Sunflower & extra virgin olive oil blend

Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Todd Ziegler

Circle Z soaps
Joined
Sep 10, 2018
Messages
1,481
Reaction score
2,086
Location
Tipton IN
I found a really good deal on a 68 ounce bottle of 80% sunflower HO & 20% extra virgin olive oil. I was just wondering if it would be worth buying a blended oil?
 
The sap values for these fats is roughly the same, so a blend won't change the NaOH weight much if anything.

I use HO sunflower a lot as an olive alternative and like it pretty well. It's even higher in oleic acid than olive.
 
The sap values for these fats is roughly the same, so a blend won't change the NaOH weight much if anything.

I use HO sunflower a lot as an olive alternative and like it pretty well. It's even higher in oleic acid than olive.
I looked at the description one more time and it said high smoke point and not high oleic. What difference would that make? Would it still be worth getting? It is $8.99 for 68 ounces
 
If the monounsaturated fat is more than 50% of the total fat, it's high oleic.

It's very likely HO -- "good for frying" is a common buzz-phrase used for HO fats.
 
The sap values for these fats is roughly the same, so a blend won't change the NaOH weight much if anything.

I use HO sunflower a lot as an olive alternative and like it pretty well. It's even higher in oleic acid than olive.

If I may ask, what percentage of SO do you use in your recipe? According to the information I read from various sites, it says not use more than 20% in a recipe.
 
If I may ask, what percentage of SO do you use in your recipe? According to the information I read from various sites, it says not use more than 20% in a recipe.
If you are using high oleic sunflower oil you can use more and if you are using regular sunflower oil it is recommended to use 20% or less. I'm not 100% sure I am right because I can't find the article that I read this in.
 
If you are using high oleic sunflower oil you can use more and if you are using regular sunflower oil it is recommended to use 20% or less. I'm not 100% sure I am right because I can't find the article that I read this in.
Yes, you are right. I also really like HO Canola and use it as often as I use HO Sunflower Oil.
 
If I may ask, what percentage of SO do you use in your recipe? According to the information I read from various sites, it says not use more than 20% in a recipe.

You're confusing regular (high linoleic) sunflower oil with high oleic sunflower oil. The composition is markedly different, and you can't treat one as if it's the same as the other.

I agree with what the others are saying about how they use these two types differently.

edit: I use anywhere from 20% to 100% HO sunflower. I don't use regular sunflower at all. The percentage of HO sunflower depends on whether I'm making a balanced type of bath soap with moderate amounts of oleic acid or an olive-oil-type soap in which HO sunflower takes the place of olive.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for reply. I asked the question because various sites do not state a difference between HL and HO sunflower oil. Soap Queen states you can use up to 100% but they recommend 20%. Bramble Berry also suggests 20%. Nature's Garden, which sells a HO sunflower oil suggests using a maximum of 25%. I have no idea how reliable Spruce Crafts is but they state 25%.
 
If a person can use olive oil up to 100% of the fats in the recipe, then it seems quite reasonable that a similar high oleic oil, like HO sunflower, can be used likewise. That line of reasoning is supported by my practical experience.

Whether a person wants to use a lot of any high oleic fat is up to them. I would agree that 20-25% of any high oleic oil works pretty well for a bath bar recipe if you're seeking a balanced blend of the fatty acids that make soap with nice lather, longevity, and hardness.

Maybe that's why you're seeing the suggested percentages you're seeing. You'd have to ask the suppliers for their reasons for making these recommendations, however. I'm just guessing about their thought process.

Too much oleic acid in a recipe and the bar doesn't lather especially well and doesn't last as long because oleic soap is highly soluble in water. Whether that's unacceptable or not is up to the soap maker, however. Some people like high oleic (aka "castile") soaps and some don't.
 
That makes sense. I have a 3 liter bottle of a sunflower and pumice olive oil 85/15 blend and the label is vague with only the saturated fat listed. I am going to assume that this a HL sunflower oil.
 
"...the label is vague with only the saturated fat listed..."

I find that a little puzzling. Post a link to the product or a photo of the nutrition label?
 
Yes, you're right -- that IS pretty vague. All you know is the oil is mostly unsaturated, but you don't know what part is mono-unsaturated and what is poly-unsaturated. It could still be high oleic but it might not. Grrr. I can see why you're frustrated.

Another tip for an HO fat -- look to see if the label says "good for frying/sauteeing" or "high temperature cooking" or something like that. If so, it's HO.
 
The
Yes, you're right -- that IS pretty vague. All you know is the oil is mostly unsaturated, but you don't know what part is mono-unsaturated and what is poly-unsaturated. It could still be high oleic but it might not. Grrr. I can see why you're frustrated.

Another tip for an HO fat -- look to see if the label says "good for frying/sauteeing" or "high temperature cooking" or something like that. If so, it's HO.
The one I was looking at buying was "Iberia" brand and it had the same information as the one in the picture. It did say high smoking point but it was in reference to the olive oil, if I read it right. Amazon gave me a $10 promotional credit because a mold I bought said that it held 63oz of soap but in reality it only holds 50oz. After I bought it I saw a review that said it won't hold 63oz, so I ran the numbers and the reviewer was right. So I called Amazon and they ran the numbers and agreed with me. So they gave me $10 to spend as compensation but you can only use it for items shipped and sold by Amazon. So I decided to get more oils. Since I couldn't verify the oleic amount, I got a 51oz bottle of EVOO. It's good oil, I used it before. That's why I asked the question originally because it was 68oz for $8.99. The seller was so embarrassed that they refunded my money and let me keep the mold. The seller said that they had filled it with oil and it held 63oz but I told them that didn't mean it would hold 63oz of soap. I directed them to the link in the forum to see for themselves. They changed the description within minutes of me talking to them.
 
Yes, you're right -- that IS pretty vague. All you know is the oil is mostly unsaturated, but you don't know what part is mono-unsaturated and what is poly-unsaturated. It could still be high oleic but it might not. Grrr. I can see why you're frustrated.

Another tip for an HO fat -- look to see if the label says "good for frying/sauteeing" or "high temperature cooking" or something like that. If so, it's HO.

Thanks for the help. I use this oil in smaller portions with OO and CO so it's not going to waste and at 7.99 for 3 liters it's inexpensive to use. I'm thinking I may just bite the bullet and make a small batch of soap using only this oil and see how it turns out.

If anyone is ever in the Detroit area, this chain of stores also sells EVOO for 3.99 a liter.
 
Did you end up using this oil? I am looking at in Amazon right now because it is the cheapest olive oil I can find. I am interested in the blend and see that the SAP of olive and sunflower are exactly the same.
 
Did you end up using this oil? I am looking at in Amazon right now because it is the cheapest olive oil I can find. I am interested in the blend and see that the SAP of olive and sunflower are exactly the same.
If you are asking me, then the answer is no. I decided to get some EVOO and high oleic sunflower oil in separate bottles.

If you are asking a question from a specific person, make sure you hit the reply button or type their user name in your responses so we know who you are talking to.
 
If you are asking me, then the answer is no. I decided to get some EVOO and high oleic sunflower oil in separate bottles.

If you are asking a question from a specific person, make sure you hit the reply button or type their user name in your responses so we know who you are talking to.
I was asking you Todd, thank you. I think I might try the oil...but maybe I'll take my order down to 2 bottles and not 4.
 
Back
Top