Is Sunflower Oil Hazardous To Your Health?

Sunflower oil comes from the pressed seeds of sunflower plants, or Helianthus annuus. Mild-tasting and versatile, sunflower oil typically works well for stove top cooking, frying and baking. Sunflower oil contains various nutrients that can have positive effects on your health. Although sunflower oil contains many healthy components, there are a few risks associated to using this oil. Talk to your health care practitioner about the potential hazards and benefits of sunflower oil before using it in your diet.

Healthy Source of Vitamin E

According to the National Sunflower Association, sunflower oil contains more vitamin E than any other type of vegetable oil. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble essential nutrient that contains antioxidant properties. The antioxidants in vitamin E work to protect your cells from free radicals and enhance the health of your immune system. Consuming vitamin E might even help to delay or prevent cardiovascular disease. Just 1 tbsp. of sunflower oil provides you with about 10 mg of vitamin E, or 66 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance, notes the National Sunflower Association.

Rich Source of Healthy Fats

Sunflower oil contains high levels of healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, and just a small amount of saturated fat, or the "bad fat." Sunflower oils contain omega-6 essential fatty acids, which reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease if balanced with omega-3 fatty acids. The healthy fats in sunflower oil might also help improve your memory skills. According to the BBC, researchers at the University of California, Irvine, reported in 2009 that oleic acid, one of the fats found in sunflower oil, improves the memory retention in lab animals by triggering memory-enhancing signals in the brain. This means that using sunflower oil might lower your risk of developing Alzheimer's, but studies with human subjects need to verify this claim.

Potential Health Hazards of Vitamin E

The vitamin E contained in sunflower oil might affect your blood clotting abilities and increase your risk of bleeding if you also take prescription blood thinners, anticoagulants, anti-platelet medications, aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, also called NSAIDs. Talk to your doctor before using sunflower oil if you also suffer from a vitamin K deficiency because adding vitamin E to your diet increases your chances of hemorrhaging.

Possible Health Risks of Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Consuming high levels of omega-6 essential fatty acids might have negative effects on your health, including promoting the growth of cancerous cells and increasing the inflammatory responses in your body. In addition, having a much higher level of omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids seems to lead to severe depression. Balancing the omega-6 fatty acids in sunflower oil with omega-3 fatty acids is essential for both your physical and mental health.

Considerations

You have your choice of several types of sunflower oils. Linoleic sunflower oil contains healthy amounts of omega-6 essential fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats. This oil works well for baking and making salad dressings. High oleic sunflower oil must contain at least 80 percent monounsaturated fats. This type of sunflower oil has a higher smoke point, which makes it a great choice for high-heat cooking. Store your sunflower oil in the refrigerator to prolong its shelf life.