Sunflower is no doubt a very beautiful plant that can give added value to your home. Aside from its beauty, it is also very well known for its many beneficial properties that come from extracting oil from the seeds that come from the flower bloom. Sunflower oil can offer healthy fat that is mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated which is a combination of fatty acids called linoleic and oleic acid. It has a light yellow color with a very inviting aroma and flavor. This is the reason why it is a favorite cooking oil for many fried foods.
Most oil from this plant goes through a refining process. The good thing is that the process does not take away all of its nutritional benefits. All amazing health benefits are retained and humans can benefit from it. Today, it is popular for its beneficial effect on skin and hair, but there are more advantages that one can reap out of this oil.
1. Promote Heart Health
Having high cholesterol can lead to heart diseases that include atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. If you want to maintain a healthy heart, then you should start using sunflower oil as a primary cooking oil. The oleic acid content is responsible for decreasing blood lipids and coagulant activity in the blood. Vitamin E content can stop free radicals from oxidizing the cholesterol in the body.
2. Aids in Skin Health
Sunflower oil for skin is said to be effective in preserving the integrity of the stratum corneum and increase skin’s hydration. The benefits of this oil can also be used for babies through infant massage using sunflower oil to improve skin barrier and moisture. Some researchers also suggest the use of oil from sunflowers as a more effective treatment for dry skin compared to olive oil. The reason is the fact that it contains more vitamins such as A, C, D, and E that can make the skin soft and healthy-looking.
Sunflower oil for skin is an excellent face moisturizer and provides antioxidants on the skin. The oil promotes skin cell regeneration thus prevent the occurrence of acne. Also, vitamin E can safeguard the skin against the harmful effect of UV rays from the sun.
3. Managed Arthritis
Oil from this plant has anti-inflammatory properties that can activate peroxisome proliferative-activated receptor-alpha that is responsible to decrease the severity of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. The linoleic acid content of sunflower oil is very effective in managing arthritis, so patients can go back to their normal lives without experiencing pain.
4. Helps Asthmatic Patients
A high dose of vitamin E in sunflower oil can stop oxygen damage in tissues as well as helpful in managing pain, inflammation, and allergic reaction by asthmatic patients. Several studies lead to the effectiveness of vitamin E in reducing bronchoconstriction in asthma. It reduces the occurrence of cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath compared to a patient who does not consume this oil into their diet.
5. Promote Hair Health
The tocopherol content makes sunflower oil for hair a very popular product that can improve hair health. A study conducted proved that tocopherol can help to attain beautiful and healthy-looking hair by preventing collagen cross-link. Sunflower oil for hair can also solve the problem of baldness and hair fall.
6. Reduce Cancer
Another vitamin that is abundant in sunflower is vitamin A and an antioxidant known as carotenoids. Carotenoids can stop free radicals from causing cell degeneration and inhibit cancerous cells from developing and multiplying inside the body. Also, selenium which is an important mineral in sunflower oil can reverse cellular damages. People using this oil can experience a reduced risk of developing colon and uterine cancer.
7. Improve Immune System Response
The linoleic acid found in sunflower oil is vital in normal immune system response and deficiency in this fatty acid can lead to impaired B and T cells which are responsible for immune responses in the body. Aside from that, this fatty acid is known to help in building healthy cells and tissues.
8. Weight Management
In weight management, it is important to have a normal level of adiponectin in the body as it is involved in the breakdown of fatty acid. A study of sunflower oil found out that it can augment adiponectin production in women who are in their menopausal stage thus preventing weight gain.
