What Is the Difference Between Palm Oil, Soya Oil And Sunflower Oil?

The cooking oil that we are to discuss in this article is extracted from plants and is used for frying, baking, and other types of cooking. It is also used in the production of soaps, washing powders, personal care products and biofuels.

Palm oil is an edible vegetable fat found in a plant source, derived from the reddish pulp of the fruit of the oil palms. It is naturally reddish in colour due to its high source of Provitamin A. This oil is commonly used for cooking due to its high saturation (oxidative stability) of the refined product when you use it for frying. Palm oil is one of the few highly saturated vegetable fats and does not contain cholesterol, although saturated fat intake does increase a person’s LDL and HDL cholesterol. Palm oil is found in many processed foods. There has been many tests done on the health benefits of palm oil and it has been found that there are health benefits, which include; the increase in good cholesterol and reducing bad cholesterol.

Soybean oil is one of the most widely consumed vegetable oils and it is extracted from the seeds of the soybean. This oil is also found in a wide variety of processed foods, it is mostly used for frying and baking. It is known as a drying oil because it slowly hardens upon exposure to air; forming a flexible, transparent and waterproof solid; and because of this property; it is used in some printing ink and oil paint formulations. Although soybean oil is not a direct insect repellent it is used as a fixing agent to extend the short duration of action of essential oils that are used in many commercial products.

Sunflower oil is compressed from sunflower seeds and is commonly used in food as frying oil and in cosmetic formulations as a cream. It is high in Vitamin A, D and E and low in saturated fat. When the oil is expressed it is a light amber colour with a mild and pleasant flavour and refined oil is pale yellow. The loss in the quality is minimal when refined. The oil has good keeping qualities with light tendency for flavour reversion. Sunflower oil behaves as a fatty acid that is an important energy source forming most of the fat stored by the body.it helps food stay fresher and healthier for longer. It helps skin retain its moisture; without clogging pores or blocking the flow of oxygen in and out of the skin. The thinness of texture allows the skin to absorb it very quickly, without leaving a greasy residue. It also provides a protective barrier that assists in making premature infants 41% less likely to develop infections in hospital when they receive a daily skin treatment of sunflower oil.