Quinn’s gluten-free pretzels and microwave popcorn use high oleic sunflower oil and Organic high oleic sunflower oil - sourced from Colorado Mills, a Southeastern Colorado-based facility that uses all-natural extraction processes. The sunflower oil that we use in our products is physically extracted, and high-oleic, meaning it is not as high in omega-6 as conventional sunflower oil and it is used to maintain the freshness of our pretzels and popcorn.
We sat down with Melissa Rifkin, MS, RD, CDN, to discuss the potential health benefits of sunflower oil and this is what she had to share:
"When looking through Quinn's ingredient lists, you’ll notice the good quality and nutritious ingredients, like whole grain sorghum flour, cassava flour, and high-oleic sunflower oil. While you likely have read about the health benefits of other common oils, like olive and avocado, you may not be as familiar with the benefits associated with sunflower oil. Let’s dive in!
Sunflower seed oil comes in a few different varieties, which is important as the form determines the nutrient composition of the oil. Quinn uses high oleic sunflower oil in their products, which is considered to be the healthiest form because it has the highest concentration of unsaturated (healthy) fats, and a lower concentration of Omega-6 fat. While Omega-6 is an essential fat, and we must include it in our diets for optimal health, too much of the fat is thought to cause inflammation in the body. The type and amount of fat in your diet matters and studies suggest a diet containing high oleic sunflower oil can improve HDL cholesterol (the good type) in individuals with high blood lipid levels. While Quinn pretzels are relatively low in fat, the healthy unsaturated fat they do contain appears to be beneficial.
As is true in most areas of nutrition, variety is key, and including various forms of fat in your diet is likely to lead to the most beneficial outcomes. For example, you can pair your Quinn pretzels with mashed avocado, hummus, or olive oil-based pesto to combine other forms of healthy fat into a quick snack. In summary, high oleic sunflower oil can be a healthful and beneficial part of a well-rounded diet, and is in good company paired with the other nutrient-dense ingredients used to make Quinn pretzels nutritious and delicious!"
