Almond Oil Uses and Benefits

Almond oil is one of the best oils for hair and skin care. It has got lots of nutrients and beneficial properties which make it such a powerful cosmetic ingredient. the results obtained by using almond oil on skin can be comparable to that of many powerful skin care products, sans all the side effects. It can help one get rid of dark circles in weeks. Sweet almond oil is also safe to ingested internally. In fact, it is well reputed as a medicinal oil in the Unani system of Medicine.

Almond oil is extracted from almonds. There are many varieties of almonds, but they are generally classified into two classes.

Bitter Almonds – These are almonds that are bitter to taste. They are hardly ever eaten, or used in recipes. Bitter almonds however are used to produce bitter almond oil.  These almonds contain a small amount of hydrogen cyanide, which is extremely poisonous. Eating just a few of these almonds can lead to a vertigo, or even death.

Sweet Almonds – These are the almonds that we are accustomed to eating. They are used to produce sweet almond oil. This oil too has a sweet taste, making almond oil one of the tastiest amond oils.

Almond is actually a drupe, not a nut. It is native to the Mediterranean and Middle East. Presently, the largest producer of almonds is USA, most of which comes from the state of California. Spain too is known for its high quality almonds. Different varieties of almonds have slight differences in taste, and this subtle difference also reflects in the oil.

Let us look into the therapeutical properties of almond oil, both sweet and bitter almond oil. In general, the properties of sweet almond oil and bitter almond oil are similar for topical application. For internal use, only sweet almond oil is used, and there is no point in discussing the health benefits of bitter almond oil because it is hazardous when ingested.

These are the therapeutic properties of Sweet Almond oil.

• Anti-Inflammatory  – It reduces inflammation topically and also when ingested.
• Anti-oxidant – Almond oil possesses mild antioxidant capacity.
• Immune Booster – Topical as well as internal application of sweet almond oil boosts immunity and provides robust protection from various diseases.
• Anti-hepatotoxic – Almond oil is known to aid the liver in eliminating toxins. This is also performed by castor oil.
• Emollient – excellent moisturization property. It is used to eliminate excessively dry skin.
• Sclerosant – Used to treat vascular issues like spider veins, hemorrhoids and varicose veins.
• Laxative – promotes defecation and relieves constipation. This laxative action is mild as compared to stronger laxatives like castor oil.
• Analgesic – almond oil is mild pain reliever
• Muscle Relaxation  – massage with almond oil soothes stressed and sore muscles.
• Cicatrizant – helps wounds heal faster.
• Anti-dandruff – it dissolves away dandruff from the scalp.

These beneficial properties of almond oil makes it so useful in many personal conditions. It provides several health benefits.

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