Spanish travelers had returned home with gifts from the Americas they had just discovered. Undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful of these gifts was the sunflower, which attracted attention with its resemblance to the sun. Although Spanish travelers brought this beautiful flower as an ornamental plant, they were quick to realize that its oilseeds could also be used in the kitchen. Just a few centuries later, sunflower oil had already become one of the indispensables of all world cuisines.
Yes, for the European and Asian continents, sunflower oil has a relatively short history compared to olive oil and other vegetable oils. But did you know that this delicious and healthy oil has actually been a part of human history for thousands of years?
In today's article, we would like to briefly talk about the history of sunflower oil.
Sacred Flower of the North American Indians
As we mentioned before, although the world was introduced to the sunflower only a few centuries ago, this beautiful flower was an extremely common crop among Native American tribes in North America. Archaeological finds show sunflower production around 3000 BC.
Sunflower had widespread use in the life of Native Americans. According to the finds, Native Americans used sunflower seeds as flour for food or bread, as well as using them as a condiment by roasting them.
These early inhabitants of the Americas also discovered that they could make oil from the seeds of the sunflower and used it for cooking. The use of this nutritious and delicious oil was not limited to the kitchen, either: According to archaeological finds, sunflower oil was also used for sunscreen or for decoration of skin, hair or textiles.
In short, although the sunflower was considered a new invention when it was brought to Europe by explorers in 1510, it was one of the staple foods for North America for 4,000 years. However, this is undoubtedly; The biggest turning point in the sunflower's journey was its recognition, especially in Eastern Europe.
Sunflower Oil Spreads All Over the World
For a long time, Europe ignored the highly nutritious qualities of the oil obtained from the seeds of this beautiful flower. For nearly two centuries, sunflower oil did not gain much ground in Europe except for medicinal use: until this beautiful flower reached the lands of Ukraine and Russia. Russia began mass production of sunflower seed oil in 1832, soon after discovering that it was extremely delicious. This new oil, which adds flavor to the dishes, was so appreciated that only 3 years later, in 1835, Russia started to export sunflower oil. Sunflower oil, which was discovered by Native Americans in 3000 BC, took its place in the kitchens of the world in a short time thanks to this initiative of Russia.
After this first initiative of Russia, the production and use of sunflower oil spread rapidly all over the world. Sunflower oil, which has been heavily involved in our lives for 200 years, has a widespread use in the cosmetics, medicine and food sectors both in our country and in the world.
Turkey's award-winning Sunflower Oil Avesafya
Sunflower oil has been bringing taste, health and happiness to our kitchens for 5,000 years. Turkey's award-winning Sunflower Oil