• What is sunflower oil used for?
  • Sunflower oil is the non-volatile oil pressed from the seeds of sunflower or Helianthus annuus (scientific name of Sunflower). It is normally used in food as a frying oil, and in cosmetic formulations as an emollient.
  • What are oilseed sunflower seeds?
  • Those lovely seeds form from the disk flowers, and are known as achenes. Oilseed sunflower seeds are black, and as mentioned, have a higher oil content than the striped ones we enjoy as a snack. They are grown commercially for sunflower oil production and for bird feed.
  • What is sunflower oil made of?
  • Sunflower oil is primarily composed of linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fat, and oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. Through selective breeding and manufacturing processes, oils of differing proportions of the fatty acids are produced. The expressed oil has a neutral taste profile. The oil contains a large amount of vitamin E.
  • Where did sunflower oil come from?
  • Sunflowers have been around for a while and they’ve had quite the journey, beginning in their native North America and making their way to numerous countries around the world. But it’s only been a few centuries since humankind figured out how sunflower oil is made and began to exploit the plant for its oil.