We know all about sunflower oil, hemp oil, olive oil, evening primrose oil, coconut oil and fish oils and their benefits to body and skin, but there are plenty of little-known oils, many revered in their parts of the world, which may be set to become our new cosmetic and culinary essentials. Alex Gazzola looks at the healthiest oils you’ll soon be hearing a whole lot more of.
In recent years, after having spent decades in the health wilderness thanks to the promotion of fat-free diet plans, oils have finally come in from the cold. With all the talk of omega 3s, essential fatty acids and polyunsaturates, there has never been a greater interest in them and their benefits. Health practitioners and nutritional therapists are increasingly acknowledging how important good oils are to optimum health.
From a culinary and nutritional perspective, we need our omega 3s from oily fish to promote heart health, mental functioning and to keep blood pressure low. Meanwhile, omega 6s - from familiar oils like sunflower and corn - help with growth, cell structure and a healthy immune system. Olive oil, rich in omega 9s, helps with cholesterol.
When used cosmetically, oils can help chronic dry skin by locking in the skin’s natural moisture. Oils can soften skin, tone it, and protect it from the environment - all the while giving you a healthy shine and glow. Lots of oils are rich in the antioxidants many now believe can help slow the body’s ageing processes, and some can even help repair minor skin abrasions and other damaged patches of skin.
The increased interest in oils’ benefits has prompted many working in the cosmetic and nutritional industries to cast their nets wider in the endless search for ever more potent and magical oils. Just as there are always new superfoods being unleashed onto the market, there are a whole host of super oils just asking to be discovered too. Here are the best to look out for, what they can do for you - and where to find them.
Argan Oil
One of the rarest oils in the world, argan oil is derived from the nuts of the argan tree, found only in southern Morocco, and a protected and endangered tree which thrives in arid, desert conditions. For hundreds of years, Berber women in Morocco have used it for cosmetic purposes, to nourish and moisturise their hair, nails and skin - to them, the argan is ‘The Tree of Life’.
“Argan oil is the moisturiser of the future,” says Karen Borzynski, co-founder of luxury organic argan cosmetic company Arganics. “It’s organically grown, packed with vitamin E and omega 3 fatty acids, and so is suitable for all skin types, absorbing perfectly and without leaving a greasy film. It also works well on the T-zone as the oil balances out the skin’s natural oils - so it’s great for open pores. There’s evidence to show that it’s effective on scar tissue too.”
In Morocco, it has been traditionally used to ease eczema, psoriasis, chickenpox and acne. Pregnant women use it to prevent stretch marks.
Chinese herbalist Ruth Hajioff also sings the praises of its hydrating properties. “The oil helps cell structure and permeability,” she explains. “It brings water back to the lipid layers, so reducing the appearance of fine lines. Because of its plant sterols, it has anti-inflammatory properties, and so reduces redness, making it good as an after-sun.”
Nutritionally, says Ruth, the rich nutty oil is both delicious and a terrific source of vitamin E (twice as rich as olive oil) and essential fatty acids. “Studies have shown that argan can help reduce cholesterol levels,” she adds. It also contains a vegetable sterol called schottenol, rarely found in plant sources, which may have anti-cancer properties.
Emu Oil
Not one for vegans or veggies, emu oil is a by-product of free-range emu meat production in Australia, and the oil itself comes from the fatty saddle on the back of the birds - which are only ever culled for their meat at full maturity. The fat goes through a purification process to produce the pure emu oil.
For centuries, the anti-inflammatory properties of emu oil have been put to use by indigenous Aboriginals to soothe muscular and arthritic aches, promote wound healing and relieve insect bites, sunburn and windburn. It has also been linked with anti-ageing properties, mild reversal of hair loss, and it may help in the treatment of eczema, psoriasis and other irritating skin conditions. Its effectiveness is down to the high penetrability of emu oil, which is absorbed and gets to work quickly, without clogging pores, making it great for cracked heels and thick skin on feet, and other chronically dry areas.
Camelina Oil
Camelina is a flowering plant which is related to the brassica plants and vegetables (cabbages, broccoli, mustard, rape), and is native to colder Scandinavian and central Asian climates. The oil made from it is nutty and full-bodied - and extremely high in omega 3 fatty acids, which has attracted the attention of health researchers.
“Camelina oil is the second best vegetative source of omega 3 - second only to flax seed oil,” says Geraint Hughes of Calon Lân Foods (www.calonlanfood.com), who produce extra-virgin cold pressed camelina oil. “But the trouble with flax oil is that it has a strong and slightly fish taste and aroma, and it’s also quite unstable to cook with. You can cook lightly with camelina oil, as its smoking point is similar to that of olive oil.”
He adds “People are interested in different varieties of coffees, wines, chocolates, potatoes - and now they’re getting more interested in healthy oils too. Camelina has been long known in Finland and Russia, and Benecol in Finland are using it as a functional food ingredient in their margarine”.
Thanks to its nutritional profile, and the relative ease of growing camelina, it may become an environmentally sound superoil of the future.
Marula Oil
This comes from the seeds of the marula fruit, from the marula tree, indigenous to southern African countries like Namibia and Zimbabwe, and related to the mango. According to PhytoTrade Africa (www.phytotradeafrica.com), a non-profit trade organisation helping rural producers market their products, the marula tree is central to southern African life. Its fruit is brewed, its bark is a traditional remedy for diarrhoea, fever and malaria, its wood makes utensils and its leaves make a relish.
However it is the healing oil which is particularly special, and southern African women use it cosmetically to moisturise and protect against dry skin. Zulu tribespeople revere the marula, and the tree symbolises women’s femininity and fertility, with newborn girls being welcomed into the world with marula oil ceremonies.
The Body Shop employ marula oil’s qualities in their make-up range, and cosmetic chemist Dr Barbara Olioso, of Forest Secrets Skincare (www.forestsecretsskincare.com), uses it in her iRejuvenate anti-ageing duo of beauty products, of pro-youth facial oil and regenerating skin serum.
“I really like the Fairtrade and environmental profile of marula, and what’s remarkable about it is it’s extremely stable to oxidation, and very rich in antioxidants,” says Barbara. “Southern Africans have been using the oil for millennia as a preservative for meat, and it’s known for its anti-wrinkle potential, and other properties are likely to be discovered with further research - such as stretch mark prevention, which is another promising area.”