Those juicy red, green or purple grapes you love to eat chilled on a hot summer’s day are not only a healthy junk food alternative but are also the source of one of nature’s most powerful natural oils.
All About GrapesThe grape plant is a native of Asia and much like castor, olive and sweet almond plants, the grape plant found its way around the globe and was used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and even European folk healers for thousands of years.
High esteem for the grape endures to the present day because of the fruit’s exceptional disease fighting capabilities. Grapes contain high levels antioxidants which are high levels of various substances that destroy free radicals – compounds thought to cause the death of the cells in our bodies that manifest outwardly as the signs of aging and an assortment of health problems including cancer.
Byproducts of grapes, which include grape seed extract and grape seed oil, are high in linoleic acid, flavenoids and Vitamin E, in addition to the antioxidants reservatrol and oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs) and have been used to treat swelling, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a host of other ailments.
Things to Know About Grape Seed Oil
Grape seed oil is made from the seeds that are left over after grapes have been crushed and made into wine. Oil is extracted from the seed of the grape by one of two methods:
Hexane / Heat Extraction:
Hexane, an odorless and colorless derivative of crude oil which is also used in shoe glue, roofing materials and leather products, is used to pull all traces of oil out of the tiny grape seed. High heat is then introduced to the grape seed oil to burn off the hexane that was used to extract the oil. The problem with this method of extraction is that the high temperatures used to remove the hexane also remove many of the oil’s vital nutrients. Most grape seed oil is made using this USFDA approved method.
Cold Pressed Extraction:
Grape seeds are crushed or ground to pull out the oil in the cold pressed extraction method and little to no heat is used when the oil is produced. Grape seed oil made using the cold pressed method is recommended most often because essential vitamins and minerals are left intact during the extraction process.
Benefits for Your Hair
The very same vitamins and nutrients that make grape seed oil great to use for the health of the body also make it effective for the hair and scalp. Here are some things grape seed oil can do for your coarse, afro textured, type 4 natural hair:
Fights Hair Loss - The antioxidants present in grape seed oil help fight your scalp’s production of the hair loss causing hormone DHT.
Eliminates Dandruff – Massage a small amount into your scalp to help eliminate itchiness and dandruff.
Strength and Shine – High quantities of Vitamin E present in grape seed oil help make weak hair stronger over time. It also adds sheen without weighing hair down or making it feel greasy.
Sources:
Benefits of Grapeseed Oil for Hair
http://www.livestrong.com/article/177894-benefits-of-grapeseed-oil-for-hair/
Grape Seed Oil
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/grape-seed
Is Your Grape Seed Oil Made With Hexane a Hydrocarbon Vapor and Constituent of Gasoline?
http://www.naturalnews.com/044380_grape_seed_oil_hexane_gasoline_derivative.html
Author:
Chanel Polk
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