Almost every house in the kitchen has sunflower oil. It is used for frying meat, vegetables, pies, salads. At the same time, no one even thinks that sunflower oil, the composition of which is rich in useful substances, can be used not only in the cooking process, but also in the treatment of various ailments, and the elimination of some appearance defects.
Bit of history
Sunflower oil is a product that is obtained from sunflower seeds. This plant was brought from America to Europe. It turned out to be in our country thanks to Peter I. The king noticed this beautiful plant in Holland and ordered to bring seeds. Sunflower has long been considered a decorative flower. At the end of the 18th century, Academician V. M. Severgin wrote in his writings that oil can be obtained from seeds. However, this information did not arouse wide interest.
Until about the 30s of the XIX century, sunflower was a garden plant. Then the peasant D. Bokarev decided to squeeze the oil from the grains. The experiment was a success. The resulting product turned out to be tasty and served as an alternative to other vegetable oils. Gradually, sunflower became the most cultivated oilseed in the country.
Sunflower oil composition
The product in question includes useful substances:
- vegetable fats, which are more easily absorbed by the human body compared to animals;
- Vitamin E, a protector against aging and cancer;
- fatty acids necessary for the body to build cells and tissues, for the functioning of the circulatory and nervous systems.
From the table below you can find out what sunflower oil includes. The composition is indicated per 100 g of product.
Sunflower oil: composition, fats| Chemical composition and nutritional value |
| Water | 0.10% |
| Fats | 99.90% |
| Saturated Fatty Acids | 12.5% (8.7% -16.3%) |
| Polysaturated Fatty Acids | 65.0% (55.0% -75.0%) |
| Phosphorus | 2 mg% |
| Vitamin E | 44 mg% |
| The energy value | 899 kcal |
| Fatty acid composition: fatty acids (%, total fatty acids) |
| Myristine | up to 0.02 |
| Palmitic | 5.0-7.6 |
| Lignoceric | up to 0.5 |
| Palmitoleic | up to 0.3 |
| Peanut | up to 0.5 |
| Oleic | 14.0—39.4 |
| Linoleic | 48.3—77.0 |
| Linolenic | up to 0.3 |
| Stearin | 2.7-6.5 |
| Begenova | 0.3-1.5 |
| Gondoin | up to 0.3 |
Classification of sunflower oil
Vegetable oil made from sunflower seeds is divided into unrefined and refined. After receipt of the initial product from the raw materials, they are asserted, filtered and sent for hydration and neutralization. The composition of unrefined sunflower oil during these procedures loses phospholipids, substances due to which the oil becomes cloudy during prolonged storage.
The second product from the classification is obtained after passing the full technological scheme of treatment. Sunflower oil is defended, filtered, centrifuged, hydrated. The next process after all this is refining. Sunflower oil is clarified with special adsorbents. The product is then vacuum treated with water vapor. Due to this, the oil loses its original smell, i.e., is deodorized. Processing also eliminates substances that, when exposed to high temperatures, turn into carcinogens and enter the body.
Healing properties of the product
Sunflower oil is necessary for the human body, because it contains beneficial substances. In particular, it is rich in vitamin E. In other vegetable oils, it is found in much smaller quantities (if you compare the composition of olive and sunflower oil, you can see that the latter contains 10 times more of this vitamin). It is necessary for the normal functioning of the heart muscle, gonads. With its deficiency, neurological disorders, hemolysis of red blood cells occur. To prevent such conditions, it is recommended to use an unrefined product with salads (the chemical composition of unrefined sunflower oil contains more useful substances, so it is advised to add it to various dishes and not use for frying).
Sunflower oil is useful for various ailments. Due to the presence of its own biological composition, it becomes an important ingredient in various ointments, masks, etc. Sunflower oil interacts well with herbal components - medicines prepared according to popular recipes are used:
- for treatment with the appearance of colds;
- to relieve pain in the joints;
- with other pathological conditions.
