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Hemp Oil: Ingredients, Effect and Application

Hemp oil is not only very popular in the kitchen. You can read about the areas of application, ingredients and effects here.

What is hemp oil?

Hemp oil is pressed from hemp seeds, which are actually just a by-product of making fiber hemp. About ten kilos of hemp seeds are needed for three liters of the greenish hemp oil. The darker the oil, the more intense its nutty taste.

Since hemp is also grown in this country, hemp oil – like linseed oil – usually has a small ecological footprint and is a regional alternative to coconut oil or avocado oil.

For high-quality and healthy hemp oil, you should use organic, cold-pressed oil to avoid pesticide residues in the oil. If the hemp oil is not cold-pressed, it loses valuable ingredients through heating.

Important: Do not use hemp oil for frying, otherwise the valuable fatty acids would be damaged. Use the oil for cold dishes like salads, or add it to cooked dishes at the very end.

Ingredients of hemp oil

Hemp oil contains important omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids – making it an excellent plant-based alternative to fish.
In addition, the cooking oil provides oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid and gamma linolenic acid, which are also good and important for the body. The fatty acids are particularly important for good brain function and cell regeneration.
In addition, hemp oil contains vitamins E, B1 and B2 as well as the minerals phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, sodium, manganese, zinc and small amounts of copper. /You can find out in detail how the respective ingredients affect the body and why they are important for us by clicking on the corresponding link.)
By the way: You don’t have to be afraid that you’ll be intoxicated after consuming the hemp oil. The psychoactive substance THC is either not present at all or in such small doses that no effect is achieved. The oil is also safe for children.

Hemp oil and its uses

Hemp oil not only tastes good in salads – you can use it in many ways:
Thanks to the fatty acids, hemp oil is good for the house and helps with blemishes, neurodermatitis or psoriasis. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and moisturizes. Hemp oil can also be found in hair and other care products. You can apply hemp oil directly to the skin or mix it with another carrier oil or your day cream.
Hemp oil helps against muscle tension and rheumatism. For this purpose, the hemp oil is taken – either as an ingredient in cooking or pure.
Hemp oil counteracts high blood pressure and cholesterol levels when taken regularly.
In addition, hemp oil is also said to help with symptoms of menopause, especially with sleep disorders and mood swings.

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Soybean Oil: Effect and Application in The Kitchen and Cosmetics

Native soybean oil is rich in healthy ingredients, for which it has been valued for centuries, especially in Asia. However, not all soybean oil is the same: we will explain what you should pay attention to and how you can use the vegetable oil.

Soybean oil – it depends on the production

Soybeans contain many valuable fatty acids. With cold-pressed, native oil, these are gently pressed from the beans. The native soybean oil is dark, almost brownish and has a strong taste with a slightly nutty note.

The extracted soybean oil is different: This is removed from the beans in an industrial process with the help of solvents. It is lighter in color and has lost many of the healthy ingredients through manufacturing.

Ingredients of Cold Pressed Soybean Oil:
Unsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The body can only absorb these fats, such as linoleic acid, through food. He needs them for many bodily functions such as defense against pathogens or the regulation of cholesterol and blood sugar.
Vitamin E acts as a protective shield to protect the body’s cells from damage.
Vitamin K is important for strong bones and is involved in blood clotting.
Lecithins are involved in the metabolism of fats in the liver and thus supply the cells and especially nerve cells with energy.
The isoflavones it contains are also interesting. These are plant hormones and messenger substances.

In the human body, they prevent deposits of cholesterol on the artery walls.
These hormones in soy are similar to the human hormone estrogen and could thus reduce hormonal problems. In Japan, where soy is traditionally included in meals, women experience fewer menopausal symptoms. Japanese studies attribute this to isoflavones.

Soybean oil in the kitchen – versatile

You can cook and fry with soybean oil, but you can also use it cold for salads or vegetable dips.

The smoke point of soybean oil is 230°C, which makes the vegetable oil good for cooking and frying. You should never exceed the smoke point, as the smoke contains harmful gases that can potentially be carcinogenic.

