Sea Buckthorn Provides an Ocean of Benefits
While the use of sea buckthorn in Northern Europe and Asia has a long history, it is only fairly recently that its full nutrients value has been appreciated scientifically. In fact, the pearl shaped berry has been found to contain more than 200 bioactive compounds including natural vitamins, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and plant sterols.
It is also an excellent source of omega-7 fatty acid, which is found in only a few other foods, including fish and nuts. As a natural medicine, sea buckthorn can address dry eye syndrome, poor cholesterol balance, vaginal dryness, and inflammation in general.
But it is important to know that not all sea buckthorn supplements will give you the full range of nutrients. Omega-7 fatty acid, for example, is only found in the pulp of the berry, not the oil. However, both the pulp and the seed oil supply natural vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols), healthy plant sterols, and essential omega fatty acids, including omega 3, 6, and 9 – in addition to omega-7 fatty acid. Choosing a sea buckthorn supplement that provides both the seed oil and pulp extract is the best way to ensure you get the full range of benefits from this amazing botanical.
Abstract:
Zielińska A, Nowak I. Abundance of active ingredients in sea-buckthorn oil. Lipids Health Dis. 2017;16(1):95. Published 2017 May 19. doi:10.1186/s12944-017-0469-7
Vegetable oils are obtained by mechanical extraction or cold pressing of various parts of plants, most often: seeds, fruits, and drupels. Chemically, these oils are compounds of the ester-linked glycerol and higher fatty acids with long aliphatic chain hydrocarbons (min. C14:0). Vegetable oils have a variety of properties, depending on their percentage of saturation. This article describes sea-buckthorn oil, which is extracted from the well characterized fruit and seeds of sea buckthorn. The plant has a large number of active ingredients the properties of which are successfully used in the cosmetic industry and in medicine. Valuable substances contained in sea-buckthorn oil play an important role in the proper functioning of the human body and give skin a beautiful and healthy appearance. A balanced composition of fatty acids give the number of vitamins or their range in this oil and explains its frequent use in cosmetic products for the care of dry, flaky or rapidly aging skin. Moreover, its unique unsaturated fatty acids, such as palmitooleic acid (omega-7) and gamma-linolenic acid (omega-6), give sea-buckthorn oil skin regeneration and repair properties. Sea-buckthorn oil also improves blood circulation, facilitates oxygenation of the skin, removes excess toxins from the body and easily penetrates through the epidermis. Because inside the skin the gamma-linolenic acid is converted to prostaglandins, sea-buckthorn oil protects against infections, prevents allergies, eliminates inflammation and inhibits the aging process. With close to 200 properties, sea-buckthorn oil is a valuable addition to health and beauty products.
