Sunflower and safflower oil are both extremely popular in the natural food industry right now.  As brands look for healthier options (and move away from conventional GMO oils like soybean, corn, cottonseed and canola) sunflower and safflower become the next logical choice that many brands opt for.

Sometimes we see products that use one of these oils, and other times we see products that use BOTH interchangeably with an "and/or" statement on their ingredient list. If you had to choose between them, which is a better fit for you?

Today, we will take a closer look at these two oils to discuss how they are similar and how they are different. Of course, if you can use both, then do it! Both are good quality, naturally non-GMO oils perfect for use in snack foods, breads and frozen products.  However, if you'd rather choose only one oil, let's dive into some information on each to help you decide. 

The term "high oleic" can be applied to many different types of oils: canola, sunflower, safflower, and more. High oleic oils continue to see a spike in popularity, especially in the natural food manufacturing industry. 

Why high oleic oils?  High oleic oils are a premium option that have a healthier fat composition, a longer shelf life, a higher heat tolerance and an extended fry life. For these reasons and many more, this ingredient is a perfect fit for natural chips, popcorn, and other baked or fried snacks. 

Canola and sunflower oil are both commonly used oils in the natural food industry. They are light in color and flavor, and you'll find them used in products like baked goods, snacks, granolas, bars and used for frying. 

Similar as they are they also have their differences. Today we will dive into the rundown of what is the same and what the difference is when it comes to these two oils. 

Safflower is an oil that has gained a quite a bit of popularity in recent years.  It's now found in baked goods, cookies, bars, chips and other natural snacks.  That said, it's not quite as prevalent as it's cousin, sunflower oil, or the main-stay food industry, canola oil. But, many brands are starting to use this oil more and more. 

For those of you without much experience with safflower you may wonder if it's an oil that should be used in food production if it's ideal for cooking in your own kitchens. Is it good or bad?

What do you mean different types of sunflower oil?  I thought there was just one -- sunflower oil!

There are, in fact, a number of different types of sunflower oil.   The types (or grades) are differentiated based on what type of fat makes up the oil, as well as how the oil was produced.  

Sometimes it is hard to know exactly what kind of oil will work best for you and your product lines. If you're in the R&D stages of new product development, you will be faced with decisions about choosing the the right ingredients.  Let's pretend you have finally made the decision to use Sunflower Oil. You will next be immediately be presented with the next question: What kind of Sunflower Oil would you like?

Sunflower Oil is a type of seed oil that comes in a few different varieties. There are three main types: high oleic, mid oleic, and linoleic. 

Depending on what information you read, you may hear that sunflower is healthy from some and unhealthy from others.  So which is it? 

To help those grappling with all this conflicting information, we'd like to weigh in: the answer is not as straightforward as "good" or "bad".  Due to the ins and outs of the specific fat makeup of the oil (aka, what KIND of fats are found inside the oil molecules) and how oil is made, this discussion can be confusing and there's a lot of room for gray area and misinformation.

To make this discussion even less straight forward, the type of sunflower oil that was commonly used in the 80s and 90s is becoming less and less prevalent. So we are not always talking about the same thing when we say "sunflower oil."

High quality, non-GMO and organic oils are in such high demand. If you use specialty oils or natural oils as a bulk ingredient in your manufacturing facility you are probably already well aware.

These premium oils often come at a higher price. Perhaps you are already feeling the pressure from the market, and looking at other alternatives that could help you save on costs and increase your profitability.

Today, let’s focus on the giant elephant in the room…. the price. Here is how some of the most commonly known healthy non-GMO and organic oils compare.

The popularity of safflower and sunflower oil have skyrocketed in natural food products in the last five years. Of course, before then, these were always oils that were both used occasionally — they just weren’t as popular to the same extreme that they are now.

With the recent trend towards natural and premium ingredients, these two oils have struck a chord with the natural food crowd.

They both contain characteristics that natural food manufacturers want to include in their products. Below, we’ll review each of the different features of these oils that makes them so likable.

Did you know that there are different types of sunflower oil? Before you go choosing any old grade for your food product, it’s important to understand the difference. Some options can save on oil costs by extending your fry life, some stand up to heat and some are cheaper than others. Each type is fit for a specific purpose, so it’s best to choose the one with the best functionality for your new product line.

The primary differences between the grades have to do with the different levels and types of fat within the oil.

Safflower and canola are both commonly used oils in the natural food industry. They’re both light in color and flavor, and you’ll find them used in baked goods, snacks, granolas, bars and used for frying.

However, as similar as they are, they also have their differences. Today, I’ll give you the rundown of what's the same and what’s different when it comes to these two oils. 

Safflower oil has gained popularity in recent years in the natural food industry. Though it’s not quite as prevalent as it’s cousin sunflower oil or the food industry main-stay of canola oil, brands are starting to use it more and more.

Without much experience with safflower, many people question if it’s an oil that they should be using in food production or eating in their own kitchens. Is it good or is it bad?

It’s hard to know much about safflower instinctively: the name doesn’t mean much to us — after all, what is a safflower anyways? To make things a little bit more confusing, this oil is often used interchangeably with sunflower oil as well.

Today, I’ll start at the beginning to give you the low down on safflower oil. Why people do or don’t like it, and whether you should be eating it. 

Sunflower oil and canola oil are both commonly used oils in the natural food industry. They’re both light in color and flavor, and you’ll find them used in baked goods, snacks, granolas, bars and used for frying.

However, as similar as they are, they also have their differences. Today, I’ll give you the rundown of what is the same and what’s different when it comes to these two oils. 

Sunflower oil: is it healthy or unhealthy? Is it good or bad?

Because the ins-and-outs of the specific kind of fat make up and how an oil is made, this discussion can be confusing. To make the discussion even less straight forward, the sunflower oil that used to be common decades ago is becoming less and less prevalent, so we’re not always talking about the same thing when we say “sunflower oil”.

With the healthy food movement, high oleic expeller pressed sunflower oil is becoming more and more common and is beginning to dominate the US sunflower market.

On the whole, is sunflower oil good or bad? And is it actually a good fit for the food that you’re making? Today we’ll review what this oil is good for (or not) and the science behind it. 

High oleic oil is a term that you will see applied to many different types of oil: canola, sunflower, safflower and more. High oleic oils have seen a recent spike in popularity, especially in the natural snack food manufacturing industry.

Why is this so? High oleic oils are premium options that have a healthier fat composition, a longer shelf life, a higher heat tolerance and an extended fry life. 

Sunflower and safflower oil are very similar oils; in fact, they’re so much alike that they’re often used interchangeably.