Huile d’argan: Applications et caractéristiques

The culinary application of the Argan oil

In its October 2003 issue, the German magazine "Der Feinschmecker" wrote the following: “All professionals (in this field) fastly recognised that Argan oil plays in the same league as caviar and truffles." The German TV station Ntv reported on July 1st 2003 in its airing show "Gesund & Schön” that: "Argan oil is the most expensive, but the best oil in the world"

Germanys star cook Eckehard Witzigmann confirms this view and states (P.M. Magazine 8/2003): "The future will show how broadly this ma high-quality oil (Argan oil) can be used as a star of the fine kitchen." Among others, in 1994, Witzigmann had been awarded the title “best cook of the century” for his cookingart by Gault Millau.

For the Berbers the Argan oil is not only an edible oil. They know around the medical ‘miracle strength’ of her Argan oil for a long time without knowing his contents materials exactly. The Argan oil is valid among the Berbers in Morocco at all times as an elixir of life which receives the health and which preserves beauty.

The first written mentions of the Argan tree are found with the Arabian scientists Ali Ibn Rodhouan, El Beckri and El Idrissi between 10. around 13. Cent.

The greatest author in the field of botany and pharmacy in the golden age of Arabian science, the Muslim doctor Abdullah Ibn Baytar (1197-1248), described in 1219 in his comprehensive book: ”Kitab-al-Jami fil Adwiyah al-Mufradah” (“Dictionary of Simple Remedies and Food”) the Argan tree and the method of extracting, i.e. producing the tree’s oil, which as such has basically not been apt to any changes over the time. Ibn Baytar’s work was translated into German by Joseph von Sontheimer (1840-1842) and titled "Große Zusammenstellung über die Kräfte der bekannten einfachen Heil- und Nahrungsmittel“. A translation into French was made by Lucien Leclerc (1877-1883) and titled: „Traité des Simples“.

What does science say about Argan oil?

Some traditionally used qualities of Argan oil could be booked in numerous scientific works. Argan oil offers a very high amount of essential fatty acids in natural compound. Argan oil contains more than 80 per cent of unsaturated fatty acid with a proportion of approx. 35 per cent of linoleic acid (Omega 6 fatty acid). Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated Omega 6 fatty acid and is considered as an essential fatty acid, i.e. this fatty acid is absolutely indispensible for many different metabolic processes of the human organism which is not able to produce this acid itself.

Old tree with anti-aging effect

The internationally well-reputed Munich immunologist Dr. Peter Schleicher writes on page 64 of his book „Argan-Öl“ (publisher: Südwest-Verlag, ISBN 3-517-06710-5): „Argan oil seems to be a guarantor for cell rejuvenation and therefore a veritable fountain of youth. Currently, Argan oil is estimated as the big hit amongst the most popular anti-aging agents.“ Healthy, flawless and taut skin as that of the Berber women is an obvious hint at their use of the oil on a regular basis.

Indeed, Argan oil is rich in tocopherols (665 mg / litre). The tocopherol is the generic term for at least eight compounds which are very similar in her chemical structure. Argan oil consists of 7,5 % alpha-tocopherol, 81 % gamma-tocopherol and 12 % delta-tocopherol. Tocopherols are mostly called vitamin E. However, vitamin E is alone the alpha-tocopherol.

Die Tokopherole sind für die beeindruckende Wirksamkeit des Arganöls als natürliches Antioxidans verantwortlich. Sie sind fettlöslich und schützen vor allem die kostbaren ungesättigte Fettsäuren vor der Zerstörung durch freie Radikale. Freie Radikale fördern ganz erheblich den Hautalterungsprozess. Sie entstehen insbesondere durch Zigarettenrauch (auch passives Rauchen), Umweltgifte (ionisierte Strahlung: Fernseher, Computer, Handy, UV-Strahlung, Smog und Ozon), Alkohol, Medikamente und körperliche Anstrengung. Beim Einsatz von Arganöl entsteht durch das Abfangen freier Radikale eine natürliche Barriere für die besonders wichtigen Zellen des Immunsystems. Die Tokopherole werden daher als Radikalfänger genannt.

Triterpenes

The unsaponifiable fraction (= fraction not based on fat) of the Argan oil (about 1%) contains so-called triterpenes, which belong to the biologically active substances. James A. Duke states in his “Handbook of Biologically Active Phytochemicals and their Activities” (CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton, Florida, 1992) that in regard to skin protection those substances possess certain phyto therapeutical effects.