Supporters of natural cosmetics and alternative medicine know what unsurpassed results various plants and products developed based on them can give. One of the extremely rare representatives of the flora used for such purposes is argan tree. You may have seen oil on pharmacy shelves obtained from the amazing fruits of this plant. If its price is too high, then this is the same vitamin product that can significantly transform the epidermis and increase the defenses of the human body. There are good reasons why it is so expensive and considered so valuable. They will be described below.
Plant Overview
Argania is a long-lived plant, it can only be found in some places on our planet. In nature, there are specimens whose age is estimated at centuries (the oldest is 400 years old). Where does argan tree grow? Its distribution area is Algeria, Morocco, some parts of the Sahara desert. In the wild, it can be found in Mexico.
Belongs to the Sopot family, is a monotypic genus - prickly Argania. The plant has another name - "iron tree", it received it thanks to twisted strong trunks. Their height reaches 6 meters.
A rare specimen has thorny shoots and a rather deep root system that extends 30 meters into the soil. A photo of an argan tree perfectly illustrates all the power and luxury of this plant. The leaf plates are medium-sized, have an oval shape and a length of about 3 cm. The flowers consist of five petals of a pale green or yellow hue. The fruits are small, similar to plums, in size a little larger than olive, their skin is yellow. Inside the fleshy pulp there is a strong bone, which, in turn, has three amygdala kernels.
The tree blooms in April, has an interesting aroma, with pronounced accents of spices and nuts.
Cultivating a plant as a cultivated one is quite problematic. It is propagated by seeds that germinate very poorly. Currently, biologists have managed to grow a small plantation of argan from the shoots. The exotic garden is located in the Negev desert.
Although oil is exported to many countries, according to the laws of Morocco, it is not allowed to export the fruits of the rarest plants themselves outside the state. Eminent cosmetic companies in Europe offered the government to formalize a deal to buy back plantations with trees. However, the king of Morocco defended his interests by defending state property. Now the plantations are still at the disposal of local authorities and are presented as a biosphere reserve.
Fields of application
Oil is valued dearly even in its homeland, where it has its name - “liquid gold”. The scope of the argan tree is so wide that superstitious Africans consider it sacred. The oil obtained from its seeds is used in cooking, cosmetology and medicine. In addition, local residents use wood timber as building materials and fuel. Lamps and lamps fill the liquid. Charcoal is harvested from the solid stem of the plant. Fruits and branches go to animal feed, goats and camels feed on shoots.
The purpose for which plant oil is used depends on the degree of processing or purification of the fruit. The main product is obtained from nucleoli extracted from the bone. It can serve as an auxiliary component in various types of industries, as well as an independent tool.
Collecting valuable fruits is carried out by cooperatives specializing in the supply of raw materials, the main employees of which are Berber women (representatives of the Moroccan tribe).
The laborious process of harvesting raw materials
The process of obtaining oil has basically not changed since antiquity; until now, this technology has been carried out mainly by hand. It is divided into two types - culinary and cosmetic. The first is characterized by a richer flavor, color and aroma.
From 80 to 100 kg of fruit are processed to produce one liter of product. Such a quantity of raw materials can be obtained from 13 argan trees. Since the peel of the seeds is very strong, and you need to get the kernels out of them, the work requires a lot of physical effort and a lot of time. As a result, women get 3-5 kg of seeds. It takes them almost two business days.
To produce a food grade oil, the kernels are lightly fried. Then they are placed under a press and the oil is mechanically squeezed out. The product goes through a filtration process. For this purpose, special paper is used. Before embarking on this laborious process, the fruits of the argan tree are pre-dried in the sun, and the fibers are removed from them.
Exceptionally manual method of obtaining a useful component allows you to preserve all its substances. Recently, a new method has become known - chemical, it is considered sterile, but the oil obtained in this way is suitable only for scientific research and industrial purposes.
