Almond oil

(Botanical name: Prunus dulcis)

Introduction

Almonds are the edible seeds of the Prunus dulcis tree, more commonly known as the almond tree. Almonds are nutritional powerhouses. They’re full of healthy fats, fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals. Almonds can be consumed whole, ground into flour and even made into non-dairy milk. They are very rich in fat, making them a perfect source of oil. Almonds were originally grown in the Middle East. Today, California is the largest producer of almonds in the world. California’s almond production has doubled in the past 20 years. 

Sweet almonds are the variety typically eaten and used to make foods, oils and cosmetics. Meanwhile, bitter almonds are believed to have medicinal properties, though they can be toxic if they’re not properly processed. Moreover, they’re not widely available. 

Nearly half of a dried almond’s weight is oil. Ripe almonds are pressed to extract the oil with minimal heat. There are two types of almond oils: bitter and sweet. Each type has different benefits and uses.

• Bitter almond oil has a strong smell and is used in soaps, aromatherapy, and massage therapy. It’s safe to use on your skin but it can be toxic if you eat or drink it.
• Sweet almond oil comes from sweet almonds. It is commonly used as an ingredient in many skin care and hair products.

Nutritional Content:

According to the USDA, the main nutrients in 1 ounce (30 grams or 1/4 cup) of shelled, dry-roasted sunflower seeds contain:

1 tablespoon (14 grams) of almond oil contains:

• Calories: 119
• Total fat: 13.5 grams
• Saturated fat: 1.1 grams
• Monounsaturated fat: 9.4 grams
• Polyunsaturated fat: 2.3 grams
• Vitamin E: 26% of the RDI
• Phytosterols: 35.9 mg

Almond oil is an excellent source of vitamin E and contains a small amount of vitamin K.

It’s also an excellent source of:

• Magnesium
• Phosphorus          Copper  

Benefits:

• Almond oil is less expensive than most commercially made moisturizers and doesn’t contain any harmful ingredients.
• Plant-based, heart-healthy oil that contains monounsaturated fats and vitamin E, almond oil is often added to many beauty products for the hair and skin and can be bought as cooking oil.
• Health Benefits: The vitamins and antioxidants in almond oil can provide essential health benefits. For example, the antioxidant vitamin E helps protect cells from excessive free radicals which has been linked to the development of some chronic and degenerative illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, heart disease, and cardiovascular disease.
• Heart Health: Monounsaturated fats in oil can help reduce the amount of “bad” LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol, helping your cardiovascular system and heart.  
• Blood Sugar Levels: Studies suggest that oils rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, like almond oil, may help with blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. 
• Almond oil’s moisturizing properties can help soothe your skin and relieve itching. Research suggests that topically applying almond oil in a cream can help ease symptoms of eczema (a medical condition in which patches of skin become rough and inflamed with blisters which cause itching and bleeding) dermatitis (Dermatitis is a general term that describes a common skin irritation which has many causes and forms and usually involves itchy, dry skin or a rash. Or it might cause the skin to blister, ooze, crust or flake off)) acne and psoriasis (chronic disease in which the immune system becomes overactive, causing skin cells to multiply too quickly. Patches of skin become scaly and inflamed, most often on the scalp, elbows, or knees, but other parts of the body can be affected as well).. Almond oil may also improve skin’s complexion and tone.
• Almond oil also help moisturize and strengthen your hair and scalp. It may help tame frizz and moisture, and heal dry hair. It also promotes hair growth. Almond oil may also help relieve symptoms of dry, itchy scalp.   
• Almond oil is an effective barrier, protecting the skin from harmful UV rays. A small clinical study showed that almond oil sunscreen has an SPF of 15.
• Treat ear infections.

Risks:

While sunflower seeds are healthy, they have several potential downsides:

• People with tree nut allergies should not use almond oil, as it could trigger an allergic reaction.
• People with acne–prone skin who have not had luck with other kinds of oils may want to avoid applying almond oil directly to the face, as it may block pores and cause pimples and breakouts. 
• Don’t put pure almond oil on your hair before heat styling. The oil will heat up around your hair follicle and could burn your scalp or the hair shaft itself.
• May Cause Preterm Birth In Pregnant Women
• May Lower Blood Glucose Levels Way Too Much if you are already taking medications to treat high blood glucose levels
• Almond oil may interfere with how certain drugs are absorbed by the skin. These include progesterone ^and ketoprofen. Hence, if you are on these medications, avoid almond oil.

