Oils are one of the most essential ingredients when it comes to cooking. Moreover, apart from just cooking, oils are used in several different industries too. Oils majorly differ based on their source, that is to say, from where they are extracted. Sunflower oil and vegetable oil are two such oils that are used for cooking. Though they come under the same category, like us, cooking oil, they are two different types of oils with several different dissimilarities.
Sunflower vs Vegetable Oil
The main difference between sunflower oil and vegetable oil is that sunflower oil, as the name suggests, is made up of the seeds of sunflowers, specifically known as the helianthus annuss plant. On the other hand, vegetable oil is made up of several different types of seeds, grains, nuts, fruits from different types of plants.
Sunflower oil is one of the most healthy oils for the body which can be used in cooking. Just like any other cooking oil, sunflower oil can also be used for purposes such as frying and deep-frying. Sunflower oil is one of the most suitable oils for deep frying. The reason behind that is that sunflower oil has a high smoke point.
Vegetable oil is one of the most common types of oil which is used in the kitchen industry, especially for cooking purposes. There is no specific type of vegetable oil, instead, there are different types of vegetable oils that are used. However, soybean oil is the oil that is referred to as vegetable oil in the most general cases.
Comparison Between Sunflower and Vegetable Oil
| Parameters of comparison | Sunflower oil | Vegetable oil |
| Source | Sunflower oil is extracted from sunflower seeds. | Vegetable oil is extracted from plant sources. |
| Fat content | Sunflower oil has more content composition of polyunsaturated fats. | Vegetable oil has more content composition of monounsaturated fats. |
| Saturated fats | Sunflower oil has less content composition of saturated fats. | Vegetable oil has more content composition of saturated fats. |
| Vitamin content | Sunflower oil is quite rich in vitamin E. | Vegetable oil is rich in vitamin A. |
| Use | Sunflower is commonly used for cooking and in the cosmetic industry. | Vegetable oil is commonly used for cooking. |
What is Sunflower Oil?
Sunflower oil is a type of edible oil that can be used for several different purposes. It is majorly famous for its health benefits, as sunflower oil is very healthy. The reason behind that is that sunflower oil is low in content of saturated fats. In other words, it can be said that sunflower oil contains fats that are good for health, and has less content of fats that are unhealthy for the body.
Sunflower oil has several different health benefits, which are mostly related to the heart. Some of the major health benefits of sunflower oil are that it ensures lower cholesterol levels, improves the functioning of the heart, increases energy levels of the body, improves the immune system, helps regeneration of the cells which consequently results in better skin, hair, and nails.
The reason why sunflower oil is healthy for the heart is that it is rich in polyunsaturated fats or also abbreviated as PUFA. PUFA helps in reducing the content of cholesterol, fatty acids, and triglycerides in the body which play a major role in deteriorating heart health. Sunflower oil is further divided into 3 different categories, that are, high oleic sunflower oil, medium oleic sunflower oil, and lastly. linoleic sunflower oil.
What is Vegetable Oil?
The appearance of cooking oil is light yellow, it is flavorless and has no odor as well. The oil is quite versatile and can be used for several different purposes in cooking. Thus, it is also known to be all-purpose cooking oil. Vegetable oil can be derived from multiple plant sources such as seeds, fruits, nuts, and more. Depending upon what the oil has been derived from, vegetable oil is of several different types.
Some of the most popular types of vegetable oil are coconut oil, olive oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and more. Moreover, vegetable oil is further divided into nut oil, citrus oil, and more. Some of the most popular types of nut oil are almond oil, hazelnut oil, cashew oil, pine nut oil, walnut oil, and more.
Vegetable oil has a couple of benefits, however, when used in excess it can cause several different health problems such as high blood pressure level, high cholesterol level, blockage of arteries, increased heartbeats, obesity, and more. Some of the health benefits of vegetable oil are that it improves metabolic processes of the body, improves digestion, promotes better cell functioning and cell growth.
Main Differences Between Sunflower and Vegetable Oil
- Sunflower oil has more health benefits as compared to vegetable oil. On the contrary, vegetable oil has fewer health benefits as compared to sunflower oil.
- Sunflower oil is of 3 different types. Wheras, there are over 50 different types of vegetable oils.
- Sunflower oil has less iron content as compared to vegetable oil. On the other hand, vegetable oil has more iron content as compared to sunflower oil.
- Sunflower oil has less zinc content as compared to vegetable oil. Whereas, vegetable oil has more zinc content as compared to sunflower oil.
- Sunflower oil has fewer varieties as compared to vegetable oil. On the contrary, vegetable oil has more varieties as compared to sunflower oil.
Conclusion
Sunflower oil and vegetable oil are two different types of cooking oil with different compositions, manufacturing processes, health benefits, and more. Sunflower oil is a type of vegetable oil. One cannot identify the difference between the two, that is sunflower oil and vegetable oil, by just looking at it, or just by its physical properties.
Comparing both the oils, sunflower oil is known to be more healthy for the human body as compared to vegetable oil. Thus, one can prefer sunflower oil to vegetable oil. However, sunflower oil is not recommended for people who are allergic to sunflower seeds. On the other hand, vegetable oil is not recommended for people who are allergic to soy.
References
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=lnk2tdo8_P4C&oi=fnd&pg=PA137&dq=sunflower+oil&ots=2_JjtacM_M&sig=_zLGBIATxKyvPDVXp85Qj7wJmZY
- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ie040208j