Polyunsaturated Fats

The polyunsaturated fats in safflower oil, a vegetable cooking oil, are considered healthy fats. The Mayo Clinic reports that polyunsaturated fats can help "lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in your blood."

Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Safflower oil also contains omega-6 fatty acids, a type of unsaturated fat that can help promote heart health and brain function. The American Heart Association recommends that people get between 5 and 10 percent of their daily calories from omega-6 fatty acids.

Potential Benefits

Health magazine reports, "Some clinical studies have shown that safflower oil supplementation may be helpful in patients with cystic fibrosis, Friedreich's ataxia, and neurotoxicity from lithium." However, more definitive studies are needed.

Possible Side Effects

As safflower is part of the daisy family, people allergic to daisies, ragweed or other plants may experience hypersensitivity or an allergic reaction. Regular or higher dosages of safflower oil may also result in gastrointestinal distress, decrease in blood pressure or other unpleasant or harmful side effects.

Source of Insulin

In 2009, the Canada-based company SemBioSys Genetics was granted a U.S. patent "for commercial production of insulin by using oil from the seeds of safflower plants" for diabetes treatment.

Source:

Mayo Clinic: Dietary Fats: Know Which Types to Choose

Mayo Clinic: What Are Omega-6 Fatty Acids?

Reuters: SemBioSys Shares Soar after Insulin Patent Granted

More Information:

Health: Safflower