Wednesday, April 27, 2011

About Sunflower

Did you know that sunflower oil is among the oils that help in improving the health of a person, rather than spoiling it?

Sunflower oil provides a perfect balance of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, making it the perfect oil to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol. As such, whenever there is reference to heart disease, sunflower oil is always recommended by health experts.

The benefits of sunflower oil are multiple and are especially channeled through its health-enhancing nutrient contents.

Nutrition Benefits Of Sunflower Oil

* Sunflower oil acts as an antioxidant since it is rich in Vitamin E. This property of sunflower oil helps in neutralizing cancer-causing free radicals. Vitamin E in sunflower oil also prevents rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and colon cancer.

* The Vitamin E present in sunflower oil also acts as a moisturizer which helps the body cells to retain water within them. This property makes sunflower oil useful in various cosmetic products as well.

* Sunflower oil, due to its high levels of oleic acid and low saturated fat, is considered and recommended for cardiovascular benefits. This, in turn, results in reduced risks of heart diseases. Studies have proven the fact that a diet with less quantity of saturated fat substituted with sunflower oil has shown cholesterol reducing benefits. The right balance between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in sunflower oil reduces the cholesterol levels in a person.



* Sunflower oil also helps the skin to retain its moisture. It helps in providing a protective barrier, resisting any kind of infection in pre-term infants. Studies have shown that infants receiving daily skin care using sunflower oil are less likely to develop any skin related infections.

* Sunflower oil is rich in certain phytochemicals such as choline and phenolic acid, which are beneficial heart. There are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats present in sunflower oil, along with vitamins, which makes it one of the healthiest oil to consume.

* Sunflower oil also helps in keeping the food fresh and healthy for a longer period of time. The oil can be used in extreme high cooking temperatures. Sunflower oil is being used by the food manufacturers for reducing the level of trans-fat in bulk production of food.

Sunflower seeds are richer in vitamin E, than any other common food. They are also a prime source of essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid which is very vital for the healthy functioning of the body.




Some of the therapeutic properties of sunflower are as follows:

- they are a rich natural resource of vitamin E. a study has shown that a low level of vitamin is a major risk factor in deaths from heart attack. People with low vitamin E levels are nearly 3 times more likely to develop angina. Increasing linoleic acid decreases both total and bad LDL- type cholesterol. Linoleic acid also discourages blood clotting.

- anticancer potential- people who eat more foods rich in antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin C and E have lower levels of cancer and are less vulnerable to cataracts as they get older.

-prevent damage caused cy exercise- exhaustive exercise increases the concentration of free radicals in the body, which can lead to muscle damage unless ample vitamin E is present to prevent oxidation.

Now the question is how much to eat? About 2 table spoons of sunflower seeds a day roughly doubles most people's current vitamin E intake. Also remember that unrefined sunflower oil has more flavour than refined oil and loses no nutrition.




Instructions how to incorporate these wonderful seeds into your diet,

1. If you are feeling hunger pangs, try eating some sunflower nuts instead. They can hold you over and make you feel fuller, so you will be less likely to overindulge in other foods.

2. Do you like peanut butter? Try eating sun butter instead. Since sun butter is not made from peanuts, people who are allergic to peanuts are able to eat sun butter. Sun butter is filling and has all the benefits that sunflower seeds contain.

3. If you eat salads, try topping your salad with 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds. This can make your salad more substantial.

4. Try buying or creating your own trail mixes using sunflower seeds. These seeds can make a great alternative to peanuts in some trail mixes.

5. Have you heard of chocolate covered peanuts? Well, you can also cover sunflower seeds in chocolate. It is basically the same process and makes for a healthier sweet treat.

Caution

* Due to its high content of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, high consumption of sunflower oil is likely to cause breast and prostate cancer in post-menopausal women.

Cooking Tips

* Sunflower oil is very light in flavor and therefore, does not overpower the other ingredients used in a recipe. This light flavor of sunflower oil makes it a perfect oil to make pasta dishes, including shrimp and broccoli pasta and pastas using simple garlic and lemon sauce.

* Sunflower oil is low in saturated fat and hence, is a safe and healthy oil to be used for deep fry recipes. Sunflower oil is composed of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, making it a healthier alternative for oils like canola.

* Sunflower oil can also be used as a healthy alternative to traditional baking fats like butter, margarine and vegetable shortening.

These seeds are sometimes referred to sunflower nuts and are often sold either in their shell or out of their shell. Generally, sunflower seeds are eaten roasted and salted, but sometimes people may eat them raw and unsalted.

These seeds have the same health benefits that many nuts do. While they are high in fat and calories, they make up for that with their incredible protein content. A handful of sunflower seeds do wonders for filling up an empty stomach. They are also high in Vitamin E, Vitamin B5 and Magnesium.

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