With a healthy mix of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, soybean oil can help lower cholesterol levels.

Attention: Do you tend to allergies and react sensitively to nuts or birch pollen? Then, as a precaution, you should first test soybean oil to see if you can tolerate it.

Skin care with soybean oil

For skin care, soybean oil is a very well-tolerated care oil due to the linoleic acid. The oil is quickly absorbed by the skin without forming an unpleasant greasy film. The linoleic acid binds moisture in the upper layers of the skin so that the skin feels firmer and looks fresher.

You can use soybean oil for daily skin care on all skin types. It doesn’t matter whether you tend to have impure skin or whether your skin dries out and becomes wrinkled with age: the fatty acids in soybean oil care for the skin.

1) Soybean oil for facial care
It is best to use the soybean oil in the evening together with your usual care cream.
Cleanse your face with a mild cleansing cream.
With your moisturizer, put two drops of soybean oil in the palm of your hand and apply the mixture to your face.
Tip: Mix only the amount you need for one application. This has the advantage that you do not need an additional emulsifier that binds the soybean oil and the moisturizer.

2) Soybean oil for body care
Again, you can mix several drops of soybean oil (about five to ten drops) with a moisturizing lotion or aloe vera gel.
You can pamper yourself with an oil pack when your skin is dry due to wind and weather. Spread the soybean oil liberally on your skin and wrap yourself in a sheet (which can get oily). Then lie down under a blanket and treat yourself to a break for half an hour. You can then massage in the residue of the oil or remove it with a damp cloth.
You can also use soybean oil for skin care if you suffer from skin diseases such as psoriasis or neurodermatitis. The soybean oil restores moisture to the dry skin and takes away the itching. However, you should discuss the use with your dermatologist beforehand, especially for the treatment of skin diseases.

Soybean oil – a mass industrial product

Soybean cultivation has increased rapidly worldwide in recent decades. By far the most industrially used soy is grown in the USA and South America. The WWF puts the annual soybean production for 2015 at almost 270 million tons worldwide, with over 80 percent coming from North and South America.

The soy from these regions is mainly used as animal feed. In the industrial fattening of livestock, the main feed is the soybean meal, which was originally a by-product of the production of extracted soybean oil. With increasing global animal fattening, soybean meal is becoming more and more important.

But soybean oil is still widely used in industry and is a cheap vegetable fat that is available in large quantities.

Vegetable margarine and spreads contain soybean oil.
In skin cream and shower baths, soybean oil is added as a care oil.
Soybean oil is also used for bio-diesel (mainly in the USA).
Some printing inks and varnishes also contain soybean oil.

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Grapeseed Oil: Effect, Ingredients and Application of The Gourmet Oil

Cold-pressed grapeseed oil is one of the most expensive oils. But the price is justified: it has a special aroma and is full of healthy ingredients.

As the name suggests, grape seed oil is made from the seeds of grapes. There are 50 kilograms of grape seeds in one liter of oil. You can buy both cold-pressed and hot-pressed oil in stores.

With cold-pressed oil, the cores are not additionally heated during pressing, but only warmed up by the pressure. The oil obtained from the kernels is light green in color and tastes nutty and fruity, reminiscent of grapes.
Hot-pressed grape seed oil is additionally heated and mixed with a chemical solvent (chemical extraction) so that more oil can be extracted. The agent ensures that the oil dissolves particularly well from the kernels. The mixture is then heated to evaporate the solvent and leave behind the oil. Hot-pressed grapeseed oil is also commonly refined. This means that numerous accompanying substances, such as coloring or flavorings, are filtered out. Therefore, hot-pressed grape seed oil is colorless and tasteless.

