Sunflower oil, made from the sunflower plant, contains no essential omega-3 fatty acids. Sunflower oil does contain omega-6 fatty acids, which are also essential for health but are found in far more dietary sources than omega-3 fatty acids. Since you can't manufacture them, you must obtain omega-6 fatty acids from dietary sources. Some types of sunflower oil have undergone genetic engineering to produce oils with different fat contents.
Natural Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil grown naturally contains the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid. Linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fat, makes up 65 percent of the oil in natural sunflower oil, with oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, making up 21 percent and saturated fats comprising 11 percent.
Hybrid Sunflower Oils
Hybrid sunflower oils were created to fill a niche market for a frying oil that didn't need hydrogenation. A high-oleic sunflower oil containing 80 percent oleic acid, which has commercial use as a substitute for trans fats, contains very little omega-6 fatty acid. A mid-range oil called NuSun, which contains 15 to 35 percent linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid, also comes from sunflowers, according to the National Sunflower Association. NuSun contains less than 10 percent saturated fat and 55 to 75 percent oleic acid.
Benefits
Omega-6 fatty acids helps your brain function, keeps your skin and bones healthy and aids in regulating metabolism. Omega-6 fatty acids also play an important role in reproductive functioning. The natural form of sunflower oil has the benefits of polyunsaturated fats as compared to saturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Replacing trans fats or saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats in cooking can benefit your heart. Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, is a polyunsaturated fat that contains no cholesterol. Sunflower oil also contains high amounts of vitamin E.
Drawbacks
The typical American diet includes too many omega-6 fatty acids compared to omega-3 fatty acids. An ideal ratio ranges from 2:1 to 4:1; the typical American diet contains 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acid compared to omega-3 fatty acids, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. While sunflower oil has benefits over saturated fats, include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet to achieve a healthy balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Fish, particularly large fatty fish such as salmon, contain large amounts of two omega-3 fatty acids -- eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Flaxseed also contains large amounts of an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid, which is not the same as the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid.
References
- National Sunflower Association: Sunflower Oil - Your Healthy Choice
- Purdue University; NuSun Sunflower Oil: Redirection of an Industry; Larry W. Kleingartner; 2002
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Omega-6 Fatty Acids; Steven Ehrlich; June 2009
- American Heart Association; Polyunsaturated Fats; October 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil; April 2011
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