The use of sunflower oil in a variety of industries besides cooking applications is slowly gaining popularity. Small-scale food companies as well as high-end cosmetic corporations are now leaning towards the utilization of sunflower oil for its positive benefits as well as its cost-effective nature.
The versatility of sunflower oil can be attributed from its light, pleasant taste and the wide variety of vitamins and minerals that it contains. Sunflower oil is mainly extracted from the plant’s seeds and kernels with almost 36% oil and up to 55% oil content sourced from these parts respectively.
Facts about Sunflower Oil
The sunflower is a beautiful flowering plant which contains seeds and kernels that are known to contain the highest concentration of Vitamin E than any other types of vegetable oil. Although sunflower oil is commonly used for cooking and a crucial ingredient in the manufacturing of assorted food products, there are emerging trends that point to the important of sunflower oil in large industries such as that of cosmetics and biodiesel production.
Sunflower Oil for Beauty
Aside from its obvious utility as cooking oil, sunflower oil is widely used in the beauty industry due to its anti-aging and skin smoothening benefits. Sunflower oil can be found as a vital ingredient in the following cosmetic products:
– Pressed powders
– Liquid-based makeups
– Personal care products
– Body lotions
– Suntan oil
– Sunscreen creams and lotions
– Facial cleaners and body soaps
– Aromatherapy products
Companies that focus on the manufacturing of cosmetic products relies on the benefits that only sunflower can bring. It contains Vitamins A, D, E as well as essentially fatty acids Omega-6 and Omega-9 all of which are known feature great absorbent qualities. In addition, sunflower oil also boasts greater stability
and is highly emollient, thus it is commonly utilized as base in the manufacturing of beauty products.
Sunflower Oil for Good Health
Aside from its beautifying properties, the nutrients found in premium sunflower oil promises to deliver health benefits as well. By incorporating sunflower oil use for cooking, users are known to reap many health benefits from regular consumption:
– Improvement on cardiovascular health
Intake of sunflower oil can greatly reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases as well as lowers the risk of heart attack.
– Natural source of energy
If your system is already resistant to the effects of caffeine, you may want to drizzle several drops of sunflower oil into your salads. Sunflower oil is known to a be a natural source of instant energy to the human body.
– Reduced Risk of Infection among Infants
Lotions and creams that contain healthy doses of sunflower
oil are known to reduce a newborn’s risk in acquiring infections. Sunflower oil creates a protective skin barrier especially among pre-term infants.
– Anti-aging properties
Since sunflower has the highest concentrations of Vitamin E, it is one of the most powerful natural antioxidants around. Either intake or application of sunflower oil based products onto the skin helps in slowing down the aging process.
– Lowers Bad Cholesterol Levels
Lecithin is a natural compound found in sunflower oil that serves the function of lowering bad cholesterol levels. Lecithin adheres to cell linings which in turn prevent trans fats and cholesterol from accumulating within the cell structure.
Sunflower Oils as Biodiesel
Many businesses are now investing on the use of sunflower oil
as a feedstock crop for biodiesel. It is known to feature just about the same positive agronomic features with other types of vegetable oils such as canola oil and soy oil. In addition, sunflower oil has excellent yielding power for a multitude of conditions. The sunflower plant can be cultivated easily especially in regions with fair and sunny climate conditions, thus farms big and small very well profit from growing sunflower.
Transesterification is the process by which sunflower oil is
converted to biodiesel. Obtaining high-quality biodiesel that can replace the consumption of petroleum diesel and gasoline products altogether is made possible by transesterification.
Studies reveal that this process successfully converts sunflower oil into sunflower methyl esters that feature similar properties as that of engine fuels in terms of viscosity, flash point, cold filter plugging point, and acid value. In addition, the use of sunflower methyl esters, converted with superior transesterification tools and methods, are excellent substitutes for fossil fuels.
Other uses of Sunflower Oil
Aside from the fact that sunflower oils is used in the manufacturing of margarine and cooking fats, it is now becoming a popular ingredient in manufactured canned goods, as well as in the paint and varnish industry. Some companies also utilize sunflower oil to produce organic and all-natural soaps.
Sunflower Oil Producing Countries
The following countries are known to be the largest producers of sunflower oil. In addition to boasting high yields of this product, these nations are considered to be the top producers of superior quality refine sunflower oil that are used by large–scale industries:
1. Ukraine- 4,119.00 metric tons
2. Russia- 3,269.00 metric tons
3. EU-27- 2,883.00 metric tons
4. Argentina- 1,380.00 metric tons
5. Turkey- 868.00 metric tons
6. China- 458.00 metric tons
7. Pakistan- 298.00 metric tons
8. South Africa- 252.00 metric tons
9. India- 231.00 metric tons
10. Myanmar- 210.00 metric tons
For business looking to purchase in bulk, it is recommended to order sunflower oils from manufacturers located in these countries to ensure quality.
