Olive oil VS sunflower oil

Author: Dmitry Sobolev - fitness trainer.
2018-03-31

Popular dietetics, like any other trendy topic, is full of myths, prejudices, misconceptions, and simply contentious issues. One of them I would like to discuss today.

Recently, a conversation has spontaneously arisen with two different clients of mine – about vegetable oils. It turned out that both try to consume olive oil to a greater extent, even though one of them doesn't like its taste at all. Their common argument is that it is healthier. But is that really the case?

First, let's determine how the benefits of vegetable oils are measured. Oils are almost pure fat, and their benefits depend on the ratio of fatty acids. The main ones for the body are unsaturated essential fatty acids from the Omega-3 and Omega-6 groups. These are the components that cannot be synthesized by the body and must therefore be obtained from food. As for Omega-3 fatty acids, both of these oils contain a very small amount of them and cannot be considered worthy sources of Omega-3. To replenish this nutrient, it is better to use flaxseed oil, fish, or seafood. But that’s a different story. However, regarding the content of Omega-6 fatty acids, sunflower oil exceeds olive oil by about 5 times.

A comparative table of the nutritional value of sunflower and olive oils.

Recently, various sources have been discussing that an important drawback of the modern human diet is the disproportion in the ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fats. Based on this, many dietitians conclude that it is necessary to reduce the intake of the former fatty acids and increase the intake of the latter. However, researchers do not pay particular attention to one simple but very important fact, in my opinion – the rapid increase in the overall consumption of fats by modern people. Perhaps the root of the problem lies in the excessive quantity, not in the disproportion?

Therefore, to maintain balance, most people should, on one hand, reduce the amount of fatty foods in their diet overall, primarily by cutting out junk food. On the other hand, increasing the intake of Omega-3 acids wouldn't hurt. Here, fish, flaxseed oil, and specialized supplements can help.

Another important component of vegetable oils is Vitamin E. This fat-soluble vitamin possesses many crucial properties for the body. The main ones include:

• Antioxidant effects on cell membranes, significantly reducing the likelihood of cancer.
• Participation in the synthesis of many proteins as well as sex hormones.
• Strengthening the immune system.
• Active involvement in energy metabolism, including the formation of ATP and creatine phosphate.

By this indicator, sunflower oil is far ahead. It contains almost 4 times more vitamin E than olive oil.

The next indicator is saturated fats. This food component cannot be labeled as absolute evil since saturated fats are also necessary for the body to perform certain functions. However, returning to the diets of most people, the amount of saturated fats in them clearly exceeds the norm. Based on this, we should prefer products with a lower content of these nutrients. Once again, sunflower oil has a slight lead here.

A common question is: “Which oil is best for frying?” The answer: none, it's better not to fry at all. But if you must, any refined oil will do. In its raw form, refined oils are less beneficial, but for frying, it's better to prefer them, as they form fewer carcinogens during thermal processing, substances that increase the risk of cancer.

As you can see, the topic is at least contentious. But where does such steadfast confidence among many people come from that olive oil is definitively healthier than sunflower oil? Personally, I see several reasons for this phenomenon:

1. Thoughtless translation of Western sources. Most of the information on this topic, as well as fitness as a whole, has come to us from the West, where some products typical for us may be considered exotic, and vice versa, our delicacies are everyday products there. The absolute world leaders in the production and consumption of sunflower oil are two countries – Ukraine and Russia. For the Western world, this product is a rarity.

2. The mindset of "more expensive means better." A myth has deeply rooted in the minds of many people that healthy eating is expensive. Therefore, those who can afford expensive products buy them, convinced they are healthier. Those who try to save on food do not bother at all and consume whatever is cheap and tasty.

3. A global conspiracy of marketers. I am not a proponent of conspiracy theories, but where there's smoke, there's fire, and it seems obvious that the owners of retail chains find it more profitable to sell more expensive products. These guys know how to manage our preferences.

In summary of all the above, it can be said that both products are useful and important components of a healthy diet. Dietary diversity is an important condition for a healthy lifestyle, and it would be great if you include both products in your diet. Now you'll just know which oil to prefer, especially if you're on a budget. In the future, I would like to make similar comparisons of a few more products.