◆ Nutruoil® Safflower Seed Oil

Definition：

Nutruoil®Safflower seed oil is obtained from 100% non-GMO China (Xinjiang Province) Origin Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) seeds by the patented production technology of cold pressing followed by refining process or unrefined. It is popular for cooking and deep frying due to its high smoke point. It also has some uses as topical skin treatment.

The origin of Safflower:

Safflower, scientifically known as Carthamus tinctorius or false saffron, this thistle-like plant is part of the daisy family( Asteraceae/Compositae), it is one of the oldest known crops, thrives in hot and dry climates.
Safflower plants first emerged in the Fertile Crescent region over 4,000 years ago. Various Carthamus species then spread across parts of Eurasia and eventually Egypt, where extracts from the vibrant red-orange flowers became used as textile dyes and rouge cosmetics. By roughly 700 CE, crop cultivation migrated to China, Iran, and India. But safflower didn’t arrive in the America until the mid 1900’s. Early farmers primarily grew plots to sell dried florets for pigment extraction. But over time, interest rose in capitalizing on the hardy plant’s roughly 40% oil content within its small seeds for culinary purposes as well.
Traditionally cultivated as a dye crop because of its colorful flowers, most industrial cultivation now focuses solely on the oily seeds. Once historically used in oil paints and varnish, modern hybridization and extraction techniques create edible culinary oils tailored to high-heat cooking or use in salad dressings, margarines, and supplement capsules.Now The safflower plant is grown primarily as an oilseed crop, but its flowers have also been cultivated for culinary, textile, and medicinal purposes.

▶  Heart Health

Safflower oil reduced triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol in a large meta-analysis of human trials. When it comes to the breakdown of its effects compared to other oils and fats, safflower oil was :
Better at reducing LDL than saturated fats like butter or lard (a mix of saturated and unsaturated fats)
Better at reducing triglycerides than butter or beef fat
Better at reducing total cholesterol than olive oil or coconut oil
Worse at increasing HDL cholesterol than most other oils or fats, including sunflower, olive, palm, coconut oil, and beef fat
In one clinical trial, 8g/day of safflower oil reduced inflammation and increased HDL in 35 obese, post-menopausal women with type 2 diabetes over 16 weeks. But keep in mind that many other oils and fats may be more effective at increasing HDL.
In another clinical trial, 24g/day of safflower oil reduced total cholesterol and LDL in 37 healthy adults.
In multiple animal studies, diets rich in safflower oil or safflower phospholipids reduced blood and/or liver cholesterol and increased HDL levels. For example, safflower oil decreased liver cholesterol by an impressive 44% in lambs. Triglyceride levels varied in most animal studies.Compared to beef tallow, diets high in safflower oil were much more effective at reducing blood triglycerides in rats.Two serotonin polyphenols from safflower oil improved recovery and reduced damage after heart attacks in a heart tissue study.

However, high-oleic safflower oil (30mL/day) had no beneficial effect on lipid levels in one study on twelve post-menopausal women. 

▶ Weight Management

In one clinical trial, safflower oil supplementation for 8 weeks reduced body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and body fat while increasing muscle mass in 75 women. But coconut oil was more beneficial for weight loss overall.
Safflower oil (8g/day) decreased waist fat and increased muscle mass in 35 obese, postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes over 16 weeks. However, it didn’t reduce their total fat or body mass index (BMI).
A diet rich in safflower oil prevented fat gain in rats better than beef tallow or butter. It also limited weight gain and maintained muscle mass but reduced liver health. When rats were fed a high-fat diet, safflower oil reduced fat gain by activating fat-burning enzymes in the heart and muscles (lipoprotein lipase).
In mice, safflower oil had a beneficial epigenetic effect: it increased weight loss by reducing the expression of appetite-stimulating genes (for ghrelin) and increasing fat-burning genes (for orexin and PPARalpha).

▶  Inflammation

Safflower oil (8g/day) decreased the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein by 18% in 35 obese, postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes over 16 weeks.
In multiple studies, safflower oil reduced diabetes- and inflammation-triggered damage to the embryos in pregnant rats.
Safflower oil decreased autoimmune brain inflammation in rats, while the serotonin polyphenols from safflower seeds reduced inflammation in human white blood cells.
NSAIDs like Motrin and Advil are commonly used anti-inflammatory drugs that can cause ulcers in the small intestine. In mice, omega-3 fatty acids actually worsened the inflammation and small intestine damage caused by these drugs. But omega-6-rich safflower oil prevented ulcers from NSAIDs and reduced inflammation.

▶  Brain Function - Cognitive Enhancement

A single dose of safflower oil increased memory in 22 healthy elderly adults. It improved long-term and immediate memory, speed, and attention.
Brain Inflammation
In rats, safflower seed oil prevented autoimmune brain inflammation. In mice, it prevented dementia and cognitive impairment from chronic alcohol consumption.
Brain Injuries
The antioxidants in safflower oil improved brain health and recovery from stroke in rats. In pregnant or breastfeeding rats, safflower oil increased brain activity and levels of the key antioxidant glutathione in the brain. However, it reduced levels of another antioxidant enzyme, SOD.

▶  Diabetes

Safflower oil (8 g/day) for 16 weeks decreased fasting blood glucose in 35 obese, postmenopausal with type 2 diabetes.
In test tubes, serotonins from safflower oil blocked the activity of an enzyme (alpha-glucosidase) that breaks down starches into simple sugars. Thanks to this mechanism, safflower oil could potentially be used as a functional food for diabetics. It may reduce the amount of sugars the gut absorbs from starches in food, leading to fewer spikes in blood sugars after meals.
Diabetes during pregnancy can damage the fetus and cause health complications. In multiple studies, safflower oil decreased inflammation, damage, and improved embryo health in pregnant diabetic rats by over 50%.

▶  Crohn’s Disease

In a meta-analysis of clinical trials, omega-6 fatty acids in safflower oil added to tube feeding formulas increased Crohn’s disease remission better than any other type of fat.

▶  Skin Health

In pigs, a diet with safflower oil reduced skin damage. In guinea pigs, it reversed symptoms of essential fatty acids deficiency such as loss of skin elasticity, spot baldness, and scaly skin.

▶  Bone Health

Safflower seeds and safflower seed oil partially prevented bone loss caused by low estrogen in postmenopausal rats.Its beneficial effects may not be restricted only to postmenopausal bone loss, though. A diet high in safflower oil also improved bone strength in male rats.

Safflower oil is safe to consume in food, but it has not been approved by the FDA for medical use. Speak with your doctor before making significant changes to your diet or supplements.

▶  Endurance

Dietary safflower oil improved the swimming endurance of male mice more than lard or fish oil.