It is a greenish yellow, light yellow, or
a dark shade that resembles hemp oil. It is produced
from seeds dye safflower method hot,
cold pressing either solvent extraction.
Plant Carthamus tinctoriusbelonging to
family Astrovykh Is an annual herb with a branchy straight
stem, oblong-lanceolate alternate leaves and tubular
yellow or red flowers that transform towards the end of summer
in fruits – shiny oval-tetrahedral achenes of white
color.
Dye safflower is widespread as a weed almost everywhere, and
it is cultivated as an oil plant most of all in the Crimea,
in the Caucasus, Egypt, Spain, China, America and Africa. By the way,
in some hot countries, this plant is used to obtain
dyes of red and yellow color, which are used to color various
fabrics and carpets. Also some regions use cartamine
(safflower pigment) in the food industry for making caramel.
However, most often the plant is cultivated for seed collection and pressing
of which an almost tasteless transparent oil. The refined oil is used
for food purposes, for preparing cold dishes and frying, and bitter
product from unrefined seeds – for making quick-drying light
drying oil, in soap making and linoleum production.
Ancient Egyptians dyed mummy bandages with safflower petals
thousands of years ago, but the essential oilseed crop
the plant became recently, in the 50s of the 20th century, when geneticists and breeders
developed varieties with a fairly high content of fat in seeds
connections. At that time, the widespread use of oil began for
protective coatings, in cosmetology and in the food industry for
making light margarine.
Traces of this oil were found on pieces of fabric that survived
in Egyptian tombs (c. 1600 BC). Over this time
it has been used in many areas of life, starting with flavored
brooms and ending with textile dyes. For example, in 1900
biennium the abstract artist Willem de Kooning used this product as
bonding medium for paints and solvents. Today it is produced
in more than 60 states.
How to choose
This is an affordable, fairly budget oil, the price of which is being compared
with the cost of olive
extra virgin oils. High quality safflower oil that
suitable for cosmetic purposes, worth buying from aromatherapy departments
or in other highly specialized sources.
This oil is also found in supermarkets, pharmacies and food stores,
however, such products are most often presented as stabilized,
refined oil, whose properties are largely lost.
Due to extremely short shelf life and instability butter
cold pressedwhich is the only species suitable
for aromatherapy purposes, almost
never and in compliance with all technologies it is distributed only
responsible aromatherapy manufacturers.
Understanding the labeling of this product is simple: to make sure
that it was safflower oil that came to you, you need to check the Latin
names that are indicated without fail on quality products.
Safflower oil can only be labeled as carthamus
tinctorius, and an alternative to the words “safflower oil” can
be exclusively “safflower oil».
Since safflower oil is divided according to the type of raw material used, and
it belongs to narrow-profile production cycles, in the instructions
to a quality product, the manufacturer always clarifies the sources
and the part of the plant used to obtain it.
Safflower oil is divided into two main types:
- 1
cooking oilreceived
from peeled seeds, which can be used as a base
oils without precautions and used in cooking; - 2bitter, toxic, technical oil,
obtained from unrefined seeds, which are used in industrial
purposes, in particular, in paint and varnish production.
When purchasing oil, pay attention to whether it is indicated on the package
the type of oil and raw materials, and whether it can be used on the skin and consumed
inside.
There are also fakes of safflower oil. All of them are among
oils that are replaced with canned or diluted bases.
Most often, cold-pressed oil is replaced with stabilized,
refined. It is easy to distinguish fakes of this type by their expiration date:
when selling a refined product, it is usually more than a year, and for
the highest quality oil should not exceed 3-6 months.
Also, cold-pressed oil can be replaced with a mixture with other neutral
bases and preservatives.
Most dangerous for unstable safflower oil violation of conditions
storage, due to which even the highest quality product goes rancid
still in warehouses. Such oil can only be recognized after purchase.
and opening the bottle. The product is not recommended for use in any
purposes at the first sign of rancid or strong odor.
To avoid buying substandard products, it is important to check
whether the manufacturer provided all the necessary information, and also to make sure
in the freshness of the oil according to the shelf life.
How to store
Safflower oil can be stored from 3 months to six months. For,
in order to preserve all the useful properties of the product, it must be kept
in a container under a tightly closed lid and always in a cold place.
In cooking
Safflower as a cooking oil
is in no way inferior to sunflower
both in taste and characteristics, but surpasses
the last in the healing effect on the human body and
biological activity.
Safflower oil is considered one of the most resistant to high
temperatures, so it can be used not only in the preparation of sauces,
dressings, salads, appetizers and cold dishes, but also in cooking
main dishes, including frying and baking.
Caloric value
Of course, the calorie content of safflower oil is quite high – 800 kcal.
But its special composition and properties allow it to be used in reasonable
quantities even for weight loss.
Nutritional value per 100 grams:
Proteins, g Fats, g Carbohydrates, g Ash, g Water, g Calorie content, kcal – 99,9 – – – 800
Useful properties of safflower oil
Composition and presence of nutrients
Safflower oil is dominated by linoleic acid,
which is about 80% of the total mass, and is represented
it is in a rather rare conjugated form.
In addition to linoleic acid, safflower oil includes palmitic
и oleic acid with stearic impurities,
arachidic and myristic, responsible for the activity of derivatives
serotonin and vitamin absorption
Е.
There is also a vitamin in this herbal product
K, responsible for the restoration of blood vessels.
