The sunflower seed oil has been cultivated since 3000BC. Used for its general benefits on health as well as its specific benefits for healing wounds, there is no short way to explain how sunflower oil can be a great boost to an overall balanced diet. Used as a popular medium of cooking in Indian curries and dry dishes, sunflower oil has an impressive list of health benefits.
Sunflower oil has anti-bacterial properties which makes it beneficial for the immune system. Not only this, due to its natural anti-inflammatory nature, sunflower seed oil is also a good choice for people who suffer from joint aches and pains. The list goes on.
Let us look at all the benefits of sunflower oil in this article.
Table of Contents
Benefits Of Sunflower Oil
1. Natural Anti-Inflammatory Agent
The vitamin quantity and the fatty acids present in sunflower oil are quite beneficial when it comes to the treatment of inflammatory diseases in your body, and one such ailment is asthma, a respiratory condition that if not taken care of, can, in severe cases, even become life-threatening.
According to a study done by Dr. Michael James, it has come to light that the nutritional factor of sunflower seed oil can actually be advantageous against such ailments, primarily caused by the inflammation of body tissues (1).
2. A Natural Remedy For Arthritis
It is no surprise that the anti-inflammatory properties of the sunflower seed oil can actually play a vital role in the treatment of arthritis. Arthritis occurs when there is inflammation in your joints and causes pain, thus, the addition of sunflower seed oil, due to its natural anti-inflammatory nature, can actually reduce inflation of the joints relieving you from the pain.
3. Provides Energy Boost
The fatty acids present in a spoonful of sunflower seed oil are responsible for the increased production of energy in our cells, as they break down into proteins after being ingested (2).
4. Increases Immunity
Apart from being anti-inflammatory, sunflower seed oil also has anti-bacterial properties which make it highly beneficial for the strengthening of your immune system.
It can protect you from bacterial infections, especially if you are highly susceptible to them, although it is required for you to consume it a rather regulated volume. Consult your doctor to bring about such a change to your diet.
5. Promotes Heart Health
Atherosclerosis is a disease that can be caused by bad cholesterol health. It is responsible for clogging your arteries, raising your blood pressure, and not to forget that high cholesterol content in your blood can increase the risk of heart-related problems.
Due to the presence of chemicals like choline, and other types of fats like polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, the consumption sunflower oil is linked with boosting of the energy and also the reduction in the level of bad cholesterol content.
6. Good For Your Dental Hygiene
C. Albicans, a fungal bacterium that is present in about 40% of adult humans, is one of the main causes of diseases that leave behind decayed teeth and excessive fungal growth. However, the anti-bacterial property of the sunflower seed oil might just be the thing you need in order to inhibit the growth of these bacteria, leaving behind a nice and clean set of teeth.
Apart from being significantly beneficial for your health, the sunflower seed oil can also play a major role in your beauty regime as well. Due to its vitamin E content, it is proven to be a catalyst for strengthening the skin cells. So, if you are wondering about the various beauty benefits that correspond with the healthy ingestion or application of sunflower oil, then you have to look no further.
7. Healthy Skin
As mentioned, the vitamin E content present in sunflower oil is responsible for providing our skin cells with essential nourishment. Vitamin E is an essential anti-oxidant, which means that it is beneficial in fighting the free-radicals that could cause heavy damage to your skin cells. Thus, it is quite vital for making your skin retain its youthful glow.
8. Prevents Acne
As always, thanks to the anti-inflammatory nature of the sunflower seed oil, when applied over our skin, it forms a thin film that prevents any external pathogens from attacking our skin cells and causes inflammation.
Moreover, since the oil is also rich with vitamin E, when orally ingested, it is responsible for preventing any oxidative damage done to our skin cells, further reducing the risk of acne development.
9. A Natural Remedy For Eczema
Eczema is a type of disease in which a few patches on the skin become red, itchy, inflamed, and rough, and in some cases, blisters become a common symptom.
According to a study, vitamin E is an important antioxidant that works as a remedy for such skin conditions. Thus, sunflower seed oil, being such a rich source of vitamin E, can also be quite beneficial in tackling the symptoms of eczema (3).
10. Reducing The Signs Of Ageing
As by now we already know that sunflower oil is a rich source of a particular type of antioxidant (vitamin E) and it is due to this that it prevents cells from undergoing oxidative stress or from getting damaged by free-radicals. Hence, it is quite beneficial for slowing down or delaying the signs of aging.
11. Prevents Dry Skin
The application of sunflower oil over your skin, after being thoroughly massaged, would indeed help your skin cells to retain their moisture. In fact, when it is applied, the sunflower oil is responsible for collecting the moisture from your surroundings and directing it into your skin, thus making it soft.
12. Promotes Healing
This is the benefit for which sunflowers were cultivated in the first place. Thanks to the presence of omega-6 acids, the application of sunflower oil over wounds helps in promoting the development of new cells that replace the damaged cells, and it also soothes the pain.
Side-Effect Of Sunflower Oil
An unregulated consumption of any food item can have adverse effects on your body. This is due to the fact that food items generally have certain nutritional content, and apart from that, your body’s requirement of these nutrients is also of a certain level. Thus, a balanced diet – one in which all the nutrients are consumed in a regulated and organized manner – is important to follow if you wish to pursue a healthy lifestyle.
Now, let’s discuss the side-effects associated with the heavy unregulated consumption of the sunflower seed oil:
1. High On Calories
This is in fact an important side-effect that you should note, especially if you are working on losing weight. One tablespoon of sunflower oil contains roughly 40 calories, which makes it the very harbinger of weight gain amongst the people who consume it.
Also Read: Super Foods To Reduce Belly Fat | Best Diet To Shed Tummy Flab
2. Higher Fat Content
Though it is clear that the consumption of sunflower oil benefits you by lowering bad cholesterol levels, and by also reducing the risk of contracting any cardiovascular disease, however, this benefit is only limited to the regulated consumption of sunflower oil.
A 100g of sunflower oil can have roughly around 13g of saturated fat, which in turn is responsible for increasing the volume of bad cholesterol in your bloodstream, thus completely opposing its benefit in the first place.
3. Bad For Kidneys
Since sunflower seed oil is also a good source of phosphorous, a large amount of its consumption can lead to a formation of a phosphorous layer over your kidneys, which in the end results in the formation of kidney stones.
The Final Note
Finally, it is safe to say that a perfectly managed consumption of sunflower seed oil can actually do more good for your health than bad. The other important part to note down is that if you are following a weight loss diet, then it is advised that if you have included sunflower oil in your diet, you must also increase your workout duration, as you would have to burn out a few more calories that you ingested from this oil.
So, what are you waiting for, for a good heart and better immunity, there could be nothing more natural, beneficial, and historically revered than sunflower seed oil itself.