Less known than others in cosmetics, hazelnut oil nevertheless has many virtues. Derived from hazelnut, it is an oil with anti-anemic, anti-bacterial, and even soothing properties, which makes it a must.
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What Is Hazelnut Oil?
It is a vegetable oil of low viscosity, light and pleasantly aromatic, transparent or yellow-amber color, odorless, and sweet taste, solidifying at -10°. It contains a high percentage of unsaturated lipids, which allows it to easily penetrate the skin without being greasy (like sweet almond oil ), and it has powerful antioxidant and remineralizing properties. It is ideal for:
- Purify oily and acne-prone skin, thanks to its diluting and purifying action on clogged pores
- The massage of the dry skin of the little ones, with a moisturizing action
- Treat cracked hands and nipples
It is also used as an ingredient in soaps, due to 4-5% by weight, and in creams and other beauty products. Characterized by a delicate taste and slightly fragrant hazelnut, it can be used as a condiment in the daily diet of children, older people, and those in recovery. The dietary properties of this oil favor its use as a seasoning for raw vegetable salads or as an accompaniment to fish. We would be wrong to deprive ourselves of it!
What Are The Health Benefits Of Hazelnut Oil?
Indeed, the fruit of this shrub, present in its natural state in Europe, is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and calcium. But also vitamin A, present in the human body as retinol and whose needs increase with age, and vitamin E, a natural antioxidant in vegetable oils. This vegetable oil contains a good percentage of flavonoids, which are anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and act against the appearance of certain cancers, and phytosterols, substances considered important in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. It is also an excellent source of selenium (a mineral that prevents cell aging), calcium, and vitamins B6, B1, B2, and PP.
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What Are The Benefits Of Hazelnut Oil?
So many properties that make this oil an excellent natural cosmetic, suitable to replace a day cream . Low allergen, moisturizing and astringent, this oil is suitable for all skin types, but it’s sebum-regulating power will be even more appreciated by oily or acne-prone skin. This oil also reduces redness and skin irritation. Easy to use daily – in the application or massage, then diluted with another vegetable oil such as macadamia or jojoba oil – this dry oil quickly penetrates the skin, leaving no greasy film.
Does Hazelnut Oil Contain Allergens?
Hazelnut being a food allergen, its oil, in contact with the skin, could stimulate an immune response in an organism already sensitized to this substance. As with walnut oil and other oilseeds, it can cause allergic reactions in food and cosmetics.
Can Hazelnut Oil Be Used For Skin Care?
It is ideal for oily skin and skin suffering from boils and acne. It has three beneficial actions on this type of skin:
- Purifying action: it frees the pores of impurities, which is particularly interesting for those who live in smog-prone cities or who travel by scooter or bicycle.
- Astringent action: it helps close the pores gently.
- Re-balancing action capable of regulating sebum production.
It can therefore be used as milk for daily cleansing of the face and also as a make-up remover.
Comparable to sweet almond oil but more quickly absorbable, it is excellent for skin elasticity, alone or mixed with other vegetable oils, or as a carrier for essential oils. It is also used in cases of erythema in children and very dry eczema. Used pure, it has healing, astringent, and anti-inflammatory properties.
What Are The Benefits Of Hazelnut Oil For Hair?
It is also a great fortifier for dry or damaged hair, making it supple and less brittle by sheathing it.
How Is Hazelnut Oil Used In Cooking?
Like all oilseeds, hazelnut is a food rich in good fats, capable of lowering LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol ). It is also rich in triglycerides, such as omega-6 and omega-3 (usually found in fish and seaweed), which help prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease and lower blood cholesterol levels. More digestible than any other fatty fruit, the hazelnut is one of the varieties of nuts richest in vitamin E, the skin antioxidant par excellence.
The oil extracted from the first cold pressing of this oilseed is a virgin oil. It can therefore be used instead of extra virgin olive oil. Although it lacks the olfactory and taste aspects, it is suitable for basic seasoning, cooking, and frying, thanks to its high content of monounsaturated fats. Indeed, it has great stability to heat, even if it is lower than virgin olive oil.
What Does Hazelnut Oil Taste Like?
The oil has a pleasant roasted nutty aroma. You can smell the aroma in dishes and sauces, and it is also suitable for raw and cooked meats with a strong taste (roasts, game).
How Is It Obtained?
It is extracted by cold mechanical pressing of oilseeds. Afterward, the oily part is separated from the creamier part, which makes it possible to preserve all the organoleptic properties of the oil.
How To Make Homemade Hazelnut Oil?
To make your homemade oil, you need good quality hazelnuts, untreated and preferably in their shell. Buying oilseeds in the shell and shelling them only when needed is recommended.
Once the hazelnuts have been shelled, please put them in a high-powered blender or blender and start blending them at high speed.
At first, they will just be chopped; then, the oil will rise to the surface and separate from the rest of the mixture. Finally, the oil will emerge on the surface, with hazelnut cream underneath. To separate them, use a sieve and a clean cotton cloth and squeeze the oily part, which will be poured into a bottle. Keep the hazelnut butter, enriched with sugar or honey, a wonderfully tasty cream, although high in calories obviously, but ideal for spreading on bread and filling cakes and cookies.
How To Store Hazelnut Oil?
It keeps for an average of 12 months in a glass bottle, at best and darkest. The unopened oil bottle will be stored in a cool, dry place away from heat sources.
How Long Does Hazelnut Oil Last Once Open?
Once opened, it is best kept in the refrigerator; it lasts about a month.
Is Hazelnut Oil Vegan Or Vegetarian?
It is used in vegetarian and vegan diets, as it contains many vitamins and fats useful to the body.
Where Can You Buy Hazelnut Oil?
You can find this oil in health food stores and some herbal stores. It can also be bought in the supermarket and then in the grocery section. And it is within reach of all budgets. They are of equivalent quality (organic, from the first cold pressing) and are often less expensive because they are sold in larger containers.
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