Safflower edible uses

Around the world, safflower is mainly grown for its edible oil cooking salad oil and margarine. Safflower is cultivated in the United States as an oilseed crop.

Safflower oil is sprayed on various edible products to prevent them absorbing or losing water and thus extends their shelf life.

In affluent countries, research linking health and diet has increased the demand for the oil, which has the highest polyunsaturated/saturated ratios of any oil available.

In addition to seed, safflower has been known and grown since ancient times for its brilliantly colored flowers, which were used to extract yellow and orange dyes for food and fabrics.

Recently interest in safflower as a source of color for use in food is gaining importance owing to a recent ban on the use of synthetic colors in food in the European countries and elsewhere.

Safflower oil is popular for edible uses because of its high unsaturated fatty acid content.

Polyunsaturated fats are associated with lowering of blood cholesterol. Also, mono-unsaturated such as oleic safflower oil tends to lower blood levels of LDL without affecting HDL. The flowers are also reported to have medicinal properties to cure several chronic diseases, like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, spondylosis and sterility in both men and women.
Safflower edible uses