Sunflower oil: benefit and harm of a refined and unrefined product

Sunflower oil in Russia began to be produced only in the XIX century, and it immediately gained immense popularity. The country began to open everywhere the oil mills, the product learned to deodorize, refine, vitaminize and filter. Refined used for frying, and for dressing salads - fragrant crude sunflower oil.

The benefits and harms of different types of this product cause a lot of controversy. Someone likes pure refined oil, others recognize only vitamin-rich untreated varieties.

Types of sunflower oil

By the processing technology, the oil can be refined, unrefined and raw.

Crude oil is produced by cold pressing. It retains all the useful components, it is delicious and aromatic, but when heated above +90 ⁰ С begins to smoke, foam, secrete carcinogenic substances. Has a short shelf life, long-term storage rumbles, becomes turbid, bitter. Is it worth using such sunflower oil? Benefits and harms depend on the terms and conditions of storage, as well as the ways in which it is used. If you take a fresh product and fill it with salads, it will only bring good. With proper application, this species is the most useful.

Unrefined oil.   The technology of production is hot pressing. Then it is filtered, hydrated, neutralized. Useful substances when heating the seeds are partially destroyed, but the end product is cheap and has a pleasant "pome" flavor. It is not recommended to use for frying and baking, limited to adding oil to the salad.

Refined oil is obtained by the extraction process, when practically all the raw materials are extracted from the seeds. Then follows a thorough cleaning - refining. The content of vitamins and biologically active substances in it is minimal, but this product does not excrete carcinogens, does not "shoot" and does not foam. Ideally suitable for baking and frying is refined sunflower oil.

The benefits and harms of each of these types of product are associated with storage and use. Thermal action can only be subjected to refined oil, and as a dressing to use raw and unrefined.

The Benefits of Sunflower Oil

Vegetable fats do not contain cholesterol, so their use is more preferable compared to animals. In sunflower oil contains many substances necessary for humans. Due to the high content of tocopherol, which is a powerful antioxidant, sunflower oil has a rejuvenating effect.

In unrefined oil there are phosphorus-containing substances and vitamins A, K, D and E. The percentage of tocopherol content in it is higher than in the refined. But in the latter vitamin E is still more than in other types of vegetable oils (for example, olive oil).

Oleic and linoleic acids, which are part of the product, are vital for the human body. Without them, the normal operation of nerve fibers and the formation of new cells is impossible.

Sunflower oil is used in masks to strengthen hair, soften the skin and apply in folk medicine for the treatment of liver and stomach diseases.

Sunflower oil damage

When used in moderation, the product has virtually no contraindications. However, excessive consumption can create a greater burden on the stomach and liver. A truly harmful oil can become if the storage conditions are violated and misused. Cold pressed oil is usable for only 4 months if stored in a cold dark place, unrefined - 10 months. It is advisable to use the bottle for 1 month.

To avoid food harmful to human trans fat, heat can only be subjected to a refined product of high quality.

Not only from sunflowers

Sunflower is the most common and available of all vegetable oils. In recent years, it is losing its popularity to olive, which producers from warm countries present in a very favorable light. If we compare the sunflower oil that is customary for us, the benefits and disadvantages of these products are about the same, but the prices differ very significantly. Periodically it is useful to use both, and not forgetting about other varieties: linseed, pumpkin, hemp.