The sunflower was first brought to Russia by Peter I, who saw a bright large flower in Holland and was captivated by its appearance, reminiscent of a small sun. At the end of the 19th century, Russian enterprises began to produce sunflower oil on an industrial scale, since it became extremely popular among the people.
Popularity of sunflower oil
Initially, sunflower oil was welcomed by Russians because it was a vegetable product and was not prohibited during the fast - unlike butter. An equally important role in its popularity was played by the climate of Russia, in which sunflower grew very willingly, giving tasty and, most importantly, inexpensive vegetable oil. It was they who managed to outstrip soybean, rapeseed, flaxseed, mustard and corn oils on the market for these products.
The share of sunflower oil produced in the Russian Federation occupies about 87% of the vegetable oils market.
In addition to the above factors, ornamental sunflower quickly moved into the category of valuable cereals due to the enormous benefits for the human body that its seeds bring. They began to be widely used not only in the food industry and cooking, but even in cosmetology and folk medicine. In addition, it turned out that sunflower flowers give excellent honey with unique properties and a large number of active enzymes.
The benefits of sunflower oil
Sunflower seeds contain a lot of vitamin E - a powerful natural antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals that destroy the structure of cells, which leads to various malfunctions of organs and tissues. Also, sunflower oil contains the amino acid arginine, which helps prevent and fight diseases of the cardiovascular system, strengthen the walls of arteries and blood vessels. Vitamin B1, in the composition of this oil, reduces the risk of blood clots in blood vessels of various sizes.
Sunflower seeds are natural enemies of bad cholesterol, which causes problems with blood pressure, blood vessels and heart.
One of the most useful components of sunflower oil are phytosterols - they reduce the concentration of cholesterol in the body and prevent its excessive absorption. In addition, sunflower oil is popular due to its antimicrobial properties - it is used to treat some diseases of the oral cavity caused by pathogenic bacteria, using the oil as a gargle. The active substances of sunflower oil have a positive effect on the respiratory, digestive and circulatory systems, as well as on neurological diseases.