Since there is no squalene in safflower oil, in order to enhance the regenerating
properties it is advised to combine with other bases with a high content of it.
Useful and healing properties
Safflower oil is prized for its many essential acids
and elements, properties are very quickly absorbed and penetrate deeply
into the epidermis. Due to its vitamin K content, safflower oil is shown
people with skin diseases, as an activating vascular restoration
a remedy that also affects the pattern, the density of the capillaries and the gastrointestinal tract.
It is advised to include it in the diet for those who want to lose weight, clean
blood vessels, strengthen the heart, improve the condition of hair and skin.
The use of this oil can also help patients with diabetes:
will remove excess fat and lower sugar levels. It is noted that it is essential
reduces sugar levels methanolic safflower extract. Among women,
suffering from type 2 diabetes after taking the oil for 4 months
safflower 8 g per day there was a decrease in sugar and fat and a decrease
inflammation.
In ancient Chinese medicine, safflower oil was used for
elimination of blood stagnation, improvement of blood flow, with amenorrhea (absence
menstruation), pain, injury, and even to terminate a pregnancy.
Therefore, during pregnancy, this oil should be discarded.
at all.
Safflower oil contains few saturated and many unsaturated
fat. This fact alone made it an excellent dietary product.
for those who suffer from heart ailments. This oil is wonderful
source of omega-6
fatty acids that help burn excess fat rather than store it
them for future use.
The natural fatty acids contained in the product are called building blocks
prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that contribute to
normalization of pressure, control muscle contractions and are involved
in the immune response.
The high vitamin E content of safflower oil makes it
an antioxidant
free radical scavenger cocktail. They are the ones who are guilty
in disorders of the structure of cells, in their aging, in an increase in risk
oncological and cardiological diseases.
This product is also useful for problems in the nervous system. Thanks to
vitamin K it is able to provide a strong antihemorrhagic
action that contributes to the fact that they begin to actively reproduce
blood cells.
Safflower oil, among other things, is used in the treatment
ailments of the urinary system, due to choleretic and diuretic
actions. The same properties help cleanse the body of disease-causing
bacteria, toxins, removal of excess fluid.
Slimming use
Since safflower oil does not contain carbohydrates and proteins, the diet on
its basis is referred to as low-carb. Today she has become enough
popular. Comparative safety contributes to its success.
and the simplicity of this technique.
Those wishing to lose weight do not have to change their usual diet, reduce
the amount of food or switch to vegetables and fruits. They will be required
just use a little oil every day.
This diet is suitable for older women (postmenopausal),
suffering from type 2 diabetes or obesity.
The ideal daily dose of safflower oil for weight loss is
1,7 teaspoons (contains 6,4 g of linoleic acid).
This volume is equal in caloric content to 9,8% of the daily calorie intake.
Note that the safflower diet does not lead to rapid weight loss
body, but changes the ratio of fat and muscle mass to a healthy
the side.
Use in cosmetology
Thanks to the content vitamin E and nutritional value,
safflower oil has become widespread and there are many positive
reviews in cosmetology as an active additive to creams for dry
skin, anti-aging and dry hair products.
By itself, this oil is already considered a sufficient component for
saturation of cells with moisture. It quickly softens and moisturizes the epidermis,
helps to improve the lipid functions of the skin.
Because of its antioxidants, safflower oil is often used
as a healing and restorative agent.
Its properties are also used to even out skin color and
elimination of capillary thinning. What’s interesting is the application of this
oil does not grease the skin, but on the contrary – it improves the secretion of the skin
bacon.
By purchasing this product for making any home care products,
remember that only use it as a base for a cream or mask
do not advise. Being potent, this oil can be used
exclusively in limited volumes as one of the components
parts.
Like any oil that prevents dryness and moisture loss,
safflower is also effective as a sunscreen. True, because of
the presence of polyunsaturated acids, it is capable of accelerated
oxidation leave a rancid mark when sunbathing.
Add safflower oil to lotions, creams, tanning products
as a restoring component can be in an amount of no more than
1/5 of the total volume. It can also be used as a supplement
in various cosmetics (2-3 drops each).
Safflower oil is also used in the form of applications for complex
treatment of damaged skin areas as an integral component
for massage and in pure form.
This product contains many oleic acid,
which is able to easily penetrate the scalp. It is she who can
help hair growth, protect, moisturize and strengthen hair. Being
rich in essential polyunsaturated
acids, this oil is very beneficial for dry hair or hair
after dyeing and perm.
When applied to the scalp, the oil acts as a vasodilator
means, as a result of which a lot of
nutrients and provides a healthy growth environment
hair.
For hair care, take 1-2 drops of safflower oil and rub
them on the palms. Then you need to apply oil to the ends and slowly
move through the hair towards the head. You can leave the oil
for an hour, and then just wash off. Also safflower oil can be used
as an additive to store hair products at the rate of a dining room
spoon per 100 ml volume.
Dangerous properties of safflower oil
The actions of the ingredients found in safflower oil can
cause even more harm than their synthetic substitutes. By consuming
this product is oil for any purpose, dosage must be adhered to.
Otherwise, unwanted side effects may occur: dizziness,
nausea, headache, and problems with appetite.
In addition, with uncontrolled techniques, a number of
more serious difficulties: abdominal and chest pain, shortness of breath, anemia,
overweight and metabolic disorders.
During pregnancy, this oil is strictly contraindicated, since
it greatly accelerates blood flow and can even cause it to be interrupted.
