Botanical Name: Orbignya oleifera Common name: Babassu palm Read More
Botanical Name: |
Orbignya oleifera |
Common name: |
Babassu palm |
Plant family: |
Lauraceae |
Genus: |
Orbignya |
Appearance/Color: |
White opaque solid at room temperature (placed in hot water-bath to liquify) |
Origin |
Brazil |
Source |
Kernels |
Method of Extraction |
Cold Pressed |
Orbignya oleifera is a type of palm, called babassu palm, that is native to South America. The oil from the seeds of this tree is similar to coconut oil. Babassu oil contains approximately 44-47% lauric acid, 15-20% myristic acid, 10-12% oleic acid, 6-9% palmitic acid, 3-5% stearic acid and 1-3% linoleic acid.
Babassu oil is a nutrient-rich, edible oil that comes from cold-pressing the nut of the babassu palm tree. This lightweight palm fruit oil has antioxidants and healthy fatty acids, making it similar to coconut oil. Babassu oil is also a solid at room temperature but softens to a liquid when in warmer environments or when applied to your skin. Attalea speciosa, or the babassu palm tree, is native to the Amazonian rainforest and found in Brazil, Bolivia, Suriname, and Guyana. The tree has a long history of use throughout its natural habitat, from folk and traditional medicine to construction materials, food, and cosmetic products. Babassu oil is primarily used for skin and hair care, but it can also be used in food and as a cooking oil. People throughout the Amazonian rainforest region also use the oil to help with wounds, inflammation, and other conditions. Research on babassu oil is beginning to support some of its traditional uses and claims, but studies are limited.
Essential oils are distilled from the aromatic leaves, bark, and roots of plants. If applied to the skin directly, they can cause reactions, such as severe irritation, redness or burning.
Carrier oils and essential oils are made from plants. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils and “carry” them to skin. That’s because essential oils are potent and can cause irritation when applied directly to skin. Most carrier oils are unscented or lightly scented and don’t interfere with an essential oil’s therapeutic properties. They may be used alone or with other oils to nourish skin.
Carrier oils are used to dilute the essential oils and help “carry” them into the skin. Aloe vera gels and unscented body lotion are also sometimes used as carriers.
To be used in aromatherapy, it is recommended that the oil is obtained through cold pressing. In this process, the oil is extracted by crushing the plants. Users claim that the fragile nutrients in the oil can be damaged if they are extracted with heat. Venkatramna’s carrier Oils are extracted from the Cold Pressed method to retain their properties.
Common Usage: Aromatherapy
TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Safety Summary
· Hazards Not Known
· Contraindications: Not Known
Organ Specific Effects
· Adverse skin reaction: No Information Found
· Reproductive Toxicity: No Information Found
Systemic Effects
· Acute Toxicity: Non-Toxic Product.
· Antioxidant/pro-oxidant activity: No Data Available
· Carcinogenic/anti carcinogenic potential: No Data Available
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Toxicity
· Acute fish toxicity: LC50 / 96 HOUR – No data available
· Toxicity to aquatic plants – No data available
· Toxicity to microorganisms – No data available
· Toxicity threshold – No data available
· Persistence and degradability: Biodegradation is expected
· Bio-accumulative potential: Bioaccumulation is unlikely
· Mobility in soil: Unknown
Avoid exposure to marine environments and waterways