Almond oil has a long history in many different schools of traditional medicine. It is used for a wide variety of purposes, but it is best known for its use in skin care. Read on to learn more about almond oil and its potential uses for boosting your health.
There are 2 main varieties of almonds: the sweet almond (Prunus dulcis var. dulcis) and the bitter almond (Prunus dulcis var. amara). Almonds themselves are also referred to as Prunus amygdalus or Amygdalus communis.
Almonds are packed with nutrients such as:
Unsaturated fats: Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fats, and phytosterols (the plant version of cholesterol, which is structurally similar but not identical)
B vitamins: Vitamin B2 (also known as riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), and vitamin B9 (folate)
Vitamin E, especially in the form of α-tocopherol
Minerals: Magnesium, calcium, potassium, copper, phosphorus, manganese, and zinc
Proteins: Specifically, high levels of arginine (an amino acid)
Fiber
Sweet almond oil is used as a carrier oil, which means that it is used to dilute other essential oils to make them safer for use on the skin. This is because sweet almond oil does not evaporate easily, has a mild smell, and is readily absorbed by the skin. For these reasons, sweet almond oil is also often used as a placebo or control treatment in aromatherapy studies
Moisturizing
Traditionally, almond oil was used to treat dry skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema. Almond oil is also frequently used in massages and is considered to be a good topical moisturizer
A clinical study on 9 adults and 7 infants demonstrated that sweet almond oil was as effective and as safe as petroleum jelly (petrolatum) when used as a moisturizer.
B vitamins and zinc are both known to play a significant role in maintaining healthy skin.
Sun Damage
Excessive exposure to UV radiation from sunlight can play a major role in skin aging and in different skin cancers. In a mouse study, almond oil prevented skin damage from UV radiation when applied topically. Almond oil can be used to create a low-cost sunscreen with all-natural ingredients. Most natural sunscreens contain oil, a sun-blocking agent, and wax to bind it all together. Researchers developed a low-cost sunscreen, combining almond oil (75% by mass), beeswax (9%), and zinc oxide (16%).
Stretch Marks
A clinical study of 159 women showed that using almond oil could prevent stretch marks during pregnancy, though the study did not mention the type of almond oil or the method of using almond oil (in massage, applied topically, or ingested).
Another study reported that a massage with bitter almond oil reduced the occurrence of stretch marks in pregnancy in a non-randomized clinical study of 141 women. However, bitter almond oil alone had no significant effect, and a different study of 150 women showed that a cream containing almond oil had no effect on the number or severity of stretch marks. Some researchers have suggested that massage, rather than the oil itself, might be the critical part of this treatment.
Inflammation
Almond oil contains antioxidant compounds that are currently being investigated for their potential against chronic inflammation.
Among the antioxidants in almond oil is vitamin E, which is important for the body’s natural antioxidant defense. The vitamin E in almond oil may be beneficial for reducing inflammation, slowing aging, and even bolstering innate defenses against cancer and heart disease.
Almond oil may also protect against liver inflammation. A rat study demonstrated that 5 weeks of treatment with almond oil reduced damage and enhanced recovery after toxic damage to the liver, indicating that almond oil may have similar protective effects in humans.
At Aroma Massage we use cold pressed almond oil