The oil extracted from the safflower has been used for thousands of years as a food and remedy. Already in ancient times, safflower oil was known for its health-promoting ingredients. Today, due to its fatty acid composition, it is one of the healthiest vegetable oils used in cooking.
What you should know about safflower oil
The oil extracted from safflower has been used as a food and remedy for thousands of years. Even in ancient times, safflower oil was known for its health-promoting ingredients. Safflower oil is obtained from the seeds of the true safflower (safflower plant) by cold pressing. Another common name for the oil is safflower oil. Heated, refined oils are also available, but they have fewer health-promoting properties. The Latin name for safflower is Carthamus tinctorius. This medicinal and useful plant, which was already used in ancient times, contains unsaturated fatty acids and numerous ingredients relevant to a healthy diet. The oil of safflower is also successfully used in medicine against various ailments. Safflower is spread all over the world, it is found both in North Africa, East Asia and North America. Nowadays, Egypt belongs to the main cultivation areas of the plant. The plant is traditionally grown not only for oil extraction, because the herb of the plant is a natural dye for textiles. However, its importance as a dyeing plant has greatly diminished since chemical dyes have become available. The oil from the seeds of the safflower plant is light and clear to light yellow depending on the degree of filtration. It has a mild to slightly tart flavor that is unobtrusive and found pleasant by most people. Accordingly, it can be used in many ways in the kitchen for salads, sauces or steaming. Safflower oil differs from other vegetable oils mainly by its high content of linoleic acid. With an average content of 78 – 81 % linoleic acid, the oil is the front-runner among all vegetable fats. By comparison, sunflower oil, for example, contains between 20 and 75 %, olive oil only 3-20 %. The doubly unsaturated linoleic acid is particularly valuable for human nutrition. For this reason, safflower oil is offered not only as an edible oil for daily nutrition, but also in high-quality form as a dietary supplement and natural medicine. The unsaturated fatty acids from safflower seeds can even be helpful in losing weight, because they are better metabolized in the body than saturated fats. Compared to hydrogenated or animal fats, they are completely absorbed and not converted into storage fat. Those who want to lose weight benefit from replacing saturated fats in recipes with safflower oil. The oil is also used in cosmetics, for example, to care for blemished skin or as a base for various natural cosmetic products. The oil has a refatting effect and supports the natural protective barrier of the skin. Safflower extracts are said to have a cell-renewing effect, which is why they are used as a natural anti-aging agent in cosmetics. Safflower oil is therefore not only an important component of a balanced and healthy diet. The plant is also used as a dietary supplement for the prevention and treatment of various diseases and for skin care.
Importance for health
Polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid from safflower seeds should be consumed daily in the diet. High-quality vegetable oils such as safflower oil do their part in supplying the body with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. It is known that a diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids provides numerous health benefits. The fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects and are involved in almost all processes in the human body. Safflower oil has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, it keeps the vessels free of deposits and has a preventive effect against strokes and heart attacks. Linoleic acid is a natural means of lowering cholesterol levels. The oil from the thistle has also proved its worth in the treatment of brain diseases and liver diseases. Besides unsaturated fatty acids, safflower oil also contains abundant vitamin E. Vitamin E supports the immune system, is involved in cell division and has an anti-inflammatory effect. Even small amounts of safflower oil are enough to provide the body with sufficient vitamin E in the daily diet. Used externally, safflower oil also supports health.It is a traditional Chinese remedy for the treatment of skin diseases such as acne and neurodermatitis. Last but not least, recent research on safflower indicates that the healing potential of the plant is far from exhausted. The oil is said to have positive effects on chronic headaches and migraines.
Ingredients and nutritional values
Safflower oil has a fat content of 91% and 819 kcal per 100 ml. The calorie content is equal to the energy content of other vegetable oils. In addition to lino linoleic acid, which is so valuable for human nutrition, safflower oil also contains oleic acid and palmitic acid. The oil is rich in vitamin E and even contains vitamin A in small amounts.
Intolerances and allergies
Safflower oil offered as a food product very rarely causes intolerances and allergies. However, medicines containing safflower ingredients or unfiltered safflower oil as a dietary supplement can cause allergic reactions and respiratory distress in sensitive individuals. It is not the oil itself that is responsible, but extracts from the herb or roots of the thistle. Therefore, a doctor should be consulted before taking any medicine or dietary supplement containing safflower oil.
Shopping and kitchen tips
To ensure that all ingredients are contained, thistle oil should be purchased cold-pressed if possible. A good product can also be recognized by the designation “unrefined” or “not refined”. Oils from organic cultivation are to be preferred, if available. The clear to light yellow safflower oil can be used in the kitchen similar to sunflower oil for the preparation of various dishes. The taste is mild, so safflower oil is recommended as a very good alternative to rapeseed oil. Although rapeseed oil also contains many valuable fatty acids, it has a distinct bitter taste in its unrefined, healthy form. The valuable oil from safflower is sensitive to light and should therefore be stored in a dark, cool place. It is suitable for storage in the refrigerator, as it remains liquid when cold. Safflower oil bottles should not be placed near the stove or window. When stored properly, the oil has a shelf life of up to twelve months after opening, and the manufacturer’s instructions should be followed.
Preparation tips
Cold-pressed, unrefined safflower oil cannot be heated to high temperatures; the smoke point of the oil is 150 °C. For this reason, safflower oil is not suitable for frying or baking. It can be used for salads and raw vegetables as well as for gently steaming vegetables or fish at low heat. To preserve all the valuable ingredients, the oil can also be added to food just before serving. Safflower oil obtained by refining can be heated to a higher temperature. However, since refined oil contains only some of the health-promoting ingredients, it is less valuable for nutrition.