Grape seed oil: Healthy ingredients and their effects

Hot and cold pressed grape seed oils not only look different and taste different. Both consist of about 90 percent unsaturated fatty acids – apart from that, however, they differ in their ingredients:

Linoleic Acid: Grapeseed oil is made up of about 70 percent of this omega-6 fatty acid. Linoleic acid is one of the substances that your body cannot produce itself. Among other things, it needs them to regenerate cells and heal wounds. But beware: If you consume too many omega-6 fatty acids and too few omega-3 fatty acids, this can possibly promote chronic diseases. According to the Budwig Foundation, the optimal ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 is 1:2 to 1:5. Grape seed oil contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in a ratio of 1:135. So you should use it sparingly.
Antioxidants: Cold-pressed grape seed oil is considered very healthy because it contains many antioxidants. These are substances that protect the cells in your body from harmful influences such as diseases. The oil provides, among other things, vitamin E and vegetable procyanidins (OPCs).
Vitamin K: The fat-soluble vitamin is also an ingredient in cold-pressed grape seed oil. It plays an important role in your body in metabolic processes and in blood clotting.

Application of grape seed oil

Hot-pressed grapeseed oil can be heated to high temperatures because of its high smoke point. You can use it for frying and frying. Since the oil is tasteless, it goes well with many foods.

Cold-pressed grape seed oil, on the other hand, should only be heated gently. Better use it for cold foods, like salads. The nutty taste also goes well with cheese.

The cold-pressed oil is not only used in the kitchen, but also often in cosmetic products such as night and moisturizing creams. Studies show that linoleic acid reduces inflammation in the skin and supports its regeneration.

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Pumpkin Seed Oil: Application, Effect and Production

Pumpkin seed oil is a particularly aromatic oil. Here you can find out what properties it has, what you can use it for and what you should definitely pay attention to when buying.

Many oils do not have a particularly distinctive taste or are even considered tasteless. It’s completely different with pumpkin seed oil: the oil is valued for its strong taste. It tastes particularly nutty and is suitable for numerous dishes and body care.

Pumpkin seed oil – origin and production

Pumpkin seed oil is made from the seeds of pumpkins, i.e. the pumpkin seeds. To be more precise: from the pumpkin seeds of the oil pumpkin. Only with this variety do the kernels have no woody shell, so they can be squeezed out. The special pumpkin variety came about through a random mutation around 100 years ago in Styria (Austria), where people soon discovered the oil in the seeds.

Austria and neighboring countries such as Hungary, Slovenia and Russia are still the main growing areas for the oil pumpkin. Another important growing area is China.

Only the cores are used for the production. They are washed, chopped, roasted and then pressed. The pulp can be plowed into the field as fertilizer and used as animal feed.

Properties and ingredients of pumpkin seed oil

Pumpkin seed oil is very dark in color. You can also tell the origin and processing of the oil by the color:
Oil from Austria is mostly dark green with a slight red-brownish tinge.
If the oil is more brown to yellowish, it usually comes from China, Russia or Eastern Europe.
The color of the oil can also be an indication of its manufacture and quality. If the oil is heated during processing, it also turns red-brownish to yellow. However, excessive heat damages the oil. The oil should therefore be processed as cold as possible. If the oil is dark green and shimmers slightly red against the light, it is ideal.

Other properties of pumpkin seed oil are its viscous consistency and its pleasant smell, which is not nearly as strong as the taste.

Pumpkin seed oil is characterized by a high proportion of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The main ingredients also include:
Various vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin C),
pantothenic acid,
biotin,
Minerals (e.g. chlorine, iron, fluorine, iodine, potassium, calcium, copper, magnesium, sulfur and zinc).

Use of Pumpkin Seed Oil

You can use pumpkin seed oil in different ways:
for cooking in the kitchen,
as a natural remedy,
for body care.
Due to its many good ingredients, pumpkin seed oil is considered an effective natural remedy. It is said to relieve prostate problems, lower blood pressure and help with joint problems. In addition, it is said to strengthen the immune system. For the precise use of pumpkin seed oil for health problems, you should speak to a doctor or pharmacist.

use in the kitchen

The most common use of pumpkin seed oil is in the kitchen. Because the oil just tastes really good. You can use it in many ways:
to refine pumpkin soup or pumpkin seed soup,
in the salad
in desserts.
You should mainly use pumpkin seed oil cold. If you heat it, the oil will quickly turn bitter. This can also happen to you if the oil is exposed to light for too long. Because pumpkin seed oil is also sensitive to light. Therefore you should store the oil in a cool and dark place. When storing, you should also note that the sensitive oil loses its aroma very quickly. It has a shelf life of around 12 months in an originally sealed bottle. Once you open it, you should use it within three months. It is therefore best to buy pumpkin seed oil in small quantities.

