SUNFLOWER OIL: Our 101

March 4, 2008

Over the past few weeks I've received a number of emails from our readers and viewers looking for more information about sunflower oil. Frito-Lay is making sunflower oil famous, they are one of the few companies that decided in the move away from Trans fats to use sunflower rather than returning to palm oil. It is important to note that Trans fats were originally developed to replace palm oil which in the early 1970s came under criticism as promoting heart disease; although the producers argue that palm oil contains large quantities of oleic acid, the healthful fatty acid also found in olive and canola oil.

Sunflower oil is actually one of the most interesting of the fats. There are different varieties – but the one Frito-Lay uses in their Lay's potato chips is 90 percent mono and polyunsaturated and has zero grams of Trans fats. Sunflower is also one of the few fats with an interesting American history. As you may know, the sunflower is native to North America and was actually an integral part of the diet of Native Americans. Spanish explorers brought the sunflower seeds back to Europe, however it was actually Russia that first applied agricultural hybridization to the sunflower ... and these seeds are the ones that Russian and German immigrants brought with them when they immigrated to the States in the early 1900s. It took until the 1950s for sunflower to become an important crop here, primarily in Minnesota and North Dakota.

Sunflower oil is terrific for both cooking and baking; I don't suggest it for frying as its high levels of polyunsaturated fats make it susceptible to oxidation. This oil has a neutral to lightly nutty taste which makes it perfect to also use with spices and vinegars in marinades and dressings.

Sunflower oil is available from both domestic and imported producers, and in both organic and non-organic varieties, but buying sunflower oil can be confusing as there are three different varieties.

Linoleic is the "original" sunflower oil, it contains both polyunsaturated (65%) and monounsaturated fats (21%), and saturated fats (11%), omega-6, one of the two essential fatty acids not produced by the body, and more Vitamin E than other vegetable oils. Linoleic sunflower oil can also be found in shortenings and margarines.

Mid-Oleic (sold under the brand NuSun®): This oil has been on the market since 1997; developed with the cooperation of growers and the government to change its basic fatty acid structure to meet the demands for lower trans fats; the result is an oil that is 10% lower in saturated fats than standard linoleic sunflower oil. This sunflower crop now represents more than half of the planted acres. The unusual quality of this oil is that it requires no hydrogenation and so is naturally trans fat-free.

High Oleic: This is high in monounsaturated fats (77%) and is a patented type of sunflower oil more commonly used in commercial arenas for nondairy creamers, coating of cereal, crackers and dried fruits, and in commercial bakery production.

As with all oils, remember that sunflower oil is 100% fat, and that oils should be stored in a cool dark cupboard at all times. You can also store sunflower oil in the refrigerator to avoid rancidity, but it may harden after prolonged storage. Just leave out of refrigeration and it will return to its liquid form.

Posted on Monday 3/10 by Jean
Another consideration when choosing an oil: Look for expeller (mechanically) pressed oils over solvent (hexane) extracted ones.

Posted on Monday 3/10 by Viktor
Sunflower oil very useful food stuffs! I think sunflower oil much more usefully palm oil!

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