In the search for dietary supplements that can help you obtain optimum health, some people use safflower flower for its purported health benefits. There are a variety of safflower supplement products available today, such as safflower oil and safflower extract powder. Though safflower does not have reported side effects, per Drugs.com, some people may be allergic therefore consult a doctor before taking safflower extract powder.
Safflower Powder Extract
Safflower is a type of plant that is often used by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, according to Acupuncture Today. Today, manufacturers sell safflower in a variety of forms, such as an oil or powder. Manufacturers use the safflower plant's petals as the basis for the powder, and can extract the fatty acids in the plant to create the concentrated oils. For industrial purposes, safflower is sometimes used as a dye or coloring agent while safflower oil is used as a paint solvent.
Derivative
There are many manufacturers of safflower oils, powders and extracts, though each may call its product by different names. Typically, safflower oil is derived from the ground up safflower seeds which contain the fatty acids and oils that make up the liquid. Safflower extract and safflower powders may be made up of either the extracted oils, ground up or powdered petals or seeds, or a combination of safflower plant parts or extracts.
Benefits
Safflower extract powder manufacturers often tout the product's health benefits as a "natural" or "herbal" product or remedy. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, a part of the National Institutes of Health, safflower oil is a good source of vitamin E, an important nutrient that may help prevent heart disease and even some types of cancer. Safflower oil, according to Ohio State University, may help prevent heart disease. Researchers at the university have found that daily doses of safflower oil helped improve health factors such as good cholesterol and blood sugar in some women, as well as reducing abdominal fat.
Caution
Safflower powder is typically sold as a dietary supplement. As a supplement, the manufacturer does not have to get its product approved by the Food and Drug Administration before selling it in the United States. Under the terms of the
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, the manufacturer has to ensure the product is safe, but it does not have to get government approval, according to the FDA. You should always research any dietary supplement carefully before deciding to use it.
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