The benefits of grapeseed oil can be divided into two groups: the health benefits of grapeseed oil and the beauty benefits of grapeseed oil. Why is grapeseed oil healthy?
The health benefits of grapeseed oil
They are the result of its richness in fatty acids, antioxidants and Vitamin E according to grapeseed oil nutrition profile.
Grape seeds contain the following fatty acids:
- Linoleic acid, or Omega-6 (72%); a polyunsaturated fatty acid which has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergen activities, retains moisture deep inside skin; can be used in the complex treatment of dermatitis, acne, itchy skin; human body can’t produce this fatty acid.
- Oleic acid, or Omega-9 (16%); a monounsaturated fatty acid; reduces the risk factors of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, according to the review paper of American Oil Chemists’ Society (“Lipids” journal, 2011).
- Palmitic, or Hexadecanoic acid (7%); a saturated fatty acid; according to the publication of a Korean study (“Journal of Medicinal Food”, 2010), it has antioxidant properties and can help prevent atherosclerosis.
- Stearic, or Octadecanoic acid (4%); a saturated fatty acid, which has powerful cleansing properties (source – Personal Care Products Council), it is a common ingredient in soaps, skin cleansers and creams.
- Alpha–linolenic acid (ALA) (0,1%); an unsaturated fatty acid (Omega-3 group); the evidence was found that ALA lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease (“American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”, 2000); the study of 2005 (“Nutritional Neuroscience”) proved that ALA reduced stress level.
- Palmitoleic, or 9-Hexadecenoic acid (less than 1%); a monounsaturated fatty acid (Omega-7 group); has the ability to support a healthy weight (“Lipids in Health and Disease”, 2011), cardiovascular health (Mozaffarian, D. et al., Annals Intr. Med, 2010) and gastro-intestinal health (“AGRO Food Industry’, 2003).
A scientific research was done (“Journal of the American College of Cardiology”, 2003). For three weeks volunteers consumed up to 1.5 ounces of grapeseed oil every day. The results showed that the level of “good” cholesterol was raised by 13% and the level of “bad” cholesterol was lowered by 7%. So promoting heart health takes the first place among grapeseed oil benefits.
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The health benefits of grapeseed oil are also much due to its antioxidant content. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), proanthocyanidins is found in grapeseed oil, which is a particularly strong antioxidant; other antioxidants are tannins, procyanidins, flavonoids and polyphenols. They not only help prevent cancer and heart diseases, but also treat rheumatoid arthritis, dermatitis, varicose vines, water retention, diabetes, cataracts and macula degeneration.
Grapeseed oil is also healthy due to its richness in Vitamins E (3.9 mg per serving what is 19% of the recommended daily consumption). According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin E is an essential nutrient for the proper functioning of immune system and at the same time it acts as an efficient antioxidant.
So the health benefits of grapeseed oil are obvious.Just choose the right cold-pressed grapeseed oil.
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The beauty benefits of grapeseed oil
In skin care production grapeseed oil benefits from its following features (“International Journal of Molecular Sciences”, 2010):
- anti-inflammatory;
- anti-bacterial;
- retains moisture deep inside a skin layer;
- does not clog pores;
- easily absorbed. Read more about grapeseed oil for skin.
It is recommended to add grapeseed oil to creams or to apply the plain oil once or twice a day. Grapeseed oil is also useful for hair care application.