Should the Amazigh Diet (Regular and Moderate Argan-Oil Consumption) have a Beneficial Impact on Human Health?
- 5 April 2010
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Informa UK Limited in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
- Vol. 50 (5), 473-477
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10408390802544520
Abstract
Virgin argan oil, cosmetic or dietary grade, is prepared by cold-pressing the kernels of argan fruits. Both types of oil, traditionally used by the amazighs (the argan grove traditional dwellers), are now available on the shelves of the most-developed country stores. Argan oil contains a high level of oleic and linoleic acid and is also particularly rich in phenols. Since these metabolites are currently considered as essential to explain some of the protective effects against cancer and coronary heart disease attributed to other oils, similar effects can be expected from argan oil consumption as suggested by the amazigh medicine claims. Interestingly, argan oil content in gamma -tocopherol is much higher than that of any other oils. gamma -Tocopherol has recently been shown to possess strong chemopreventive and anti-inflammatory properties. This indicates that argan oil should readily find a place of choice amid the most profitable oils for human health. Because of its reduced geographical origin, the chemical composition (major as well as minor components) of argan oil is also highly reproducible. Therefore argan oil consumption should confer health benefits in a reliable and efficient manner.Keywords
This publication has 42 references indexed in Scilit:
- Phenols and Polyphenols from Argania spinosaAmerican Journal of Food Technology, 2007
- Antiproliferative effect of polyphenols and sterols of virgin argan oil on human prostate cancer cell linesCancer Detection Prevention, 2007
- Quantification of free and esterified sterols in Portuguese olive oils by solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometryJournal of Chromatography A, 2006
- Argan oil: Which benefits on cardiovascular diseases?Pharmacological Research, 2006
- Effect of dietary argan oil on fatty acid composition, proliferation, and phospholipase D activity of rat thymocytesNutrition, 2006
- Consumption of argan oil may have an antiatherogenic effect by improving paraoxonase activities and antioxidant status: Intervention study in healthy menNutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 2005
- Phenolic-extract from argan oil (Argania spinosa L.) inhibits human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation and enhances cholesterol efflux from human THP-1 macrophagesAtherosclerosis, 2005
- Nutritional Intervention Study with Argan Oil in Man: Effects on Lipids and ApolipoproteinsAnnals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2005
- Secondary metabolites from Argania spinosa (L.) SkeelsPhytochemistry Reviews, 2002
- Oiling of health messages in marketing of foodThe Lancet, 2000