What Is Safflower?
The safflower or Carthamus tinctorius L. plant belongs to the member of Asteraceae family also known as the sunflower family. This thistle-like safflower plant is usually native to places like China, India, Iran, and Egypt. Globally it is cultivated in almost every part of the world including North America. The plant is popular because of the edible oil it yields, apart from being known for its use as an animal feed as well. The safflower oil comes or is extracted from the seeds of the safflower plant. Many nutrition experts consider safflower oil as an excellent source of both poly and monounsaturated fatty acids apart from its rich vitamin E content. Safflower oil is used for high-heat cooking like sauteing and frying due to its high smoking point. It has a mild flavor and is easily found in most grocery stores.
What Are the Nutritive Contents of Safflower Oil?
The following nutrition information has been provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for one tablespoon which is approximately 14 grams of safflower oil:
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Carbohydrates: 0 g.
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Fiber: 0 g.
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Sugars: 0 g.
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Protein: 0 g.
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Vitamin E: 4.77 mg.
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Fat: 14 g.
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Sodium: 0 mg.
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Calories: 120 kcal.
There are no carbohydrates at all in safflower oil as it is indeed purely a fat-based source. The estimated glycemic load of safflower oil is also zero. Safflower oil is a rich source of vitamin E, it yields nearly 4.6 milligrams of vitamin E or up to 23 percent of the recommended daily intake in only one tablespoon of safflower oil. There are also other trace nutrients in a single tablespoon of safflower oil such as 0.03 micrograms of choline and one microgram of the essential vitamin K.
What Are the Health Benefits of Safflower Oil?
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Skin Protection: Safflower oil is also used commonly in the cosmetic industry for manufacturing products like moisturizers. When applied topically, the safflower oil can prove a natural moisturizer for individuals suffering from dry skin. Further, because of the antibacterial and antifungal properties of safflower, it is known to heal skin wounds as well.
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Cardioprotective: The monounsaturated safflower oil which is rich in oleic acid (not linoleic acid) is said to have a cardioprotective effect. Oleic acid demonstrates potency in lowering the bad or LDL (low-density lipid) cholesterol levels in our body apart from regularising the HDL cholesterol (high-density lipid) or good levels. Hence research indicates that this oil ideally reduces the risk of heart disease. Additionally, the presence of omega-6 fatty acids in safflower can lower the risk of coronary heart disease.
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Eye Protective: As elaborated earlier, because of the high vitamin E content in this oil, it is believed to be associated with a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which is usually a common cause of vision loss, especially in aging individuals. Research suggests that those individuals who daily consume up to at least 20 milligrams of vitamin E have a 20 percent less risk of developing AMD, hence safflower oil can also promote healthy vision because of its vitamin E content.
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Neuroprotective: Additional research, though very limited as of now, suggests that when vitamin E is consumed in combination with essential vitamins, be it beta carotene precursors of Vitamin A, vitamin C, or zinc and copper, is deemed beneficial in preventing cognitive decline or other neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease. This is because vitamin E in association with these elements would be neuroprotective against age-related cognitive changes.
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Anti-cancer effect: The oleic acid content found in safflower oil shows a strong anti-cancer effect especially against developing breast cancer. Nutrition Research shows that safflower oil rich in oleic acid could certainly suppress the expression of gene HER2neu that would be involved in the development of breast cancer.
Why Safflower Oil Is Good for Use in Food?
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The smoke point is the temperature at which the fats begin to smoke which creates mostly toxic fumes and releases harmful compounds or free radicals. This is one of the reasons why most of the cooking oils used to fry or saute french fries or veggies are considered unhealthy by nutrition experts. Hence, safflower oil is a much healthier alternative suited for these purposes.
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Safflower oil has a usually higher smoke point than most other types of good oils such as canola oil or the extremely healthy and preferred edible olive oil. The smoking point of the safflower oil further depends on how it is processed. Whether the processing is for refined, semi-refined, or unrefined oils usually it is high that ranging from 225 degrees to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
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As this is a heat-stable oil, it is as easy to use as any other liquidized vegetable oil. It can be used like solid saturated fat in the kitchen.
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Safflower oil also additionally possesses a neutral taste. It can be best used for salad dressings and salad recipes because it won't alter the dish's taste. In addition to salad dressings, one can also use the oil for all kinds of marinades, dips, sauces, and most importantly for grilling, sauteing, or stir-frying.
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The heat-stable cooking oil like safflower is a healthier alternative compared to frying veggies or chips in other cooking oils (because of the high smoking point of safflower.
Who All Must Avoid Using Safflower Oil?
Individuals who have seed allergies should be cautious or consult with their dietician or nutritionist before consuming safflower oil. Such individuals should always check the food labels of commercially available safflower oil in case the oil has been manufactured from any other nuts, seeds, or other allergens which a person would be cautious of. Similarly, people with nut allergies also may be allergic to safflower oil.
What Are the Storage Guidelines of Safflower Oil?
There are mainly two types of safflowers that produce the oil, one type of oil contains more monounsaturated fatty acid or oleic acid while the other one is higher in polyunsaturated fatty acid or linoleic acid.
Some nutrition experts debate that the linoleic acid safflower should be less preferred compared to the oleic acid oil which is deemed healthier. Most safflower oil bought in grocery stores for food purposes are also of the high oleic acid type only and also they have very low saturated fat content.
One should take care to avoid exposure of the safflower oil to oxygen, heat, or light. These elements can cause oil oxidation that can make the oil rancid. Try and store the safflower oil in a tightly sealed container. The oil should be stored well away from heat, light, or even other heat-based appliances that tend to increase the temperature of the oil. Safflower oil is best preserved soon after opening it to prevent rancidity. In the refrigerator, safflower oil can be stored well for up to even six months.
Conclusion
Safflower oil is a cardioprotective or heart-healthy oil that is obtained from the seeds of the safflower plant. They can be used just like any other cooking oil in the kitchen. It is also advisable to however avoid fried foods in the general diet as they can be detrimental to health and nutrition. Also, it would be wiser to choose safflower oil with oleic acid content than the one with linoleic acid incorporated.
