Scientifically called Carthamus tinctorius, safflowers are members of the Asteraceae botanical family, along with sunflowers. The plant is the source of safflower oil, which is a common vegetable cooking oil that manufacturers obtain by pressing or squeezing it out of safflower seeds.
Calories
Similar to other cooking oils such as corn and sesame oils, safflower oil has approximately 120 calories in each tablespoon, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Despite the high amount of calories in the small serving, eating a little oil regularly is necessary to reap the health benefits of certain substances that oils contain, such as essential fatty acids and vitamin E.
Fat Components
Safflower oil consists of 74 percent polyunsaturated fat, 17 percent monounsaturated fat and 9 percent saturated fat. The polyunsaturated fat is a source of important Omega-6 essential fatty acids, which your body cannot produce.
Benefits
Although safflower oil is comparable in calories to other cooking oils, it has the distinction of containing the highest amount of polyunsaturated fat. Typically derived from plants, polyunsaturated fat can help reduce the amount of cholesterol in your blood.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Polyunsaturated Fats and Monounsaturated Fats
- MyPyramid.gov: Why Is It Important to Consume Oils?
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23
- University of California, Los Angeles: Expressing Achenes
- Utah State University: Fat and Cholesterol
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