When buying pumpkin seed oil, you should pay attention to the origin of the oil. The oil is a regional specialty from Austria. The Styrian pumpkin seed oil is even a product with a protected geographical indication. You should also pay attention to the common organic labels when choosing the oil. In organic farming, for example, pesticides are prohibited.

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Peanut Oil: Effect and Application in The Kitchen and Cosmetics

Peanut oil is a classic in Asian cuisine. For us, on the other hand, it’s more of an exotic thing. The oil can be used in many ways. Learn more here.

Peanut oil in the kitchen

There are two types of peanut oil: the cold-pressed, more flavorful, and the refined. The oils differ in how they are made and how they are recommended to be used.

The cold-pressed peanut oil:
…is obtained from dried, peeled and ground peanuts, which are cold-pressed in so-called screw presses.
This manufacturing process protects the aromatic substances of the peanut and gives the oil an intensely nutty taste.
Cold-pressed peanut oil is particularly suitable for refining dishes.
It should not be overheated.
Refined Peanut Oil:
…is produced under the influence of heat and is therefore also suitable for roasting, grilling, boiling and deep-frying.
Its smoke point is very high: at 230 degrees Celsius. In Asia, for example, the oil is often used for wok dishes.
Peanut oil is also ideal for salad dressings. Refined peanut oil is usually cheaper than cold-pressed and can be obtained quite cheaply in the supermarket or Asian market.
Since peanut oil becomes cloudy at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, you should not store it in the refrigerator. A dark, cool storage location is ideal. Whether the oil is suitable for frying or not should be written on the bottle.

Constituents of Peanut Oil

Peanut oil has a particularly high vitamin E content: it contains around 23.4 milligrams of vitamin E per 100 grams of oil. The vitamin actually consists of a whole group of antioxidants that are said to prevent Alzheimer’s and cancer and rejuvenate skin and hair.
Peanut oil also contains the important vitamins K, which support blood clotting and bone formation, the nerve vitamin B1 and vitamin D, which regulates the calcium content of the blood and supports bone formation.
Peanut oil is also considered healthy because of its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. These help lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure. 44 percent of the oil consists of diunsaturated fatty acids and 37 percent monounsaturated.
However, the composition of the peanut oil varies depending on the growing area and growing conditions. Attention: Allergy sufferers should first test the oil on their skin.

Peanut oil for skin, hair and body

In addition to using it in the kitchen, you can also use the oil in cosmetics:
Peanut oil nourishes and smoothes the skin. You can even use it for eczema, it compensates for the lack of fat, provides sufficient moisture and relieves the symptoms.
Peanut oil is also suitable for dry lips. The complexion is immediately refined after the application of peanut oil.
Peanut oil is also a good base for massage oil: It absorbs slowly, so you can use it very sparingly. It also works well on its own and supplies the skin with important nutrients.
Peanut oil is also suitable for the hair: it forms a protective film around the hair, which makes the hair supple and stays healthy.
You can also use peanut oil to treat hard skin on your feet thanks to its softening properties. It is best to make a foot mask with peanut oil from one part peanut oil and two parts foot care cream and leave it on for at least ten minutes.
Peanut oil can also be used to make enemas that loosen constipation in the intestines – but only in consultation with a doctor.

Origin and production of peanut oil

Peanuts originally come from South America, where they have been cultivated for over 3000 years. By the way: Peanuts, as the name suggests, grow underground and are not really nuts, but peas.

Peanut cultivation is now widespread around the world. China and India are the largest producers, but peanuts are also grown in West Africa. In dry regions, the peanuts need irrigation because they need about 500 to 1000 millimeters of rainfall per year. The fruits of the plant, which is about 60 centimeters high, can be harvested between July and September. To do this, the whole plant is pulled out of the ground.

