 g |
Sunflower oil has a lot of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are essential. This means that they are essential for life, but the body cannot produce them itself. Therefore, they have to be ingested through food.
Linoleic acid predominates by more than 60 percent in sunflower oil, which is one of the most important unsaturated fatty acids that are extremely important for humans. The high content of vitamin E also makes sunflower oil very valuable. Two tablespoons of the oil a day is enough for an adult. Sunflower oil also contains valuable vitamins such as A, B, D, E and K. The minerals, trace elements, carotenoids and lecithin found in sunflower oil are also beneficial for health.
Intolerances & allergies
Allergic reactions to sunflower oil are mentioned very rarely. However, small amounts of the allergens may still be present in the refined and cold-pressed oil, but the oil is usually well tolerated by patients suffering from sunflower seed sensitization. If all fats / oils are intolerant, there is basically no allergy to the oil, but to the carrier. Therefore, in this case, the lipid metabolism should be examined by a doctor. If the body cannot tolerate the fat, it can lead to stomach pain and diarrhea.
Shopping & kitchen tips
The sunflower oil is available in all supermarkets, health food stores and health food stores. Dark brown or green bottles are more suitable than transparent ones because they protect against light. If the sunflower oil is stored in a cool and dark place, it can be kept for a year without any problems. The cold-pressed oil has a slightly shorter shelf life.
If the container is already open, it is recommended to store it in the refrigerator. When shopping, the best-before date should be observed. If the container is already open, it is recommended to store it in the refrigerator, where solid, whitish components can form in the bottle. The reason for this is that the sunflower oil flocculates. However, the solid particles dissolve again at room temperature, so this does not represent a lower quality. In contrast to cold-pressed oil, refined sunflower oil can be heated quite well and is therefore also suitable for frying. However, the sunflower oil should never be heated so high that it smokes.
Preparation tips
Sunflower oil is one of the most widely used edible oils in Germany. The rich, cold-pressed sunflower oil is mainly used to refine cold dishes and to prepare salad dressings, marinades and dips. It also goes very well with salads and raw vegetables, as the oil gives a wide variety of dishes a fine, nutty aroma. Due to the low smoke point, it is not suitable for frying and deep-frying.
The situation is different with refined sunflower oil, which has a very high smoke point and is therefore heat-resistant. The refined oil, however, contains almost no of the important ingredients that make sunflower oil so valuable. But it is very durable. The refined sunflower oil can be used for frying, cooking and stewing a wide variety of dishes. Sunflower oil is also very popular for baking, for example a quark oil dough.
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