Sunflower Oil Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Sunflower oil consistently improves lipid profiles by lowering total cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein, often called "bad" cholesterol) when it replaces saturated fats like butter, lard, or palm oil .
Replacing solid fats with sunflower oil is more effective at reducing LDL cholesterol than using olive oil or palm oil, according to a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials .
While some internet claims suggest seed oils are harmful, scientific consensus from major institutions indicates that these oils do not cause inflammation or heart disease and are healthy alternatives to animal fats .
Early research from a network meta-analysis suggests sunflower oil may lead to more weight gain compared to sesame oil or a sesame-canola blend, though the evidence for this finding is currently considered low certainty .

Interesting fact

Sunflowers are hyperaccumulators, meaning they can be used to extract toxic heavy metals and radiation from soil, a process famously utilized at the Chernobyl and Fukushima disaster sites.

Standout nutrients

EPIC

SOURCE

Vitamin E

SOLID

SOURCE

Chromium

EPIC

SOURCE

Fat

EPIC

SOURCE

Sum polyunsaturated fatty acids

897

kcal per 100g

Fat100.0g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat62.1g

Monounsat22.4g

Saturated10.9g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeDairy FreeKetoLow FodmapPaleo

Sustainability

Moderate

Lower land-use efficiency than palm oil but generally lower pesticide requirements than soy.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Cool Dark Place

6–12 months

Keep away from heat sources to prevent rancidity

Away From Direct Sunlight

6–12 months

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 5 validated sources

French Food Database

1 contributing source food

Phenol-Explorer

1 contributing source food

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Perspective on the health effects of unsaturated fatty acids and commonly consumed plant oils high in unsaturated fat - PMC

[2]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of different edible oils on body weight: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - PMC

[3]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Different Dietary Fat, Different Risk of Mortality - The Nutrition Source

[7]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

Scientists debunk claims of seed oil health risks

[9]hsph.harvard.edu

Effects of oils and solid fats on blood lipids - PMC - NIH

[12]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

83.0

Version

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