The Latin name of the sunflower plant, Helianthus annuus, comes from the Greek words for sun, helios, and flower, anthros. Annuus means that the plant is annual.
Like potatoes, tobacco, cocoa, maize, and groundnuts, sunflowers come from tropical Central and South America. Early on, the seeds were crushed and pressed to obtain oil. In 1569, the Spaniards brought the first sunflower seeds to Europe, where they were initially used only as ornamentals and garden plants.
Large-scale cultivation did not start until the eighteenth century, when the high fat content of the seeds was discovered. The fat content of ripe sunflower seeds fluctuates between 30 and 45%. The oil is light in color and clear, with a pleasant, mild taste and odor.
Common name(s)
Helianthus Annuus
Plant ingredients
It mainly consists of oleic and linoleic unsaturated fatty acids. The sunflower seed oil has a relatively higher content of linoleic acid (omega-9) in comparison with olive oil that makes it a proper ingredient in skincare products due to the many positive beneficial effects.
Sunflower Seed Oil Sorbitol Esters is a co-emulsifier corresponding to the cosmetic industry's "Green" trend.