Sunflower oil and cold treatment
For sore throats, indicating the development of tonsillitis, folk doctors recommend preparing the lubricant and using it according to the following recipe:
- mix aloe juice with the same amount of unrefined sunflower oil;
- dip a cotton swab into the mixture;
- lubricate the throat.
When coughing in children, you can also use sunflower oil. The composition of the product helps to eliminate this symptom. To combat cough in folk medicine, compresses are used:
- in a container mix 1 tbsp. a spoonful of dry mustard, unrefined sunflower oil , honey and vodka;
- all ingredients are mixed, flour is added to them until a thick dough is formed;
- the mixture is heated in a water bath;
- 3 doughs are made from dough, which are wrapped in gauze;
- 2 lozenges are placed on the back, and the remaining on the chest (it should be borne in mind that compresses are not done on the spine and on the place where the heart is; on the chest there is a small lozenge under the dimple).
Sunflower oil in the service of beauty
In some beauty recipes, one of the ingredients is sunflower oil. The composition of the product has a positive effect on the skin and hair. For example, with severe dry skin and peeling, you can help yourself in the following way:
- mix 100 g of sunflower oil with the same amount of honey;
- add 2 chicken eggs without protein to the mixture;
- mix the ingredients thoroughly and reheat;
- apply the product on the face in several steps with a 7-minute interval;
- wash off the mask from the face with a swab dipped in linden broth.
Sunflower oil is suitable not only for dry skin, but also for normal. Women with this type of skin benefit from this product in the winter, when negative factors such as frost and wind influence the face. To eliminate their influence, it is enough to clean the skin with sunflower oil every day. It is first heated, and then applied to the face. After 3 minutes, the oil is removed with a swab dipped in water or a decoction based on medicinal herbs.
The healing properties of sunflower oil include a positive effect on the hair. First of all, the product must be included in the food. The health and beauty of hair depends on what a person eats. If there are any problems associated with hair, then one nutrition will not be enough. For example, with hair loss, you can carry out a simple procedure once a week - rub the mixture prepared from 1 tbsp. Into the scalp. tablespoons of sunflower oil and egg yolk. Rinse hair 40 minutes after application using warm water.
The use of oil for gynecological diseases
The composition of refined sunflower oil has a positive effect on gynecological diseases. The product promotes the healing of mucous membranes. To prepare a remedy for female ailments:
- 1 part of refined sunflower oil is mixed with 1 part of bee honey;
- the mixture is boiled in a water bath, cooled and used to wet cotton swabs.
A medicine, prepared at home, relieves small inflammatory processes. With unpleasant manifestations of premenstrual syndrome, you should just eat salads seasoned with sunflower oil. The product contains linoleic acid. It just helps relieve excruciating symptoms.
The use of sunflower oil for joint pain
To relieve pain in the joint, you can use a mixture made from unrefined sunflower oil and body powder (the last component is on sale in pharmacies):
- in 30 parts of oil add 1 part of the powder of giardia;
- the ingredients are thoroughly mixed;
- the resulting ointment is applied to the affected joint from the outside and rubbed in a circular motion;
- after the procedure, the limb is wrapped in warm tissue.
Rinse and lubricate the oral cavity
The chemical composition of sunflower oil allows the use of this product for the treatment and improvement of the oral cavity. By daily rinsing, it is possible to stop the damage to the teeth, prevent the formation of plaque on the teeth, and prevent the development of the carious process. How to apply sunflower oil? It is recommended that within a quarter of an hour to keep in the mouth half 1 tbsp. spoons of this product. After this procedure, you need to spit out the oil and thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water, adding a little salt to it first.
If any problems with the mucous membrane are observed in the oral cavity, then a mixture of 1 part of unrefined sunflower oil with 1 part of fir oil is used. She treats the affected areas in the mouth with a cotton swab. After use, the mixture is refrigerated and stored there.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that sunflower oil is a very useful product. The composition includes substances that are necessary for humans. From oil, it is recommended to prepare medicines according to folk recipes for various diseases, to make medical cosmetics. However, self-medication is still not welcome. Before using any product, you need to consult a specialist, because in some diseases the oil may not have the expected effect or even cause harm.