The peanuts are then dried for about two weeks to reduce the water content and thus increase the percentage of fat. They are then peeled, sieved and ground, and the oil is then either cold-pressed or extracted using heat in a refining process.

If you buy peanut oil, you should definitely make sure that you buy one that is organic. Then you can be sure that you are buying a high-quality oil. Ideally, the oil also has a Fairtrade seal that guarantees fair cultivation conditions.

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Refined Oil: You Should Know These Advantages and Disadvantages

In the trade, a distinction is made between refined and native oils. But what exactly are refined oils? Here’s a little about their pros and cons.

Manufacturing makes the difference

Refined and native oils differ in their production: Native oils are gently cold-pressed. This means that they are manufactured at low temperatures and without the use of chemicals. Due to the gentle processing, many healthy ingredients are retained, such as vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids.

Refined oils, on the other hand, are extracted under the influence of heat and chemicals.
The oil is hot pressed.
Solvents such as hexane or light petroleum are used during extraction.
This method is used to extract more oil than cold pressing. However, refined oils are not unhealthy or toxic because of this: the chemical residues are then removed from the oil. The oil is heated up to 240°C for several hours for cleaning. This process is called refining.

This means that there are no longer any unwanted chemical substances in the oil. However, the oil also loses vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids and taste. This means that the oil is not unhealthy or harmful, but it is also not as healthy as native oils. However, refined oils also have advantages in their use.

Pros and cons of refined oil

Advantages are:
Refined oil is more heat resistant. Only use refined oils for hot frying. They are also better suited for cooking. When native oils are heated too much, smoke and pollutants are formed. So for this purpose, refined oils are healthier than virgin oils.
Refined oils are cheaper to produce than virgin oils. Accordingly, they also cost less in the store.
The more heavily treated oils tend to be more tasteless. This can be an advantage for cooking if you don’t want the oil to taste too bad.
Due to the strong treatment, refined oils have a longer shelf life than native oils.
Disadvantages are:
The hot pressing and long heating takes more energy.
Refined oil contains fewer valuable ingredients than virgin oil, such as vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids.
The fact that refined oils are less flavorful can also be a disadvantage. In salads, the taste of native oil is quite appropriate.
Harmful trans-fatty acids can be produced during deodorization, a sub-process of refining.
In general, refined oils are not inherently unhealthy. For some purposes such as cooking and frying, they are very well suited because of their heat resistance. Depending on the purpose for which you want to use the oil, you should choose the right oil.

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Sunflower Oil: Health, Application and Effect

You probably know sunflower oil primarily as a cheap and versatile cooking oil. But what is it doing in cosmetics? And is it even healthy?

Sunflower oil is one of the most popular cooking oils worldwide. You can buy the oil obtained from the kernels of sunflowers in the virgin or refined variety.

Virgin sunflower oil is cold-pressed and is not processed further after pressing. It is light yellow and tastes nutty. Refined sunflower oil, on the other hand, is cleaned of coloring and bitter substances after it has been extracted. Because of this, it tastes more neutral and has a paler color. Sunflower oil is best preserved when it is cold-pressed and left untreated. You can find out exactly which ingredients are involved in the next section.

The ingredients of sunflower oil and their effects

Sunflower oil mainly consists of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The most important of these are the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid and the monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid oleic acid. How much of these two fatty acids the sunflower oil contains depends on whether it is “normal” or “high oleic”, i.e. sunflower oil rich in oleic acid. The latter is made from a special variety of sunflowers, the seeds of which contain a particularly large amount of oleic acid.

