Proponents of natural cosmetics and alternative medicine know what unsurpassed results various plants and products developed on their basis can give. One of the extremely rare representatives of the flora used for such purposes is the argan tree. You may have seen oil obtained from the amazing fruits of this plant on the pharmacy shelves. If its price is too high, then this is the very vitamin product that can significantly transform the epidermis and increase the defenses of the human body. There are good reasons why it costs so much and is considered so valuable. They will be discussed below.
General information about the plant
Argania is a long-lived plant, it can be found only in some parts of our planet. In nature, there are specimens whose age is calculated for centuries (the oldest is 400 years old). Where does the 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 - Argan prickly. The plant has another name - "iron tree", it received it thanks to the twisted strong trunks. Their height reaches 6 meters.
A rare specimen has thorny shoots and a fairly deep root system, extending 30 meters into the soil. A photo of an argan tree perfectly illustrates 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, slightly larger than olives in size, their skin is yellow. Inside the fleshy pulp is a strong bone, which, in turn, has three almond-shaped kernels.
The tree blooms in April, has an interesting aroma, with pronounced accents of spices and nuts.
Cultivating a plant as a cultivated plant is quite problematic. It propagates by seeds that germinate very poorly. Currently, biologists have managed to grow a small plantation of argan from cuttings. The exotic garden is located in the Negev desert region.
Although the oil is exported to many countries, according to Moroccan law, it is not allowed to export the fruits of a rare plant outside the state. Eminent cosmetic companies in Europe offered the governmentcountries to formalize a deal to buy plantations with trees. However, the king of Morocco defended his interests by protecting state property. Now the plantations are still at the disposal of local authorities and are presented as a biosphere reserve.
Application areas
Oil is highly valued even in its homeland, where it has its own 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 the wood of the tree as building materials and fuel. The liquid is filled with lamps and lamps. Charcoal is harvested from the solid stem part of the plant. Fruits and branches are fed to animals, goats and camels feed on shoots.
The purpose for which the oil of the plant is used depends on the degree of processing or cleaning of the fruit. The main product is obtained from the nucleoli extracted from the stone. It can serve as an auxiliary component in various types of production, as well as an independent tool.
Cooperatives specializing in the supply of raw materials, the main workers in which are Berber women (representatives of the Moroccan tribe), are engaged in the collection of valuable fruits.
Labor-intensive raw material procurement process
The process of obtaining oil has basically not changed since antiquity, until now this technology is carried out mainly by hand. It is divided into two types -culinary and cosmetic. The first is characterized by a richer taste, color and aroma.
For the manufacture of one liter of product, 80 to 100 kg of fruit are processed. This amount of raw materials can be obtained from 13 argan trees. Since the peel of the bones is very strong, and you need to get the kernels out of them, the work requires great physical effort and a lot of time. As a result, women receive 3-5 kg of seeds. It takes them almost two working days to do this.
For the production of food-grade butter, the kernels are lightly fried. Then they are placed under a press and the oil is squeezed out mechanically. The product goes through a filtration process. For this purpose, special paper is used. Before starting this laborious process, the fruits of the argan tree are dried in the sun before the fibers are removed.
The exclusively manual method of obtaining a useful component allows you to save all its substances as much as possible. Recently, a new method has become known - chemical, it is considered sterile, but the oil obtained in this way is only suitable for scientific research and industrial purposes.
Interesting fact
In Morocco, one can observe an unimaginably interesting picture, which is not possible to see in any other part of the world - goats freely walk along the thorny branches of an exotic plant. The argan tree is their favorite source of food. It is noteworthy that animals eat only the skin of the fruit, dumping the rest of them on the ground. So they, without realizing it, take partin 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 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 various 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 has been proven that the remedy strengthens blood vessels, the heart, normalizes blood pressure and blood glucose levels. If you consume two tablespoons of the product every morning, you can lower cholesterol.
Oil is a natural fungicide and antibiotic. Applications with the use of a healing product prevent the destructive processes of tissues in rheumatism and arthritis.
Cooking
The traditional food of the Moroccans in the old days was the sauce in which they dipped bread. This dressing consisted of two ingredients: honey and butter.
The argan tree is known firsthand by the employees of restaurants and elite institutions around the world. The first dishes of vegetables and legumes, meat, poultry are seasoned with oil. It is added to salads in pure or mixed form. It goes well with fruits andnuts. To soften the taste of the ingredient, it is diluted with other oils, such as olive or grape seed product.
To create a savory taste, just add 5 drops of oil to any dish - and it will pleasantly surprise you.
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 has been 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% are unsaturated fatty acids. These are those that are not synthesized independently and must be supplied to the human body together in food or through the epidermis. Acids are responsible for lipid metabolism, maintain the natural moisture of the skin at the proper level.
Cosmetology
And in cosmetology, argan tree oil is used for the production of soaps, creams, masks and other care products. It is added to products for strengthening nails and hair. The component has a tremendous impact on the epidermis. Due to its soothing and antiseptic action, it quickly eliminates skin irritation, making it velvety and smooth. The oil has high protective properties, nourishes and restores the skin. Thanks tothe presence in its composition of unsaturated fatty acids and a complex of vitamins is used in the elimination of sunburn, prevents premature aging of the skin. In the summer, the product is good to use as UV protection.
If you use shampoos and masks on a regular basis, you can significantly improve the condition of the hair, their structure. Means that contain oil help fight dandruff, give curls shine and silkiness. Eliminating unwanted shine, they make strands of elasticity, manageable.
On sale there is oil for bathing and massage. A useful component is part of the cosmetics of French manufacturers. It is they who buy raw materials in large volumes to develop their products.
Using oil at home
If you have already purchased a he althy oil in a pharmacy, then discover all the secrets of beauty and he alth that the argan tree is fraught with. At home, you can make creams and masks that will turn out to be no worse than production tools. You can add it to absolutely any cosmetic formulations that you are used to using. The main thing is that a high quality product is chosen.
You can prepare a face mask. To do this, you only need a teaspoon of a useful product. It will need to be mixed with a pre-prepared mixture. We take: 2 tbsp. l. oatmeal, 2 proteins, one tablespoon of honey. The resulting slurry is thoroughly mixed with argan oil and applied to the face. After 20 minutes, wash off and perform a 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. Heat the mixture in a water bath. The product can be rubbed into the skin with massaging movements or used as hand baths.
For the treatment of nail plates, oil can be applied in its pure form.
To strengthen the hair, you need to apply the product undiluted for half an hour, and then rinse with water. For best results, you can mix it with burdock oil.
It is good to use argan oil compresses for people suffering from joint diseases, sciatica.
