The population of the Atlas Imazighen have always used Argan oil for food and cosmetic virtues.
Like the tea that is offered to guests, argan oil accompanied by a plate of honey is a sign of hospitality in the Berber population.
For millennia, the Berber women use this oil for its cosmetic and food benefits. Weather conditions can be extremely harsh (high winds, sun), skin and hair dry out. The argan oil is applied to soften and protect skin and nourish the hair.
Argan oil is also used in traditional medicine, particularly to treat or prevent certain diseases of the skin. From birth to adulthood, it is omnipresent in the life of the Berbers, who use it:
- In infants and babies to perform body massage,
- To assist in the healing buttons chickenpox,
- In the treatment of acne in adolescents,
- Pregnant women who rubs the belly to soften the skin and avoid the appearance of stretch marks,
- As an adult, for people suffering from rheumatism who perform massage joints (the Berbers say that this oil can "warm up" the joints).
The different oils and their benefits
There are different types of argan oil. The manufacturing process differs depending on the end use will be made. Argan oil for human consumption is extracted from roasted almonds.
Argan oil placed on the development of cosmetics and medicines does not smell because the kernels are roasted by. It is also less colorful than cooking oil.
Argan oil has many virtues: food, health food, cosmetic and pharmacological.
Food benefits
With its fine texture, the flavor of roasted hazelnuts and brown due to the roasting of almonds, this oil is very popular with the people of the southwest. It has a fruity and pleasant taste and is a component of many traditional dishes such as salads, couscous, tagines of fish ....
It can be eaten fresh, slightly heated but can never be used for frying.
In southern Morocco, the Berbers also use argan oil as a spread called Amlou. It is made of argan oil, almonds and honey and is served at breakfast or as dessert after a meal (see recipes). It is a tonic that was often consumed by the Berber tribes who were about to make the wilderness. This paste is entering the composition of many Moroccan pastries.
The dietary benefits
Argan oil has interesting properties in terms dietetics and nutrition. Its content of unsaturated fatty acids (80%) makes an oil oleic-linoleic type. Oleic acid, linoleic component is essential because it says can not be synthesized by the human body and must be provided through the diet.
In addition, experts have shown that the content of argan oil in oleic acid plays an important role in reducing cholesterol in the blood and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease .
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