Marula oil
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Marula oil is extracted from the kernels (nuts) of the fruits of the Marula tree (Sclerocarya birrea), from the family Anacardiaceae. There are two types of marula oil, the oil extracted from the seeds and the oil extracted from the nut's hard shell. Marula oil is traditionally used in cosmetics, in food as a cooking oil and meat preservative and to treat leather. Marula oil can also be used as body lotion. In Namibia Marula fruit is often used to create products like juice and jam.[1]
Marula oil contains a large proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids which make the oil very stable. The fatty acid composition of marula oil includes:[2]
Monounsaturated fatty acids:
- Oleic acid (70–78%)
- Linoleic acid (4.0–7.0%)
- Alpha-linolenic acid (0.1–0.7%)
- Arachidonic acid (0.3–0.7%)
- Palmitic acid (9–12%)
- Stearic acid (5.0–8.0%)
Tocopherols, sterols, flavonoids, procyanidin, gallotannin and catechins are also found in marula oil.[3]