Once upon a time, sunflower was planted only so that a beautiful little sun appeared in the garden. But in 1829, an ordinary peasant from the Voronezh province figured out how to get oil from sunflower seeds, which the church then called a "lean product".
Oil production process
Sunflower oil is produced according to the following technology: first, sunflower seeds are cleaned in a crumbling unit, where the kernels are separated from the husk. After that, the kernels pass through the dryers, where they are crumpled, and the resulting mint, having undergone heat treatment in the braziers, enters the press department. There, pressing oil is squeezed out of it, the remaining mass is sent to the extraction department, since about 22% of the oil remains in it. After the separation process, mint usually goes to an extractor, where oil is distilled through organic solvents, which is subsequently purified and refined by the following methods: centrifugation, settling, hydration, filtration, bleaching, deodorization and freezing. To understand how this or that refining method affects the quality of the initial product, let's try to understand its types.
Video on how sunflower oil is made:
Types of sunflower oil
- The most useful is considered crude sunflower oilsubject only to filtration. It completely retains phosphatides, sterols, tocopherols and other useful components. It has a pleasant taste and smell, however, it becomes bitter and cloudy with long storage.
- Intense dark yellow unrefined oil is cleaned mechanically, without additional treatments. It is an ideal product for preparing cold dishes and salads. If you taste the superior and first grade, you will not notice any extraneous odors, bitterness and aftertaste, while the second grade has a slight bitterness and a slightly musty smell. Despite this, the unrefined retains phospholipids, carotene, vitamins E, F (see also which foods contain vitamin F).
- Hydrated sunflower oil is heated to 60 degrees and hot water is passed through it in a sprayed state. In this case, mucous and protein substances precipitate. Compared to unrefined, it has less pronounced taste and smell. Does not grow cloudy.
- Refined sunflower is less useful, since after refining it contains less tocopherols and does not contain phosphatides at all. What is refining? It is designed to clean products from various contaminants. During this process, the product is treated with alkali, phospholipids and fatty acids are removed from it, then, as a result of stratification, the oil separates from the sediment and rises. In the future, it goes through the whitening stage.
- If speak about refined deodorized oil, then it practically does not contain all aromatic substances that could cause premature spoilage of the product. It's all about the production technology: it is obtained by exposure to water vapor under vacuum. Used in the production of dietary and baby food.
- The characteristic turbidity is due to the presence of wax (natural wax-like substances). If these substances are removed, then frozen sunflower oil: after that it is filtered, as a result, it becomes transparent and does not become cloudy when cooled.
Composition
As you can see, the content of phospholipids, fatty acids, vitamins and other substances largely depends on various methods of pressing and processing. All its beneficial properties are due to the content of palmitic, arachidic, stearic, linoleic, linolenic, myristic, oleic acids, phosphorus-containing, volatile, wax substances, vitamins A, D, E, as well as a certain amount of non-fatty impurities.
Calorie content of sunflower oil
per 100 g is 899 kcal:
- Proteins - 0, 0 g
- Fat - 99.9 g
- Carbohydrates - 0, 0 g
The benefits of sunflower oil
- Thanks to linoleic acid, it increases the body's immune defenses.
- Reduces the level of bad cholesterol.
- Prevents the development of cancer.
- It has a rejuvenating effect, as it contains a lot of vitamin E (tocopherol). As you know, tocopherol is a powerful antioxidant that targets free radicals, thereby slowing down cell aging.
- The next benefit is to prevent the development of atherosclerosis, thrombophlebitis, chronic diseases of the liver, stomach, lungs, intestines.
- Participates in the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, improves memory, has a positive effect on the function of the sex and endocrine glands.
- It is used in aromatherapy, preparation of masks for skin and hair, bath tinctures, soap making, paint and varnish industry, poultry and animal husbandry. It is an ingredient in various ointments in traditional medicine. Mayonnaise, cooking fats, margarine are made from it, used in the manufacture of canned food, and so on.
What is the difference between sunflower oil and olive oil?
Sunflower seeds contain more vitamin E than olive (60 mg). The same goes for the content of vitamins A, E and K. However, olive oil is better absorbed due to its oleic acid content. Read more about the health benefits of olive oil.
Another comparison can be made on the balance of essential fats of the omega-3 and omega-6 groups. So, in olive, their ratio is the most optimal, so it is useful to use it in dietary food, for dressing vegetable salads and fish dishes (not for frying).
Harm
There are practically no contraindications. The main thing is to use it in small quantities, and all because of its high calorie content. Harm can bring after the expiration of the implementation period, so it is better to always look at the production date, otherwise the resulting oxides will disrupt the metabolism in the body. Pay attention to whether there is sediment at the bottom of the bottle - if so, this indicates oxidation and the benefits will decrease. This oil will foam and taste bitter.
Store the product at temperatures from +5 to +20 degrees in a dark place (light destroys nutrients). It is better to store unrefined in glassware and always in a cold place. Keep in mind that if it was obtained by cold pressing, then it can be stored for no more than 4 months, if by hot pressing - no more than 10 months. It is advisable to use up an open bottle within 30 days.
