Among some of the best things Mother Nature could give us, almond is one. It is like a one – stop – shop that caters you with almost all your 
daily requirements of nutrients and at the same time its medicinal properties helps you fight many disorders and ailments. Only a few ounces a day can work miracles in the long run. That’s why our elders have been insisting us so much for chewing almonds every morning empty stomach and making it into a habit.
Almonds contain lots of oil among others nutrients like proteins, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Talking of health benefits of almond oil, here it is very important to mention that we will be talking mainly of Sweet Almond Oil, and partly of Bitter Almond Oil. The bitter almonds release highly poisonous hydrogen cyanide on combining with water and it can be fatal in overdoses, however, it has its own health benefits. We shall see what’s so beneficial about almond oil, but before that, let’s have a look at the composition of almonds & almond oil.
Composition of Raw Sweet Almonds (Per 100 g):
- Carbohydrates – 26% (Dietary Fiber – 12%, Sugars – 6.3%, Starch – 0.7%, Others – 7%)
- Fats – 51 % (Saturated – 4%, Monounsaturated – 32%, Polyunsaturated – 12%, Others – 3%)
- Protein – 22%
- Vitamin-E or Tocopherol – 26.22 mg (Around 135% of RDA)
- Vitamin-B3 or Niacin – 04.00 mg
- Vitamin-B2 or Riboflavin – 0.8 mg (Around 54% of RDA)
- Vitamin-B5 or Pantothenic Acid – 0.3 mg
- Vitamin-B1 or Thiamine – 0.24 mg
- Vitamin-B6 or Pyridoxine – 0.13 mg
- Vitamin-B9 or Folic Acid – 29 μg
- Potassium – 728 mg
- Phosphorus – 474 mg (Around 51% of RDA)
- Magnesium – 275 mg (Around 75% of RDA)
- Calcium – 248 mg
- Iron – 4 mg
- Zinc – 3 mg (Around 75% of RDA)
- Manganese – 2.1 mg (Around 135% of RDA)
- Copper – Around 60% of RDA
- Tryptophan – Around 65% of RDA
- Sodium – 0.9 mg
So you see, consuming around 100 grams of almond every day gives you much more vitamins & minerals than actually recommended and it is full of fibers too.
Physical Properties of Sweet Almond Oil: Sweet Almond Oil (and Bitter Almond Oil too) is liquid at room temperature and does not solidify in. It is transparent, with a very pale yellowish colour. It has a flavour of almonds and has a nutty taste. It is insoluble in water and burns with a steady flame.
Chemical Composition of Sweet Almond Oil (%age of various Fatty Acids):
- Oleic Acid – 68%
- Linoleic Acid – 25%
- Palmitic Acid – 04%
- Palmitoleic Acid + Stearic Acid + Arachidic Acid + Phytosterols + Gallic Acid etc. – 03%
- Flavonoids or Polyphenols (Quercetin, Isorhamnetin, Quercitrin, Kaempferol 3-0-Rutinoside, Isorhamnetin 3-0-Glucoside, Isorhamnetin 3-0-Rutinoside, Isorhamnetin 3-0-Galactoside, Morin, Catechin, Epicatechin)
Health Benefits of Sweet Almond Oil: Some of the many health benefits of Sweet Almond Oil have been discussed below. Please have a look;
- It has excellent emollient properties, i.e. it helps soothing, softening & moisturizing dried & inflammatory skin, parched lips etc., due to
presence of high amounts of Vitamin-E and various fatty acids (Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid etc.) in it. It also improves skin complexion and adds glamour to it. - As carrier oil, as it is readily absorbed in the skin.
- Almond Oil can effectively reduce hair fall and make it strong & thick due to presence of Vitamin-E and various antioxidants (flavonoids) in it.
- It increases concentration of High Density Lipoproteins or “Good Cholesterols” in blood and effectively lowers concentration of Low Density Lipoproteins or “Bad Cholesterols”, thereby effectively reducing chances of cardiac problems, blockage of arteries, hypertension etc.
- Almond Oil functions as a mild laxative for relieving constipation.
- It is a good source of risk free energy.
- It is an excellent source of vitamins & minerals.
- Health benefits of almond oil include prevention of untimely ageing due to presence of strong antioxidants (flavonoids or polyphenols) in it.