Interesting fact
In Morocco, one can observe an unimaginably interesting picture that is not possible to see in any other part of the world - goats walk freely on the thorny branches of an exotic plant. Argan tree serves as their source of favorite food. It is noteworthy that the animals eat only the skin of the fruits, the rest of them are dumped onto the ground. So they, without realizing it, take part in the preparation of raw materials for a valuable product. After passing the first stage of extraordinary cleaning, the fruits fall into the hands of a person for their further processing.
Composition
The argan product contains fatty acids: ferulonic, palmitic, stearic. The oil contains squalene (antioxidant), triterpene alcohols, phytosterols, polyphenols, vitamin E.
Due to its rich composition, the product has many useful properties, which allows it to be used in different production areas.
Healing properties
First of all, the oil of the rarest tree has a beneficial effect on the general condition of the body. In the course of scientific research, it was proved that the drug strengthens blood vessels, heart, normalizes blood pressure and glucose level. If you use two tablespoons of the product every morning, you can lower cholesterol.
Oil is a natural fungicide and antibiotic. Applications using a healing product interfere with the destructive processes of tissues with rheumatism and arthritis.
Cookery
The traditional Moroccan food in the old days was the sauce in which they dipped bread. This dressing consisted of two ingredients: honey and oil.
Employees of restaurants and elite establishments around the world know about the Argan tree firsthand. The first dishes from vegetables and legumes, meat, poultry are seasoned with oil. It is added to salads in pure or mixed form. It is combined even with fruits and nuts. To soften the taste of the ingredient, it is diluted with other oils, such as olive or grape seed product.
To create a piquant taste, just add 5 drops of oil to any dish - and it will pleasantly surprise you.
The medicine
Although a rare plant is not included in the pharmacology of Russia, in our country, oil made from medicinal fruits is known as a product of alternative medicine. It is recommended for burns, cracks in the skin, neurodermatitis.
In dietetics, the argan tree product is only gaining popularity. It was noted that it improves appetite and at the same time helps to get rid of extra pounds. This is due to its composition, in which 85% is fatty unsaturated acids. These are those that are not synthesized independently and must enter the human body together in food or through the epidermis. Acids are responsible for lipid metabolism, maintain at the proper level the natural moisture of the skin.
Cosmetology
And in cosmetology, argan oil is used for the production of soaps, creams, masks and other caring products. It is added to funds for strengthening nails and hair. The component has a tremendous effect on the epidermis. Thanks to soothing and antiseptic effects, it quickly eliminates skin irritation, makes it velvety and smooth. The oil has high protective properties, nourishes and restores the skin well. Due to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids and a complex of vitamins in its composition, it is used in the elimination of sunburn, and prevents premature skin aging. In the summer, the product is well used as protection against ultraviolet radiation.
If you use shampoos and masks on a regular basis, you can significantly improve the condition of the hair, its structure. Means, which contain oil, help fight dandruff, give the curls shine and silkiness. Eliminating unwanted shine, they make the strands of elasticity obedient.
On sale there is oil for bathing and massage. A useful component is in the composition of cosmetics of French manufacturers. It is they who purchase raw materials in large volumes to develop their products.
Using oil at home
If you have already purchased useful oil in a pharmacy, then discover all the secrets of beauty and health that argan tree contains. At home, you can make creams and masks, which will be no worse than production tools. You can add it to absolutely any cosmetic composition that you are used to using. The main thing is that a high quality product is chosen.
You can make a face mask. To do this, you only need a teaspoon of a healthy product. It will need to be mixed with a previously prepared mixture. Take: 2 tbsp. l oatmeal, 2 protein, one tablespoon of honey. The resulting slurry is thoroughly mixed with argan oil and applied to the face. After 20 minutes, rinse and contrast wash, first with slightly hot and then cool water.
To restore too dry skin on the hands, you need to mix several types of oils: hazelnut, chamomile and argan. In a water bath, warm the mixture. The product can be rubbed into the skin with massaging movements or used as a bath for the hands.
For the treatment of nail plates, oil can be applied in pure form.
To strengthen the hair, you need to apply the product undiluted for half an hour, and then rinse with water. To get the best effect, you can mix it with burdock oil.
It is good to apply compresses from argan oil to people suffering from joint diseases, radiculitis.