Candlenut oil is now packed into many products that are sold freely with various claims. Starting from fertilizing hair to enlarge the penis. But the truth of the actual benefits of hazelnut oil needs to be further examined.
Candlenut tree height which is also called hard fruit in Malaysia is an average of 15-25 m. Candlenut oil itself is in a very hard skin which as the name suggests (candlenut) can be used as a basic ingredient in making candles.
In Indonesia and Malaysia, hazelnut is often used as part of cooking spices. Among Javanese people, candlenut is one of the basic ingredients of making peanut sauce as a vegetable companion. While in Hawaii, hazelnut is used as fuel to power electricity.
Candlenut tree plantations today are generally used to supply the candlenut oil industry. Each tree will produce at least 30-80 kilograms of candlenut which can produce oil with a volume of 15-20 percent of the weight of the hazelnut.
If not yet processed, raw hazelnut can contain saponins and phorbol which are somewhat poisonous. But on the other hand, hazelnut oil itself generally does not cause irritation, even if it affects the eyes. The oil is produced from hazelnut seed extract which in Hawaii is also called kukui (Aleurites moluccanus). This bright yellow oil is now sold freely in bottles and can be stored at room temperature for 6-8 months.
In industry, after modification, hazelnut oil can be used as diesel fuel. In wood processing plants, hazelnut oil can also play a role as a varnish or wood preservative, a mixture of paint, waterproof paper, heat retardant, to a rubber substitute. While for Hawaiians, the benefits of hazelnut oil are as an oil lamp fuel called hele po kukui, the shaft is made of tapa cloth.
Benefits of Candlenut for Health and Beauty
Before drawing conclusions about the benefits of hazelnut oil for human beauty and health, we first review of the contents. According to one study, hazelnut oil contains:
- Oleic acid (15%): this is a fatty acid that is naturally found in animals and plants. Oleic acid is the main component of emulsifying agents in soaps, softeners, and also solvents in aerosol products. Oleic acid is a single chain unsaturated fat that is associated with the ability to reduce bad cholesterol in the body.
- Linoleic acid (40%): that is omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids which are widely used as ingredients of beauty products because they are believed to be anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and reduce the risk of acne.
- Linolenic acid (less than 30%): which is one of the omega-3 fatty acids that the body needs to support growth and development.
No wonder many health and beauty products based on hazelnut oil claim to provide various benefits. Here are some of the claims of the benefits of hazelnut oil which is often mentioned.
- As a basic ingredient in making shampoo and soap.
- Candlenut oil can be applied to the skin with a combination of various scents.
- Like castor oil, the benefits of hazelnut oil are also similar, which can be used as a hair conditioner.
- After being processed, the hazelnut oil is also the main ingredient in commercial beauty products.
- Can be applied to the scalp as a hair growth and fertilizer.
- In some places, hazelnut is also used as a laxative, a drug to treat bloody diarrhea, headaches, fever, and swollen joints.
The medical world tries to prove the usefulness of hazelnut and hazelnut oil, among others in asthma, diarrhea, constipation, and baldness. However, these studies are still so few that they cannot yet become a benchmark for use in humans. Until now, hazelnut or hazelnut oil still requires further research on its benefits in humans to treat these diseases.
Candlenut oil used in industries other than beauty and health may have proven its benefits so that it continues to be used. But the benefits of hazelnut oil in beauty generally have not been medically verified, so its use needs to be consulted first to the doctor, especially if you experience certain health conditions.
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