Why is sunflower oil more harmful to health than olive oil?

Olive or sunflower oil? That is the question. These two vegetable oils are the most consumed in Spain. Especially the first one, although the second one in general cheaper and with a milder taste, is also very famous for activities such as frying, making mayonnaise or making sweets. So, is it good to have both? He sunflower oil He has been demonized a lot in recent years. So much so that there are people who choose not to consume it, even because of what was mentioned above. But is this demonization fair?

The truth is, not really. There is a reason why sunflower oil receives so much negative criticism. It is his high content of omega-6 fatty acids, especially linolenic acid. In the 90s, several studies were published that showed that this substance, although beneficial in certain doses, can become dangerous if consumed in excess. Moreover, she was even accused of promote inflammation and insulin resistanceso this could be related to diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease.. This, and the fact that olive oil is much richer in nutritional properties, has led to it being given much more attention, subtracted from sunflower oil.

It is true that overall, olive oil is much healthier than sunflower oil. But this does not entirely justify the demonization of the latter. As we always say, in science it is not so easy to talk about blacks and whites. Gray color should also be given attention.

The benefits of olive and sunflower oil

These two oils are liquid at room temperature due to their high unsaturated fatty acid content.

Saturated fatty acids are made up of carbon chains linked only by single bonds, while unsaturated fatty acids are those that have one or more double bonds. They are monounsaturated if there is only one, and polyunsaturated if they contain more of these bonds.

Unsaturated fatty acids are associated with better balance between HDL and LDL cholesterol and therefore better metabolic health.

Sunflower oil is richer in polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially omega 6and olive oil is richer in monounsaturated, especially omega 9.

On the other hand, olive oil is very rich vitamin K, polyphenols and carotenoids. Vitamin K plays a very important role in the formation of healthy tissue, but its coagulant ability is particularly notable. If we did not have enough of this vitamin, we might experience frequent bleeding. When it comes to polyphenols and carotenoids, the former are excellent antioxidants, while the latter play a very important role in reducing inflammation. For this reason, a combination of both is considered very beneficial in preventing aging and cancer.

As for sunflower oil, in addition to omega-6, it is very rich Vitamin E, which also acts as an antioxidant. This might put it on par with olive oil, but it has 19 Different Types of Bioactive Polyphenolstherefore its antioxidant effect is much stronger.

Omega 6 or Omega 9?

From everything we’ve seen, it appears that both olive and sunflower oil are beneficial. And it is true. In fact, although extra virgin olive oil is at the top of all rankings, many experts rank it right behind sunflower oil with high oleic acid content.

This is sunflower oil enriched omega-9 fatty acids, known as oleic acid. Typically, olive oil contains 87% of this acid, while sunflower oil contains only 0.5%. However, there are sunflower varieties whose seeds contain higher amounts of this acid. It is from them that oil is produced, which is much closer in nutritional properties to olive oil.

But it still has omega-6, and we saw that there was a time when a lot of harm was discovered. Was it all true?

Yes, it was, but not at the levels that were indicated at the time. It is true that some omega-6 fatty acids, especially linolenic acid, which sunflower oil is very rich in, are transformed into another compound called arachidonic acid. This is the main synthesis block inflammatory and coagulant molecules. We’ve already seen that coagulation is good for preventing bleeding, but at high levels it can also promote blood clots. Therefore, an excess of this fatty acid may contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases.

All this is true, but the reality is that the proportion of linolenic acid in sunflower oil that turns into arachidonic acid is very small. In addition, the problem is solved if you combine omega-6 with omega-9.

So olive or sunflower oil?

This is where the grays come in and oppose the exclusive use of white or black. Both omega-9 and omega-6 are essential. It should be noted that olive oil is the main source of omega-9 in our diet, so should not be missing. Omega-6 can also be obtained by eating seeds and nuts. Therefore, if we ate these foods, nothing would happen unless we consumed sunflower oil.

Now, if we want to use this oil with a milder taste, it will not be a problem if it is combined with olive oil, which gives olive oil more meaning. In addition, if we are going to consume sunflower oil, it must be high oleic.

Bonus: What happens when you fry?

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are more unstable when heated. Therefore, although sunflower oil is quite suitable for frying, many of its benefits are lost. beneficial features.

In conclusion: do not overuse sunflower oil, but pay much more attention to olive oil. But don’t demonize anyone. Each has its own advantages.