Sunflower oil is a mild tasting, amber-coloured oil expressed from the seeds of the sunflower (Helianthus annuus).

Sunflowers are cultivated globally in sunny climates as a food and oil crop. The fast-growing coarse plant stems shoot up to around 3 meters tall, bearing a distinctive large bright-yellow flower head containing spirals of many seeds. The seeds can be harvested, dried and used as a food or undergo a process of cold-pressing and/or solvent extraction to produce sunflower oil.

Sunflower oil performs well in high-heat cooking, and is often used for frying potato chips. It can also be used in personal care products as an emollient. Sunflower oil is particularly high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid that is known to benefit the skin with its anti-inflammatory and moisture-retaining properties. It is also rich in vitamin E and oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid, helping to soothe dry skin.

Botanical name: Helianthus annuus

Other names: Helianthus Annus Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Sunflower Oil

Main constituents: Linoleic acid, Oleic acid, Stearic acid, Palmitic acid