Sunflower oil is a healthy option for all your favorite recipes as it’s valued for its light taste and frying performance. High in Vitamin E, Sunflower Oil acts as a healthy alternative for oil, allowing you to enjoy all your favorites guilt-free.
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The Three Types of Sunflower Oil Available

Looking for a naturally trans-fat-free, non-GMO oil to use in your favorite recipes that also tastes great? Look no further than sunflower oil.

Healthy, natural sunflower oil is produced from oil type sunflower seeds. Sunflower oil supplies more vitamin E than any other vegetable oil. It is a combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats with low saturated fat levels. The versatility of this healthy oil is recognized by cooks internationally. Sunflower oil is valued for its light taste, frying performance, and health benefits.

All types of sunflower oil produced in the United States are naturally trans-fat-free. In fact, sunflower oil is actually a healthier choice than even olive oil. Research has found that monounsaturated fat may raise “good” cholesterol while keeping “bad” cholesterol low. A Penn State study compared NuSun® to the average American diet and to an olive oil diet. The study concluded that substituting two tablespoons of NuSun sunflower oil daily in place of saturated fat lowered cholesterol more significantly than when substituting olive oil. In addition, the NuSun diet may have lowered total and bad LDL cholesterol levels more than the olive oil diet because NuSun sunflower oil is higher in polyunsaturated fat.

Sunflower oil is a superior fry oil since it has only a trace of linolenic fatty acid and because of its high oleic fatty acid content. This composition gives it a longer fry life and a high smoke point—making it ideal for creating deep-fried or pan-fried foods. There is less absorption of sun oil into the food in the fryer, therefore creating lighter tasting foods. Studies show that sunflower oil is very stable and has a longer fry life than many other oils, including high oleic canola and even new oils such as high oleic soybean oil. There are three types of sunflower oil available- NuSun®, linoleic, and high oleic sunflower oil. All are developed with standard breeding techniques. They differ in oleic levels and each one offers unique properties. With three types of sunflower oil available, sunflower oil meets the needs of consumer and food manufacturers alike for a healthy and high-performance non-transgenic vegetable oil.

NuSun® sunflower oil is stable without partial hydrogenation. It outshines other oils for commercial use by providing optimal health benefits, great taste, and superior performance, while remaining trans-fat free. NuSun® oil is the ‘new’ mid-oleic sunflower oil. Linoleic sunflower oil is the original sunflower oil and, until recently, has been the most common type of sunflower oil. It is a polyunsaturated oil with low saturated fat levels, a clean, light taste and is high in Vitamin E.

Linoleic sunflower oil is available as a liquid salad oil and is used in margarine and shortening applications. High oleic sunflower oil is very high in oleic (monounsaturated) acid. High oleic sunflower oil is usually defined as having a minimum 80 percent oleic acid. The oil has a very neutral taste and provides excellent stability without hydrogenation.

High oleic sunflower oil offers a trans-free oil solution for customers. The oil has many uses including bakery applications, spray coating oils for cereal, crackers and dried fruit; it is used in non-dairy creamers, many types of frying and other uses.

Many consumers are looking for foods with reduced saturated fat and others are interested in non-GMO ingredients. Taste cannot be sacrificed, sometimes reformulating presents taste and sensory challenges, so it’s important to consider an oil that will not change the flavor profile of your current product. Sunflower oil is an excellent solution since it has a very neutral, light taste that allows the true flavor of a product’s ingredients to come through.

Sunflower oil is a premium oil that has several benefits, making it ideal for a variety of food formulations. So, whether you are creating better-for-you snacks, “free-from” foods, or healthier food offerings, sun oil will not only meet your functional requirements, but it may also increase your sales. In fact, in a 2016 survey, 71 percent of consumers indicated that they consider sunflower oil healthier than other oils and 64 percent said they are interested in purchasing products made with sunflower oil.

If you’re looking for a recipe that features sunflower oil, check out this Sunflower Wheat Bread recipe

Learn more about the health benefits of sunflower oil on the National Sunflower Association’s website, sunflowernsa.com.