Frequently Asked Questions :

Monounsaturated fats are a liquid fat found in plant-based foods. These are fats with one double-bonded carbon in the molecule.  Monounsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature but start to turn solid when chilled.  Cold Pressed Vergezocht High Oleic Virgin Sunflower Oil is an example of a type of oil that contains high levels of monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats provide dietary energy without raising blood cholesterol levels.What are monounsaturated fats?

What is the health benefits associated with monounsaturated fats?

When eaten in moderation and when used to replace saturated fats or Trans fats, monounsaturated fats can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.  Monounsaturated fats also provide nutrients to help develop and maintain your body‟s cells and are typically high in vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin. There is no RDA for monounsaturated fat, but dietary guidelines recommend that not more than 10 percent of total calories should be from monounsaturated fat.

Are monounsaturated fats better for me than saturated fats or Trans fats?

Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats can have a positive effect on your health, when eaten in moderation. Saturated fats should be kept to below 7% of total fat and where possible, Trans fats should be eliminated from the diet.

Which foods contain monounsaturated fats?

Most foods contain a combination of different fats.  Examples of foods high in monounsaturated fats include vegetable oils such as Cold Pressed Vergezocht High Oleic Virgin Sunflower Oil, olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil.  Other sources include avocados, peanut butter, and many nuts and seeds.

Are monounsaturated fats lower in calories?

Monounsaturated fats – like all fats – contain nine calories per gram and may contribute to weight gain by providing excess calories.

How much monounsaturated fat should I eat in a day?

The fats in the foods you eat should not total more than 25–35 percent of the calories you eat in a given day… and, for good health, the majority of those fats should be monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

What is Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an oil soluble vitamin. This vitamin is a very good anti-oxidant and plays a major role in the prevention of oxidation of oils and reducing the risk of cancer. In the human body vitamin E is responsible vir the activation of several other vitamins as these cannot be processed by the body if vitamin E is absent, secondly the antioxidative properties of vitamin E also prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

Oxidized LDL cholesterol tends to harden and is responsible for blocking veins.

Sunflower oil in general naturally contains some of the highest levels of vitamin E. Standard sunflower oil has around 30mg/100ml, olive oil 15mg/100ml, and High Oleic (HO) Sunflower Oil 55mg/100ml.

Vitamin E is also one of the vitamins that are severely reduced during chemical and high heat extraction and processing.

Vitamin E delays or helps prevent coronary heart disease, cancer, eye disorders, Alzheimer‟s disease, and cognitive decline. The anti-oxidant fights off free radicals that cause aging.

What is the advantage of cold pressed oils?

Any oil subjected to high heat will lose some of its nutritional value. Cold Pressed Vergezocht High Oleic Virgin Sunflower Oil is high in vitamin E, which contains several antioxidants. When used for deep frying, a distinctive “nutty” aroma will be released during the first heating. This is proof of its cold pressed status. On repeated uses this aroma will disappear. The Vergezocht High Oleic Deodorised Sunflower Oil that is supplied to restaurants, does not contain the odour as mentioned above, but still has all the health benefits of Cold Presses HO Oil.