safflower oil

[andrefl]

wanted to know if safflower oil is healthy?

[Health Dr. 1]

Safflower can be part of a healthy diet provided that some requirements are made. The first is that it is a quality, organic, raw oil that has no been deodorized and refined. Excessive heat damages oils, especially those that are rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid. Heat, light, and oxygen all play a role in destroying these fatty acids. Nearly all commercial oils are heated and deodorized and therefore unhealthy, especially if they come from genetically modified seeds or ones sprayed with pesticides in the first place. Safflower typically contains about 75% omega-6 acids, one of the essential types of fats. However, consider that this type of fat is usually disproportionately high in relation to another type of essential fatty acid, omega-3s. For the purpose of supplementation, it may be more beneficial to use other oils such as flax seed oil, or, even better, hemp oil. A blend of oils in the diet that satisfy the raw and organic qualifications is probably best, just keep in mind that they should be relatively balanced in terms of their ratios; many experts feel that a ratio should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 3:1 in favor of omega-6s. Hemp oil is almost exactly this proportion naturally and is a logical choice for someone that wants to add only one to their diet.