Here is an overview of the most important ingredients:
Linoleic acid: Sunflower oil contains about 48 to 74 percent of this omega-6 fatty acid (high oleic: two to 17 percent). Linoleic acid is one of the essential fatty acids that our body cannot produce itself. Among other things, it needs them to produce other fatty acids and for healthy skin. However, you should not consume too much of this fatty acid, since omega-6 fatty acids inhibit the function of omega-3 fatty acids in the body. A good omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is between five to one and two to one, according to a 2008 study. Unfortunately, sunflower oil hardly contains any omega-3 fatty acids. You get these from rapeseed and linseed oil, walnuts and fatty sea fish.
Oleic acid: Sunflower oil contains between 14 and 39 percent of this monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid – with high oleic sunflower oil the proportion is logically higher: up to 92 percent can be achieved. According to a study, oleic acid reduces insulin resistance in diabetic patients. Another study concluded that oleic acid boosts the immune system and has anti-inflammatory effects in the body.
Vitamin E: This is where sunflower oil can score: With around 40 to 70 milligrams per hundred grams, it contains significantly more vitamin E than, for example, rapeseed or olive oil. Vitamin E is one of the antioxidants that protect our cells from the harmful attacks of so-called free radicals. In addition, our body needs vitamin E for fat metabolism and healthy skin.

How to use sunflower oil in the kitchen

Depending on the variety, you can use sunflower oil in different ways in the kitchen:
You can use cold-pressed, virgin sunflower oil for dressings or dips that go well with the nutty taste. On the other hand, you should not heat it up – unless it is high oleic sunflower oil. This is very good for frying.
Refined sunflower oil can also be heated to high temperatures, although the frying properties of olive and rapeseed oil are better. Since refined sunflower oil tastes neutral, it goes well with most dishes. According to Stiftung Warentest, however, refined sunflower oils can contain unhealthy trans fats.

Away from the kitchen: This is how you can still use sunflower oil

Since sunflower oil contains a lot of linoleic acid and vitamin E, it has a positive effect on the skin. According to a study, for example, it helps with wound healing, has an antibacterial effect and helps the skin to regenerate.

Because of these beneficial properties, you can find sunflower oil in many skin care products – but you can also simply use virgin sunflower oil to rub into your skin. This saves you money and packaging and you know exactly which substances are getting on your skin. Sunflower oil can have similar positive effects on your hair if you use it as a hair treatment. Such an oil treatment also helps against a dry scalp.

Because of its mild taste, you can also use sunflower oil for oil pulling.

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Fish Oil for the Supply of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Fish oil is a fatty oil made from various types of fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, anchovies, herring, or mackerel. They contain a high percentage of the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

High-fat fish is considered one of the best sources of unsaturated fat, but meat, vegetable oils, nuts, and avocados are also high in these long-chain, healthy fats. Supplemented with vitamin E, which binds individual oxygen particles – the so-called free radicals – in the body and thus helps to prevent inflammation.

Supply of the body with unsaturated fatty acids

Anyone who doesn’t like fish but suffers from arteriosclerosis – the increasing narrowing and stiffening of blood vessels due to cholesterol deposits – could use fish oil to improve the transport of oxygenated blood. Unsaturated fatty acids support the flexibility of the cell membrane, and the brain also consists largely of fats. The polyunsaturated DHA plays a key role here. In addition, unsaturated fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect, are precursors of hormones, and ensure increased cell division.

Unsaturated fatty acids – often also referred to as “good fatty acids” – have a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids or alpha-linolenic acid and omega-6 fatty acids or linoleic acid, which are considered good fats from a health point of view because they help lower cholesterol levels in the body. If the cholesterol level in the body is too high, cardiovascular diseases are the result. Therefore, many doctors are demanding that such fats should be included in the diet – also because the human body cannot produce them itself, but has to absorb them through food.

Fats are necessary for everybody – they provide energy and, together with proteins and carbohydrates, are one of the three basic building blocks of human nutrition. But the fats are also divided into three groups:

Saturated Fatty Acids

Saturated fatty acids consist primarily of highly processed animal fats. Butter and cheese are classic examples here. If too much butter is consumed, the cholesterol level of the damaging LDL cholesterol in the blood rises.

Monounsaturated fatty acids

Monounsaturated fatty acids can be produced by the body itself, but are also found in rapeseed and olive oil. With their help, the blood cholesterol level can be neutralized again or at least improved.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential, i.e. they cannot be produced by the body itself. It is, therefore, necessary to supply them with food. Omega-6 fatty acids are mainly found in high-quality vegetable oils.