- It is a well known remedy for enhancing memory and nourishing brain due to presence of those antioxidants & vitamin-E. It is good for proper functioning of nervous system too.
- It is particularly good for keeping your eyes, skin, hair & heart young.
- Regular use of almond oil can also protect you from certain types of cancer like colon cancer, prostrate cancer etc.
- External application of Almond Oil can lighten dark circles & dark spots.
- Almond Oil soothes fire burns, sun burns, itches, sores, rashes, bruises and irritations on skin.
- It is also believed to give relief from muscle pain, when applied externally.
- Since time immemorial, almond oil, with milk, is prescribed for gaining weight. It helps you gain weight, but safely. In lean & thin people, almond oil can improve rate of metabolism, speeding up absorption of food nutrients into our body. This helps build muscle mass. The oils in almonds are good source of good fats and they help gain weight too. But at the same time, it can do just the opposite for obese people. How? See below!
- This may sound strange & very contrary to the statement made just above, but almonds help lose weight faster when compared to diets comprising of other complex carbohydrates. This is because almonds are high in fiber and they help improve our rate of metabolism. Faster the metabolism, faster we lose weight because faster the fats are burnt.
- Some researches show that almond oil is effective in giving protection against gall bladder stones.
- Almond oil can be a great source of nutrients & energy for the mother & the baby in pregnancy. Further, it is supposed to have very good effect on the brain, skin & all-round development of the baby.
- The potassium present in sweet almond oil is known to have following health benefits;
- Prevents brain strokes.
- Lowers blood pressure and thus helps cure hypertension which again helps prevent heart attacks.
- Lowers blood sugar and gives some relief in diabetes.
- Potassium cures muscle disorders & cramps.
- Improves electrical conductivity in brain & nerves and thus makes us more active & alert.
- It relieves anxiety & stress and acts as some sort of sedative.
- Proper intake of potassium ensures proper muscular growth & thus increases strength.
- It helps maintain proper rate of metabolism.
- It plays an important role as an electrolyte in our body.
- Almond Oil is a rich source of Magnesium that has its own set of health benefits;
- It ensures proper growth of bones, teeth, muscles & tissues.
- It improves metabolism & regulates blood sugar level, thereby giving relief in diabetes.
- Regulates heart beats and also gives protection against heart attacks.
- It helps in the absorption of calcium & other minerals in the body & thus keeps bones & teeth healthy. It also gives relief in osteoporosis.
- It eases congestion and facilitates breathing.
- It cures muscular pain & cramps.
- It helps cure migraine, constipation, flatulence, indigestion, anxiety & stress etc.
- Magnesium also helps regulate urination by controlling bladder functions.
- Phosphorus present in almond oil can work following miracles;
- Apart from having nearly all the health benefits discussed in magnesium, phosphorus plays an important role in boosting immunity.
- It improves vision and protects from disorders of vision.
- It is good for hair, bones, teeth etc.
- It keeps kidneys in proper shape and functioning properly.
- Almond oil is a good source of calcium too. We already know what calcium is good for, but still, let’s have a look;
- It strengthens bones, teeth & muscles (including cardiac muscles).
- It improves absorption of Vitamin-D in the body (excess calcium may have adverse effects).
- It helps maintain proper body weight & reduces the risk of obesity.
- It helps maintain alkalinity of blood.
Note: Raw almonds are better for health than the roasted ones.
Health Benefits of Bitter Almond Oil: Although this article is mainly targeted towards health benefits of Sweet Almond Oil, I thought to include health benefits of Bitter Almond Oil too here, to give it a more complete look. Here we go;
- It inhibits growth of bacteria, fungi, worms, virus and other agents causing infections.
- The component Glycoside Amygdalin present in Bitter Almond Oil makes it toxic, but has good sedative & anaesthetic effects by causing numbness.
- It causes frequent urination & vomiting and thus can be used to remove other toxins (alcohol, poisons, drugs etc.) from the body, if ingested.
- Its anti-spasmodic property gives relief in convulsions in hydrophobia & epilepsy.
- The cyanide compounds present in it helps inhibit growth of certain cancer cells.
Note: Bitter Almond Oil should be used with utmost care & strictly under supervision of an expert. Its overdose can be fatal.
That was all folks for reading through this article. Please find a video on the benefits of sweet almond oil on your beauty.
