Argan oil benefits .

 The multiple benefits of Argan oil: on the skin and on the plate

November 19, 2008 - Argan oil, which comes from the fruit of a tree in Morocco, is said to protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease and to hydrate the skin. It would even calm the symptoms of menopause. But despite its growing popularity around the world, it's still too early to cry a miracle.

"Its composition makes it interesting, but the scientific data available so far are not convincing," said a doctor, gynecologist and holder of the Chair in Integrated Approach to Health at Laval University. Moroccan chemist from Mohamed V University, a leading figure in Argan oil research, agrees.

Skin care

Known to Moroccans for millennia, the oil is used in cooking and as a cosmetic, in its unroasted version, to hydrate skin and hair. “In traditional medicine, researchers, it is used for the treatment of juvenile acne, chickenpox, rheumatism and for the prevention of atherosclerosis. It is also recommended for irritation, eczema, chapped skin and burns. "

Its moisturizing effect is explained by its high content of unsaturated fatty acids. It is said to contain 45% omega-9 (oleic acids) and 35% omega-6 (linoleic acids). Omega-9s are recognized for their beneficial effect on heart health. Omega-6s are also considered good fats, but in excess they can interfere with the action of omega-3s in the body.

Argan oil also contains a lot of antioxidants with proven anti-cancer effects. "We know the biochemicals of Argan oil, but most of the hypotheses of its benefits are based on its composition rather than on actual clinical trials," said the doctors, however.

So far, a few studies have shown interesting effects in cells tested in vitro or in mice. It is also credited with relieving the effects of menopause, but there was only one study of 60 postmenopausal women "very limited in time," said the researchers. To know the possible harmful effects, studies of longer duration are necessary.

In dishes and salads

In the kitchen, its refined nutty taste enhances dishes and salads and makes great chefs happy. Extracted from the kernel of the fruit of the Argan tree (Argania spinosa), Argan oil can produce allergic reactions, but few have been reported so far.

With its price of up to $ 25 per 100 ml - a liter of oil requires the fruits of seven to eight trees, and 20 hours of labor - counterfeiting is on the prowl. But thanks to its very special chemical composition, it can be detected if it has mixed with other oils by laboratory analysis

Industrial and artisanal production

The industrialization of Argan extraction meets growing demand, but Moroccan women's artisanal and cooperative production persists and grows stronger. There is also a vast movement of reforestation to increase production. According to Morocco’s Ministry of Water and Forests, Argan oil production can reach 4,000 tonnes per year, but it is still temperature dependent.

France, where it is all the rage, approved the sale of Argan oil in 2002 for consumption and for cosmetic use. In Canada, it is mostly found in delicatessen stores.

 The argan tree threatened with extinction

The Argan tree is threatened with extinction due to desertification affecting Morocco. Its defenders present it as "the last bulwark of the region against the advancing desert".  officials believe that the solution to the disappearance of the Argan tree goes through the valuation of its products. Better use of the tree for the benefit of its users will encourage them to protect and replant it, she believes.