Sunflower or olive oil – the
all-time dilemma! Both are quite popular, actually. Many people prefer to use EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) because of its proven health properties, but when it comes to cooking, it’s different. Food specialists say it’s the sunflower oil that’s better for such purposes. Well, that’s a different kind of topic, though!
Probably the only thing these two have in common (except for being oils,
obviously!) is their
calorie content. It’s said that a tablespoon of each has basically the same number of calories – around 120.
From then on, differences begin. Keep reading to find out the
4 main differences between sunflower and olive oil + some of their benefits!
- Fat content
Both types of products are known to have no (or close to zero) trans fats, which is great! What’s more, according to specialists they are rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These might help reduce the bad cholesterol levels and increase those of the good one. However, sunflower oil is said to have about 65% polyunsaturated fatty acids, including Omega-3 and 6. On the other hand, EVOO has no more than 10%.
- Vitamin E
Some say that’s
the most powerful amongst the antioxidants. An adult would need around 15g per day to get the daily recommended dose. Did you know that a tablespoon of sunflower oil might get you no less than 6g of vitamin E? In comparison, the same amount of olive oil has about 2mg of the vitamin. It’s three times less, guys! It turns out sunflower oil has its advantages as well.
- Microelements
Generally, most plant oils are known to be poor on microelements. However, if there’s a product, which can give you at least half of what your body needs, that’s EVOO. Good,
high-quality extra virgin olive oil contains iron, potassium, sodium and calcium.
- Vitamin K
Hey, we forgot to mention about the other important vitamin – K! Luckily, both sunflower and olive oil are vitamin K sources. It participates in the mechanisms of coagulation of platelets and blood clotting. Here it’s the olive oil that leads ahead with a tablespoon giving about 8mkg of vitamin K. That’s about
eight times more than what we can imagine in the same amount of sunflower oil.
Huh!
So, it’s obvious that both types of oil have something to give us. However, the choice which one to use depends on lots of things like your diet, your personal preferences and others. In any case, you can always
keep it balanced and use both moderately!
Check out our Olive oil category as you click
here!
Meanwhile, read more on our Blog:
2 Easy Dinner Ideas you’ll Fall in Love With!
5 Reasons Why you Should Take a Spoonful of Olive Oil Every Day – Part 2
7 Uncommon Ways to Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil
