What’s Almond Oil Good For and When Should You Not Use It?

Almond oil is a fatty liquid extracted from almonds. Avoid almond oil if you have a nut allergy, and don’t use unprocessed bitter almond oil due to potential toxins.

From avocado oil to vegetable oil, there are oils made from many sources available in stores. Almond oil is an affordable, nutritious, and widely available plant oil. It’s used by many for beauty, cooking, and medicine.

Almond oil has numerous uses but should not be used in certain situations. Learn about almond oil, its uses, benefits, and risks.

Almond oil is a fatty liquid extracted from almonds. Almonds are seeds found in the fruit that grows on the almond tree (Prunus dulcis), not tree nuts. They come from hot regions in South-Central Asia, like Iran and Nepal.

Almonds are commonly eaten worldwide due to their sweetness. The United States is the leading producer, with Spain, Morocco, Iran, and other countries also growing significant volumes.

Almond oil is produced from almonds and glyceryl oleate. This industry is growing rapidly, with the market worth $1.118 million in 2016 and predicted to reach $2.680 million by 2023.

Almond oil is becoming increasingly popular due to its faint smell, pleasant nutty taste, and beneficial properties. It can solubilize fatty liquids, spread easily, is non-comedogenic, non-irritating, nontoxic (when made from sweet almonds), and water insoluble. You can find almond oil in cosmetics and herbal stores, online retailers, pharmacies, and as an ingredient in many cosmetics.

What are the two types of almond oil?

There are two main kinds of almond oil derived from different almond species.

Sweet almond oil

Sweet almonds come from Prunus amygdalus dulcis, a plant with white flowers. Oil is extracted from dried sweet almond kernels. It is nontoxic and commonly used for cooking and cosmetics.

Bitter almond oil

Bitter almonds come from Prunus amygdalus amara, a plant with pink flowers. Bitter almond oil is used for flavoring extracts after removing toxins.

How is almond oil made?

Almond oil is made through various methods. The process starts with removing the innermost seeds from the outermost layers of the almond. Then the almonds are dried using hot air, sun exposure, or other techniques.

Manufacturers extract oil from the dried almonds using techniques and tools such as:

• Aqueous extraction method. This technique uses water to extract oil but produces a low oil yield and harmful wastewater.
• Hydraulic or screw press. A hydraulic or screw press squeezes the moisture out of the seeds. Hydraulic press produces a small amount of oil, while commercial operations use the screw press for higher yield and shorter production time, preserving the nutty smell and taste.
• Solvent extraction. Commercial producers use solvents, but this method produces toxic oil that requires refining before consumption. The oil also has an unappealing odor and taste.

QUESTION

What are the nutritional benefits of almond oil?

Almond oil is a nutritious food, rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids. One teaspoon (4.5 g) contains 39.8 kcal of energy, 4.5 g of total lipid, and 1.76 mg of vitamin E.

Eating foods with unsaturated fats, like almond oil, has many benefits. It fights cancer cells, promotes healthy cell growth, and improves cardiovascular health by lowering LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

What else is almond oil good for?

Almond oil is versatile and has various uses in cooking and skin health. It can be used to flavor food after cooking. Additionally, almond oil can fight UV damage, reduce the appearance of stretch marks, relieve itching, smoothen complexion, and soften skin. It has been found to significantly reduce wrinkles when applied topically.

When should you not use almond oil?

Avoid almond oil if you have a tree nut allergy or if using unprocessed bitter almond oil that may contain toxins.

Overall, almond oil is a healthy and multi-use oil. Adding it to your beauty and cooking routine can provide essential fatty acids and boost your health.

Sources:

Cleveland Clinic: "How to Choose and Use Healthy Cooking Oils."

Clinical Trials: "The Effect of Topical Almond Oil vs. Topical Retinol on the Appearance of Facial Wrinkles."

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Food Insight: "Five Specialty Culinary Oils: Their Health Benefits and How to Use Them."

FoodData Central: "Oil, almond."

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International Journal of Molecular Sciences: "Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils."

Journal of Food Engineering: "Screw press extraction of almond (Prunus dulcis (Miller) D.A. Webb): Oil recovery and oxidative stability."

MedlinePlus: "Facts about monounsaturated fats."

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