Argan tree and fruit
Argan is a typical tree of Northern Africa, in particular southern Morocco. Thanks to the very deep root system, the argan - whose scientific name is Thorny argan (Fam. Sapotaceae) - it does not require any type of irrigation, it takes root spontaneously on the soil of the native areas and resists the desert advance and soil erosion.
The fruit of the argan is as big as a walnut, spherical, oval or conical in shape. Externally, it has a thick skin that covers a fleshy receptacle, in turn guardian of a woody portion containing the seeds (from 1 to 3).
Generalities on the oil
Argan oil is obtained from the seeds of the homonymous tree. In the countries of origin, it is mainly used as a food condiment; in a similar way to extra virgin olive oil, it accompanies above all the derivatives of cereals, such as bread, couscous, pasta, etc.
In addition to the culinary field, argan oil finds application in various sectors of considerable importance. The first application, subject to its food consumption, is of a healthy-dietary type; in fact, argan oil has various nutritional molecules and phytotherapy, useful for the well-being of the organism and in particular for the protection of vascular integrity. The second use - completely different but always linked to the "large content of phytotherapeutic molecules - is cosmetic; for topical use (ie applied to the body surface), argan oil is used for nails, skin (against acne , flaking, dehydration, etc.) and hair (restructuring). The third application, which concerns the medical-health sphere, concerns the anti-bacterial and pro-healing effect (always for topical use) that argan oil seems to have on dermatological infections and burns.
Nutritional Characteristics
Argan oil mainly contains triglycerides; it also provides modest quantities of antioxidants, vitamins, phytosterols, etc. which, despite having a marginal quantitative importance, play a leading nutritional role.
- On the total mass, argan oil contains about 42.8% of oleic acid (NON essential monounsaturated of the omega 9 group), 36.8% of linoleic acid (essential polyunsaturated of the omega 6 group), 12% of palmitic acid (saturated), 6% stearic acid (saturated) and less than 0.5% alpha linolenic acid (essential polyunsaturated omega 3 group). On balance, about 98.1% of argan oil is composed of fatty acids; to be precise, almost 80% derives from unsaturates, of which 42.8% from monounsaturated and no more than 37.3% from polyunsaturated, while the remaining 18% is covered by saturated fatty acids.
What remains of the argan oil, no less than 1.9%, is made up of glycerol and the secondary molecules we have already mentioned; among the most important are: tocopherols (vitamin E), phenolic compounds (antioxidants) and carotenes (retinol equivalent or vitamin A). In particular, phenols stand out: caffeic acid, oleuropein, vanillic acid, tyrosol, catechol, resorcinol, epicatechin and catechin.
Argan oil
Olive oil
These characteristics also determine the conservation potential of argan oil which, according to the extraction method, can exceed that of olive oil.
Argan oil is therefore a recommended food in any diet, even if there is no detailed information on possible reactions from food hypersensitivity. Thanks to the content in beneficial fatty acids (omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9), argan oil it is recommended in diets against dyslipidemia (hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia), hypertension, metabolic syndrome, complications of diabetes mellitus and cardio-vascular *.
Argan oil also boasts a remarkable antioxidant power and helps fight oxidative stress, an aspect which in itself could reduce the onset of various cancers *.
Finally, remember that, being a condiment fat and containing many calories, "argan oil" must be taken in suitable portions, approximately 30-40g / day for an adult and an active lifestyle.
* Charrouf, Zoubida; Guillaume, Dominique - "Should the Amazigh Diet (Regular and Moderate Argan-Oil Consumption) have a Beneficial Impact on Human Health?"- Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 50: 473-7.
Gastronomic use of Argan Oil
Food argan oil (the one from toasted seeds, brown color) is mainly used to season bread, couscous, salads etc .; in practice, it has the same function as our extra virgin olive oil.
Argan oil mixed with chopped almonds and honey gives rise to a sweet paste called "amlou", a compound similar to peanut butter, also to be eaten spread on bread (see the recipe for batbout, Moroccan pan-fried bread) .
Production
Argan oil is a fairly prized and rare product, given the limited cultivation area of the plant.
Compared to the past, when the Berbers exclusively exploited the traditional method for extraction, today argan oil is obtained by means of partially automated mechanical systems. The advantage is not only chronological (it takes about 80% less time than the manual system), but also qualitative. In the past, local populations produced only small quantities at a time, since the presence of water in the food (impossible to eliminate at the end of processing) promotes rapid deterioration (oxidation, rancidity); today, however, thanks to technology, purified argan oil reaches a conservation of 12-18 months.
The argan fruit contains an internal woody portion (shell and seeds) which affects 25% of the total weight; from the almonds that are extracted, it is possible to obtain about 35-55% of oil.
The first step for the production of argan oil is the extraction of the internal stones; this occurs by drying the fruits and removing the pulp. Today there are also machines that remove the receptacle, then destined for animal feed, without the need to dry it. On the contrary, the extraction of seeds from argan kernels is more difficult to automate, so much so that even today it is often done manually, mostly by women of Berber origin.
Subsequently, the seeds destined for the production of food argan oil (unlike those destined for extraction for the cosmetic industry) are toasted and pressed; from this brown mush a brown oil emerges, turbid and rich in residues. The liquid is then placed in containers and left to decant for 15 days, after which it is separated; what is left over from all the processing (a mush with a moderate protein content) is destined for "animal feed or for the production of the so-called" black soap ".
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