Which cooking oil is good for frying and salad dressing?

dầu ăn - Ảnh 1. — Sunflower oil is extracted from sunflower seeds - Illustration photo

According to Health.com, sunflower oil is high in vitamin E and low in saturated fat, but high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Sunflower oil comes in many varieties, including the linoleic-rich variety (44–75% linoleic acid), commonly found in grocery stores, which is high in vitamin E and linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid.

Omega-6 fats are essential, meaning your body cannot make them and must get them from your diet. Omega-6s play an important role in growth and development, energy production, and cell function.

High-oleic sunflower oil (75–90% oleic acid): This oil is high in oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid. Omega-9 fats are monounsaturated fats and are non-essential; your body can produce them on its own.

Adding omega-9 fats instead of other fats may also provide heart health benefits. It is also more stable at high temperatures than traditional sunflower oil. However, it is often more expensive.

Medium oleic sunflower oil (43–72% oleic acid): This oil has a higher oleic acid content than traditional sunflower oil, but lower than high oleic. Medium oleic oil has a mild flavor and better stability when cooking at high temperatures, so it is often preferred in commercial food processing.

If the sunflower oil bottle does not specify the type, check the nutrition facts panel. Oils high in polyunsaturated fats are high in linoleic acid. Oils high in monounsaturated fats are high in oleic acid.

Health Benefits of Sunflower Oil

When used in moderation, sunflower oil may offer potential health benefits.

Cardiovascular health

Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats can help improve heart health. Sunflower oil can help reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. This helps reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a heart-healthy claim for high-oleic oils. The claim states that oils containing at least 70% oleic acid may help reduce the risk of heart disease. These oils include:

Olive oil

High oleic sunflower oil

High oleic canola oil

High oleic safflower oil

Although sunflower oil is considered a healthy fat, it may not be as effective as olive oil in protecting heart health.

Skin and hair

The omega-6 fatty acids found in sunflower oil play an important role in keeping skin supple and hair healthy. One study found that supplementing with omega-3, omega-6, and antioxidants increased hair thickness and reduced hair loss.

Sunflower oil is also a good source of vitamin E, providing about 37% of the Daily Value (DV) in just one tablespoon. Vitamin E can help improve skin health, especially for people with eczema – a condition that causes dry, flaky skin.

How to use cooking oil to reduce health risks and limitations

Although sunflower oil has many health benefits, there are also some potential drawbacks.

High in omega-6

Sunflower oil, especially the linoleic variety, is high in omega-6 fatty acids. While omega-6s are essential in the diet, consuming too much can lead to chronic inflammation.

Data suggests that reducing omega-6 intake in the diet by limiting the use of seed oils and increasing consumption of omega-3 fats can help reduce inflammation and its negative effects. Foods rich in omega-3s include fatty fish such as salmon, walnuts, and chia seeds.

May generate toxic compounds

Sunflower oil has a high smoke point and is often used for deep frying. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil begins to smoke and break down.

However, sunflower oil can produce harmful compounds when heated above 356°F (180°C). These compounds, called aldehydes, can damage cells and increase the risk of cancer.

High oleic sunflower oil appears to be more stable than traditional sunflower oil when cooked at high temperatures, so it is less likely to form harmful compounds.