The “German Society for Nutrition” (DGE) recommends that between 7 and 10 percent of the total daily energy intake should consist of unsaturated fatty acids. However, studies have shown that people are increasingly consuming so-called “bad” or “saturated” fats and that this eating behavior leads to more health problems.

Fish oil for the supply of unsaturated fatty acids

Longer-term studies observing the effects of regular fish consumption (once or twice a week) have clearly shown heart health benefits. If you like to eat fish, however, you should not resort to dietary supplements such as fish oil, but adjust your own diet accordingly. If you can’t taste fatty fish and seafood and still want to eat more unsaturated fatty acids, there is high-quality fish oil for you or you can reduce your meat consumption.

Fish oil also has an antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory effect. As a dietary supplement, it is taken in the form of soft capsules to ensure a sufficient supply of essential omega-3 fatty acids and to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Omega-3 fatty acids are also a good way to achieve healthy cholesterol levels. However, fish oil capsules can also lead to side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, or belching.

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Argan Oil as a Miracle Cure from Morocco

Argan oil from Morocco has been used in many ways as a miracle cure for centuries. This vegetable oil is very popular and not cheap either. Due to its many different possible uses in the areas of nutrition and also in the healing and cosmetic area, argan oil can be used in many ways as a miracle cure.

The cooking oil is also called argan oil. It is obtained from the fruit of the Argan tree (Argania Spinosa). To be more precise, it is obtained from the seed flakes of the ripe berry fruit. Many may not know what it actually is or where it comes from. But let yourself be surprised:

What exactly is argan oil?

Argan oil is an edible oil found in the seeds of the berry fruit of the argan tree. The cultivation area, the Arganeraie – is located in southwest Morocco. Around two million Berbers can make a living from the harvest, production, and sale of argan oil. The basis for the oil is a yellow berry from the Moroccan desert. This is about the size of a date and has a hazelnut-sized pit inside. In this core is the seed plate with the precious miracle cure. This fruit grows on the Argan trees. In its natural state, the fruit is bitter and inedible to humans. Only the Berber goats eat these berries and leaves of the tree. Also, read more about healthy oils and their uses.

How is the oil extracted?

The processing of oil is mainly and traditionally done by Berber women. Approximately 80 percent of the extraction is carried out by laborious manual work. The ripe and fallen fruits are collected and then dried in the sun. The dried pulp can then be easily peeled from the argan nut. Using a mallet on an anvil, the very hard shell of the nut must be broken open to reveal the tender “almond” inside. After gentle roasting, the almonds are pressed with a stone press. The resulting mousse is heated with a little water and mixed by hand until the oil begins to separate from the water. For one liter of oil, you need about 30 kilograms of argan fruits.

Areas of application of argan oil

Argan oil can be used in many different ways, for example for cooking. In nutrition, argan oil gives food a special flavor. Many chefs therefore particularly like to use this oil. Due to the high vitamin E content and the valuable ingredients in the argan oil, you can use it excellently for skincare on the face. It has a tightening, disinfecting, and antibacterial effect. You can also use it as hair oil in the form of a hair mask or as a conditioner. Even inflammations in the body can be positively counteracted thanks to vitamin E. The skin can gain vitality and elasticity and hair care can also be positively supplemented with it. Argan oil protects and nourishes your skin at the same time.

Miracle cure for skin and hair

The oil of the argan tree is used as a high-quality care product. It has a great effect on hair and skin. It soothes the skin and cares for sensitive and damaged skin. It also provides a lot of moisture. It has a moisturizing effect on dry skin and prevents skin aging overall. Argan oil also has an antioxidant effect because it contains many antioxidants. Furthermore, it has an antibacterial effect. Many people have found that argan oil reduces acne, pimples, and impure skin. The contained mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, ensure a reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Argan oil is also particularly suitable as a home remedy for brittle or dry hair, as it provides a lot of moisture and locks it in the hair. Argan oil moisturizes the hair.