How to Eat?

In the Kitchen, Almond oil is mild, nutty-tasting oil that makes a great addition to many dishes.

• When cooking with almond oil, remember to keep unrefined or virgin oils at low heat to prevent burning the oil and destroying the nutritional value. Almond oil is best used for salad dressing, low-heat baking, or as finishing oil on top of a dish to add extra flavor and nutrition. You can even add the oil to your other dishes to impart a delicious nutty flavor. Its mild flavor makes it perfect for slipping into dishes.  
• Refined oil can be used for roasting or sautéing. It’s less expensive and more heat-tolerant than the unrefined kind, as the refinement process destroys much of the nutrients in unrefined almond oil.

Other uses include:

• Mixing the oil with sugar to make an exfoliating facial scrub
• Mixing it with salt to make a body scrub
• Adding a couple of tablespoons to a hot bath
• Rubbing the oil into chapped lips  Applying it to the nails and cuticles

Precautions:

Almond oil’s hair benefits could include eyelashes and eyebrows; however, always make sure that any product you use near your eyes is safe.

• Nut allergies are not rare and if you have a family history of nut allergies, it is better to get your baby checked before applying almond oil to your baby’s skin. 
• In the case of organic cold-pressed almond oil, apply what is needed. When excess oil is applied, plan a bath afterward. 
• It is also important to keep the oil away from the eyes, ears, and nose.   

Frequently Asked Questions!

Q1. Where else is almond oil used?

Ans: Almond oil is also used in cosmetics, medicines, and furniture polish.

Q2. M Does almond oil have a substitute?

Ans: You can substitute almond oil with other nut oils like that of walnuts or hazelnuts.

Q3. Can I use almond oil every day?

Ans: Yes, you can use almond oil every day to see the desired results on your skin and hair.

Q4. What happens if you put almond oil in your belly button?

Ans: It is best not to put almond oil in your belly button as it may increase grime and build-up in it. You may use almond oil to massage the area around your belly button during pregnancy to help reduce the development of stretch marks

Q5. What are vitamins present in almond oil?

Ans: Vitamins present in almond oil include vitamin E and vitamin K

Q6. Does almond oil thicken hair?

Ans: There are multiple benefits of almond oil for hair. Applying almond oil to the scalp and hair
promotes blood flow to the roots, encouraging hair growth and strengthening it. It also contains
biotin, which stimulates the keratin production while thickening and re-growing hair and
reactivating dormant follicles

Q7. How to store almond oil?

Ans. To properly store almond oil, you should aim to avoid rancid causing factors such as heat, direct sunlight, and oxygen. Exposure to any of these elements will cause rancidity. The best place to store almond oil is a cool, dark place such as a pantry or refrigerator. Both these locations hit all the checkmarks for limiting exposure to rancid causing factors. If you live in a hot climate, it is better to store it in the fridge.Additionally, we suggest using a tin or glass airtight container for storing almond oil. Tin and glass are better preservation material than plastic containers, and it prevents dangerous plastic chemicals from leaking into your oil.

References

• Gavazzoni Dias MFR. (2015). Hair cosmetics: An overview.  DOI:10.4103/0974–7753.153450
• Keis K, et al. (2005). Investigation of penetration abilities of various oils into human hair fibers.
• ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16258695
• Rele AS, et al. (2003). Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12715094  Almond oil. (n.d.). https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine–and–dentistry/almond–oil  Asteatotic eczema. (n.d.). https://www.aocd.org/page/AsteatoticEczema
• Chularojanamontri, L., et al. (2014). Moisturizers for acne: What are their constituents?  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4025519/
• Facchinetti, F., et al. (2012). Herbal supplements in pregnancy: Unexpected results from a multicentre study.
• https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/27/11/3161/811869

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Blog By: Dr. Areej (Nutritionist)