Origin and history :  

Whether as a radiant, symbolic flower or as oil in the kitchen, the sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ) is an indispensable part of everyday life. The one- to two-meter-long plant blooms from late June/July to September. Sunflowers are considered highly photosynthetic and therefore bind a lot of carbon dioxide. This makes the yellow flowers very light-dependent. The size and orientation of the plant depend on from the sun. First cultivated by Native Americans, the sunflower spread to Europe in the 16th century . One specially bred variety of sunflowers today is the high- oleic sunflower, or HO sunflower for short. HO sunflowers are defined as sunflowers with a minimum oleic acid content of 80% , which is the most common simply unsaturated fatty acid that we humans consume in our diet .  

Characteristics :  

The amount of oleic acid in the flowers is of interest to many oil producers, as the oil is considered to be very heat and oxidation stable , making it ideal for frying and deep-frying. However, from a health perspective , it is also important to to consider this monounsaturated fatty acid , which is part of animal and vegetable oils. Studies suggest that a diet rich in oleic acid is beneficial for weight regulation and could lead to weight loss, particularly in cases of obesity and abdominal fat deposits. Studies also attribute the blood pressure-lowering effect of olive oil to its oleic acid content. Monounsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid also reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol while increasing “good” HDL cholesterol, which is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease . In one study, a higher level of oleic acid in Blood plasma with a 73% lower risk of strokes .  

Which AgilNature ® products contain High oleic sunflower oil ?