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THE NUT SECRET OF HEALTHY SKIN AND HAIR
A nut called Candlenut
These creamy nuts that in a glimpse look like Macadamia nuts actually are not widely known. Well… at least not for snacking. They are mostly used and consumed in the tropical regions, primarily Southeast Asia and Hawaii where they grow very fast almost formed a forest.
Candlenut is a tough nut, a bit wrinkled, cream coloured, and appears to be dusted with flour. The nut has a high oil content and because of this, since the old times, it has been harvested for creating lamp oil or making candles. Expectedly, the nut became popular with the name candlenut.
Candlenut can be used for making candles
Candlenuts wouldn’t get that name for free if they couldn’t even fulfill their duty as candles. Apparently, this tradition of using candlenuts as candles already had become part of old culture in West Sulawesi, Indonesia. They called this candle from candlenut Palla Pallang.
They are pretty easy to make. First, ground the nuts until they are smooth and become a paste, then mixed it with cotton. Second, slowly wind the mixture around with a thin piece of bamboo stick, then let them dry for a night. Voila! Then you get your candle to light up.
In some countries, candlenuts can be very expensive and they have much better use for getting clear skin and healthy hair rather than for making candles. So use your candlenuts wisely.
Not just for candles...
In fact, every part of this sturdy candlenut tree is widely used for cooking oil, spices, medicine, varnish and dyes, wood for building canoes, tattoo-making, and even treatment for hair and skin.
Candlenut is considered special in the nut world because it has a high content of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA). These components have skincare benefits to help reduce inflammation, strengthens the skin barrier, and have anti-microbial properties. Therefore, the oil is suitable for all skin types including sensitive and even acne-prone skin.
Candlenut oil belongs to the drying oil group. It is probably one of the healthiest and most adaptable nuts among its other nut friends. They can be used for medicinal, cooking, also skincare.
It contains plant compounds that have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Cooked or toasted, candlenut is commonly used as thickeners for curries or soup. But not only that, this candlenut oil has been used for ages for healthy skin, promoting hair growth, and treating various skin issues.
With this multitude of uses, I still could not comprehend why macadamia nut and hazelnut are more famous than this down-to-earth candlenut. She resembles Mary Poppin in the nut world story and deserves a trophy!
Aleurites Moluccanus, which is the Latin name of candlenut, has become Hawaii’s official state tree since May 1959.
Candlenut vs macadamia nut
Although candlenut is quite mildly toxic when eaten raw, it contributes a lot to make a dish tasty, because candlenut gives off a distinctive savoury taste.
Candlenut is a very common ingredient used in Indonesian or Malaysian food. They are mostly used in cooking as a thickener for curries and soups.
Some people said macadamia nuts can be a substitute for candlenut. I might be wrong, but I never consider Macadamia nuts as a substitute for candlenut. Although they might look alike, they are from a different genus. One from genus Aleurites and the other one from genus Macadamiae. To me, they are more look like stepsisters.
Macadamia nuts have a rich, buttery flavour with a subtle sweetness and creamy texture while Candlenut has a slightly bitter aftertaste. I don’t suggest trying raw candlenut as it is toxic when eating in its raw form. However, once it’s cooked and toasted, it gives a nutty tasty flavour to a dish.
Macadamia nuts pair well with chocolate and coffee, while candlenuts will make your chicken curry or rendang more delicious than they should.
It gives you full support for skin beauty
As a beauty regime, candlenuts are available in many forms like soap, cream, or lotion. But the raw state is more popular because when the oil is extracted, although it has a high oil content, it absorbs quickly without being too oily.
The unique blend of Omega-3 and Omega-6 from candlenut oil can easily penetrate the skin’s deepest layers, give moisture and form a protective barrier that guards against external damage. It helps to heal the skin and also keeping it healthy and nourished. You can this oil to treat sunburns, eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, acne, scars, and stretch marks.
Because of its light scent and color, candlenut oil can be used as an essential oil carrier. You can mix up few drops of your preferred essential oil with an ounce of raw candlenut oil for massage or moisturise the skin.
The angel behind a healthy and shiny hair
Unsurprisingly, most commercial shampoos are greasy and chemically laden. Those chemicals are build up, blocked the scalp’s pores, keep them from breathing and absorb nutrients. Because of this, we start feeling itchy scalp, dandruff, and our hair even started to fall out.
These culprits added with the damage that comes from external environment exposure like dust, sun, and wind can easily strip the natural oil from the hair. Making it look dry and lifeless.
Candlenut oil contains lightweight soothing agents so when the oil penetrates the scalp and hair, it helps the scalp to breathe properly and start absorbing all the important nutrients for hair growth.
The Omega-3 fatty acid found in candlenut oil is essential for hair growth and able to reduce scalp itchiness as well as dandruff. When the oil penetrates the hair it will leave the hair looking healthy and moisturised.
Candlenut oil contains essential vitamins that can block harmful chemicals and free radicals that weaken the hair and cause it to fall out. These vitamins A, C, and E work together to ensure the hair has all the nutrients needed for hair to grow healthy and strong.
When used regularly, candlenut oil can help to prevent hair loss and regrow hair even stronger and healthier than before. You can consider this candlenut oil as a household staple. It is one of the best plant-based beauty products, effective for skin and hair care, and when applied to the skin, it absorbs quickly without being too oily.
Seriously, this nut is a nut!