Use argan oil in cooking

Argan oil is suitable as cooking oil in the kitchen. It is suitable as cold-pressed and normally manufactured oil. It is a gourmet cooking oil for upscale gastronomy. Like truffles, caviar, or saffron, argan oil is a premium product because 1 liter costs around 60 euros. The oil is particularly suitable for salads. But it is also suitable for vegetables, fish dishes, or even for roasting meat. Due to its special composition, it is very healthy and richer in content than the best olive oil. Argan oil is nutritionally very valuable because its fatty acid composition is optimal. It also contains important phytochemicals such as vitamin E (especially γ-tocopherol), sterols, squalene, and simple phenolic compounds.

Use as a home remedy

Argan oil is very healthy and is considered a real treasure among home remedies. This is because this miracle oil has the highest concentration of so-called essential fatty acids. Namely over 80%, for example, the high-quality oleic acid and linoleic acid.

In addition, there is a large proportion of so-called natural antioxidants. These protect against harmful free radicals. Therefore, the oil from Morocco is very rich in alpha-tocopherol, which has the same activity as vitamin E. It also contains sterols, such as spinasterol and schottenol.

Other possible uses

Argan oil, like some other types of oil, is suitable for use as a natural home remedy. There are many possible uses for the miracle cure. The oil is very suitable for the treatment of stomach pains, stomach, and intestinal flu, and circulatory problems. Also as a quick help with sunburn, burns, or for cleaning wounds. Furthermore, the natural remedy is also suitable for acne, chickenpox, neurodermatitis, small birthmarks, rheumatism, joint pain, or hemorrhoids. Even with hair loss, people have observed that argan oil can stimulate hair growth again.

Buy argan oil

You can buy high-quality argan oil and argan oil capsules online. Since the extraction of the oil is very complex, the precious oil is also very expensive. However, if you are a gourmet, want to give something very special as a gift, want to treat your body to something particularly good, or want to start a cosmetic treatment with argan oil, then it is worth buying this gourmet cooking oil.

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Food

Camelina Oil: Ingredients, Effect and Application

Camelina oil is not very well known in German cuisine and is often confused with linseed oil. Here you can find out what the healthy oil is all about and why you should integrate it into your diet more often.

What is camelina oil?

Camelina oil is extracted from the seeds of camelina, a plant of the cruciferous family. It is often confused with linseed oil, which, on the other hand, is made from the linseed of another plant, the common linseed or flax.

However, the oils of the plants have a lot in common: both do not keep for long in cold-pressed form and should not be heated. Stored in light-protected bottles in the refrigerator, they should last up to two months.

The big advantage – of both linseed oil and camelina oil: The plants are cultivated in Germany, so both types of oil are available from regional cultivation. For the best quality, you should buy the oil in organic quality.

How healthy is camelina oil?

Camelina oil consists of 50 to 60 percent polyunsaturated fatty acids. These have a positive effect on cholesterol levels and can thus prevent cardiovascular diseases as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Like linseed oil, camelina oil is particularly rich in alpha-linolenic acid, which belongs to the group of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential component of a balanced diet. For example, they fulfill important functions in hormone production, the function of nerves, muscles and eyes or the structure of cell membranes.

Like many other oils, camelina oil is also rich in vitamin E, which protects our body cells as an antioxidant against free radicals, has a positive effect on lipid metabolism and is involved in controlling the gonads. In contrast to linseed oil, which consists of 60 to 70 percent linolenic acid, camelina oil has a significantly lower proportion of around 30 to 40 percent.

Camelina oil: How to use it in the kitchen

Due to the relatively high content of omega-3 fatty acids, you should not heat camelina oil. The heat destroys the healthy fatty acids and can even convert them into harmful trans fats. Camelina oil is therefore not suitable for frying, cooking or baking.

However, you can use it for dressings or dips, for example, or occasionally add a teaspoon of the oil to the finished meal to ensure you regularly consume omega-3 fatty acids. Camelina oil can be a good source of the important fatty acid, especially in a vegetarian or vegan diet.

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