cominter

Sunflower

Sunflower oil is obtained by squeezing the seeds of the Helianthus annus plant. This beautiful yellow flower that follows the sun movement is native to the Americas where it was used already 3000 years ago by the Incas for its properties. It belongs to the family of the asteraceae and its great flower is actually an inflorescence composed of many small flowers; each of these small flowers in turn produces respectively a fruit with a seed inside. Plant can reach the height of 3 meters and the inflorescence can have a diameter of 85 cm. Sunflower oil has a straw-yellow colour, a delicate scent and a liquid consistency at room temperature. If refined it becomes almost transparent, slightly ambered. Sunflower oil composition is essentially made of unsaturated fatty acids- about 32% oleic acid (monounsaturated) and 52% linoleic acid (polyunsaturated) which are respectively precursors of the omega 3 and 6. These omegas are important for the health of the heart, the production of energy, the transport of oxygen, the creation of hemoglobin in the blood stream and even for the balance of the hormonal system. In sunflower oil is also present vitamin E called tocopherol which is an excellent antioxidant. With this vitamin even five times higher than in olive oil, sunflower oil is also able to protect cell membranes and to fight the free radicals which are responsible for cellular aging.

Link