The 10 Best Sunflower Oils

If you want one oil for everything from eggs to stir-fries, La Tourangelle High Oleic is the one to grab. It's organic and expeller pressed from non-GMO seed, and it tastes of almost nothing and holds up to searing heat. The metal tin keeps light out, which slows the oil from going stale. The catch is that the maker also presses nut oils, so it can carry traces of peanut, tree nut or sesame.

People who fry often get the most from Baja Precious High Oleic, because a full gallon jug costs far less per ounce than small bottles. The oil is expeller pressed from non-GMO seed grown in Spain and bottled in the U.S. It is rated for frying and searing, with a mild taste. The clear plastic jug lets light in and gets heavy, so pour some into a smaller bottle and store the rest in the dark.

Cooks who want organic oil for a hot wok or cast-iron pan should look at Spectrum Organic High Heat. It's a high-oleic oil, expeller pressed and then refined, with organic, non-GMO and kosher marks on the label. The refining strips out flavor and lets it take serious heat without smoking. The tall bottle pours cleanly. Its price can swing a lot, since outside sellers often stock this bottle, so check it before you buy.

Shoppers who want organic oil on a tight budget can start with 365 Organic Sunflower Seed Oil, the Whole Foods Market house brand. It's expeller pressed and refined, with a clean, neutral taste, and the label rates it for cooking up to about 450 degrees. Most of its fat is the heat-stable kind, so it suits sauteing and pan-frying. The bottle runs out fast in a busy kitchen, and the label warns of possible peanut and tree nut traces.

Fresh Press Farms grows, presses and bottles its oil in Georgia, and this high-oleic oil is cold pressed and left unrefined. That keeps a mild, nutty, buttery flavor that shines in dressings, roasted vegetables and baking. Unrefined oil smokes at a lower heat, so it's a poor choice for deep-frying. The two aluminum bottles block light and come with pour spouts. The heart-health badges on the label are the maker's own claims.

A Minnesota family business makes Smude's Cold Pressed, pressing high-oleic seed at a low temperature with no solvents or refining. The oil comes out deep gold with a rich, seedy taste, and people use it for sauteing, baking and oil pulling. It's sold in a glass jug, which keeps the taste clean. Glass is heavy and breakable, though, and unrefined oil goes stale sooner, so a jug this big suits a household that cooks a lot.

Anyone who cooks with organic oil every day can buy in bulk with Kevala Organic Sunflower. It's a refined high-oleic oil with organic, non-GMO and kosher marks, and Kevala packs it in a gluten-free plant, which matters to some households with celiac disease. The light flavor works for roasting fish, frying and baking. It costs noticeably more than non-organic gallons, and the plastic jug needs a dark spot to keep the oil fresh.

Daana Organic Cold Pressed comes from India, where the seed is crushed slowly in a traditional press and the oil is left unrefined. Daana says it buys from small farms, many run by women, and the bottle names the grower. The oil smells and tastes of the seed, which works in dressings, dals and gentle sauteing. Freshness is uneven, though, and some bottles arrive with a stronger or staler smell than expected.

For skin and hair rather than the frying pan, Life-Flo Sunflower Oil is a light, cold-pressed organic carrier oil that sinks in without a greasy film. It blends well with essential oils for massage, works as a leave-in for dry ends and softens rough patches. It's food grade and free of solvents. Sunflower oil goes stale in months rather than years, so buy only what you'll use, and patch test before using it on your face.

A pump top makes Handcraft Blends Organic Sunflower Oil handy in the shower or beside a massage table, where pouring gets messy. It's organic and cold pressed without solvents, and the amber bottle cuts light so the oil lasts longer. It suits massage, dry elbows and hair ends, and it blends with essential oils. The back label marks it for external use only, so keep it out of the kitchen, and away from the eyes.