Sunflower oil is one of the most worldwide used oils in the world. It ranks high positions among other oil types thanks to being rich in vitamin E and Omega-6 fatty acids. However, it seeds itself that gives these benefits to this oil type. But if the processing method influences product quality. Surely, it does.
That is why, in this article, we’ll tell about three main oil processing methods so that you could choose the healthiest one for your family and business.
Cold-pressed processing
If talking about health benefits and final product quality, the cold-pressed method is the best. It extracts as many vitamins as possible from seeds. Thanks to low processing temperature (not higher than 42 degrees under Celsius), the oil will be highly rich in vital nutrients. The point is that seeds do not need any temperature or chemical processing.
The main stage is the pressing of the seeds. Once you find a producer that uses a cold-pressed method, you can be sure that this company manufactures the best products for your health. The maximum amount of oil that can be extracted from seeds is around 27%.
The best sunflower oil producers in Ukraine apply this method to provide its clients with rich in nutrients food.
Cold-pressed oil received after preliminary processing
The main difference from the above-described method is one more stage. The seeds will be processed in the roaster with high temperature before pressing. In this case, manufacturers receive around 43% of oil from the same amount of seeds. That is why many companies opt for preliminary processing. However, high temperatures take some vitamins and nutrients. So, consumers will consume less nutrient-rich products, yet some nutrients still remain in such a product.
Refined processing
If you were a manufacturer, you would love this method too. Guess why? Because you can receive around 98% of ready-to-use products from seeds. Sounds impressive. But the biggest problem is that such a product will have zero benefits to consumers’ health. The very first stage starts with hexane that covers all seeds.
Once the oil is received, the hexane is removed thanks to water vapor, and its residues are removed with alkalines. But even now it is not the end. Such a product is still not allowed to consume. Totally, it has seven stages, including hydration, deodorization, bleaching refining. Now, you can consume this product. But why you should consume a product with zero benefits.
Interesting related article: “Best Oils for Hair Care.”