Power of the Seed: Your Guide to Oils for Health & Beauty

Power of the Seed © 2014 by Susan M. Parker

All rights reserved.

This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subjects addressed in the publication.

Power of the Seed is part of the Self-Reliance Series. For further information about these titles, see: www.processmediainc.com

Process Media

1240 W. Sims Way Suite 124

Port Townsend, WA 98368

Copyedited by Bess Lovejoy

Cover design by Gregory Flores

Interior design by Lissi Erwin / Splendid Corp.

Many, but not all botanical illustrations are from Herbarum Imagines Vivae, Frankfurt, Germany, 1535.

Technical and chemical diagrams by the author.

Typeset in Minister Std Book with Steagal, Goudy Bookletter 1911, Calvert Std and Rockwell Italic.

ISBN 978-1934-17055-7

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction to Oils

My Oil Story

Let’s Look at the Lipids

Terms: What is Essential?

Chapter One: Oils of the Plant World

Lipids and the Fixed, Carrier, and Base Oils

Essential Oils

Spiritual Nature of Oils

Regional Differences in Oil-Bearing Plants

Oils in Human Culture

Chapter Two: Lipid Structure and Chemistry 101 The Structure of Fixed Oils

Fatty Acids and Triglycerides

The Carbon Chains

Fatty Acids

Saturated Oils and Fatty Acids

Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

Super/Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

Unsaturated Fatty Acids and Oxygen

The Ends of the Carbon Chains

Naming Fatty Acids

Shorthand or Coded System of Fatty Acids

Fatty Acid Names

Omega Classification

Chapter Three: Beyond Fatty Acids . . .

. . . to Oils

Comparing Two Oils: Olive and Cocoa Butter

Chapter Four: Whole Oils—Qualities, Values, Refining

Saponification Value

Unsaponifiable Portion

Iodine Value of Oils

Peroxide Value and Acid Value

Fractionation

Refining Oils

Chapter Five: Other Forms of Lipids

Phospholipids—Lecithin

Waxes

Trans Fats & Oils

Petrochemicals—Mineral Oil

Sperm Whale Oil

Chapter Six: Consuming Fatty Acids—Oils and Health

The Essential Nutrients

Essential Fatty Acids and Health

Important but Not Essential

Medium-Chain Fatty Acids

Chapter Seven: Topically—Oils and the Skin

The Skin Is an Organ

Fatty Acids, Sebum, and the Skin

Allergens, or Everyone Is Allergic to Something

Oils and Problems of Skin Health

Oils and Skin Aging

Oils, Sun, and Tanning

Oils and Skin Care

Chapter Eight: Common and Important Fatty Acids for the Skin

Essential and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids

Saturated Fatty Acids

Very-Long-Chain Fatty Acids

Unique and Uncommon Fatty Acids

Chapter Nine: Phyto-Chemicals

The Necessity of Oxygen and Antioxidants

Phenolic Compounds

Flavonoids

Non-Flavonoid Phenolic Acids

Hydroxycinnamates

Lignans

Terpenes and Terpenoids

Vitamins

Oils, Butters, and Waxes: A List

Abyssinian to Yangu

Natural Waxes Used in Skin Care

Working with Natural Oils

Care and Handling of Oils

Using Oils on the Skin

Facial Care with Natural Oils

Cleansing with Oils

Facial Oils or Serums

Facial Oil for Oily Skin:

Vitamin C Oil Serum:

Anti-Aging Oil Serum:

Sun-Protective Oil Serum:

Soothing Oil Serum:

Brightening Facial Oil Serum:

Oils for Massage

Simple Body Scrubs

Lemon Salt Scrub

Whipped Salves & Body Butters

Whipped Body Butter

Oils and Herbs

Infusing Herbs in Oil

Sun infusion

Heat infusion

Cold infusion

Salve-Making

Basic Salve Recipe

Lavender Salve

A Wild and Weedy Salve

Appendices

Oils by Use

Oils by Properties

Oils by Source

Botanical Families of Oil-Bearing Plants

Saponification Values for 90 Oils, Fats, and Waxes

Fatty Acid Families of Oils

Listing of Common Fatty Acids by Saturation and Omega Family

Fatty Acid Tables and Composition for the Oils

Measurements & Equivalents

Essential Oil Dilutions by Percentage

Glossary of Terms

Bibliography

Sources

Acknowledgements

Books are seldom written or produced in a vacuum. People help, we pick up bits of information here and there, and knowledge accumulates. Then, when a book comes together, we want to thank all those who helped it come into being. This project has had a long period of incubation and several iterations over more than a dozen years. Some links and sources of information have faded into history. But others stand out as turning points in understanding.

Not being a chemist and only taking one class in college, understanding the structure and basic chemistry of the fatty acids and lipids in a meaningful way was a challenge. Information can be gleaned from books or websites but the basics, the fundamentals, are often hard to grasp without knowledgeable help. Two friends who are also chemists by training stepped into this space of ignorance to bring the clarity that only the trained mind can. Bob Lindberg of Santa Rosa, California, helped me grasp the basics of soap-making when I was beginning this journey. He helped with the explanation of how oil is transformed with the action of lye to form soap. That meant understanding what the oils were composed of in the first place, their structure and chemistry. His introduction was invaluable.

Fast-forward a dozen years and my good friend Lyn Faas of Port Townsend, Washington, helped with the phrasing and language to clarify the basic chemistry of the subject. A fundamental misunderstanding about the nature of fatty acids was gently corrected so that the true nature of the molecules was presented accurately. Lyn was generous with her time and knowledge, helping to fix and adjust language and concepts so that the material is accurate.

Books too played a part, and Udo Erasmus’ Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill enabled me to take what I had learned from my work with Bob Lindberg and soap-making and fill in missing links and gaps in understanding. Erasmus’ book presents the chemistry of oils and lipids in great depth, including both the natural and manipulated forms. Along with books, a wide variety of websites provided information on all aspects of the subject. From small and obscure sites to those from universities, government agencies, and research institutions, each answered the questions that came up along the way. Suppliers of oils too, have researched their materials and make this information available on the web. Natural Sourcing LLC., in particular, has much information and a wide variety of oils to offer. The process of writing this book has been one of self-education. I am indebted to each of the very many sources available to me.

I also want to thank Gail Julian, fellow herbalist, long-time supporter of my work and muse, for reigniting the flame under the earlier version of this project.

As you may or may not know, the first attempts at publishing this material was self-instigated. In those days it was still cut and paste, which made for a fun, if challenging, art project. But real publishing of real books has been an eye opener. I am deeply indebted to Process Media for seeing the value in this work and bringing it into being.

Thank you Juliet Parfrey for your introduction to your brother Adam Parfrey and to Adam for Process Media and its vision; Jessica Parfrey, for your guidance and all the back-end work bringing the book into being, including distribution and keeping me on track. Thank you Bess Lovejoy, for your excellent comments, suggestions, and smoothly flowing editing style that made the text readable and clear. Lissi Erwin for the beautiful book design and ability to organize illustrations, charts, technical data into clear readable form that enhances the material. Monica Rochester for helping track down many of the illustrations and images. And all the others that I don’t know but that will bring this project into form, including printers, and distributors that have a hand in getting this into the world.

I have acknowledged others for helping with technical information, but any inaccuracies that may remain in the text or descriptions are mine alone. The lack of formal background in chemistry has had its pros and cons. The way I present the chemical structure and workings of the fatty acids, I am told, is unorthodox. Yet my curiosity kept me at the task of making connections and linking relevant information to the subject. The sum total of my inquiry is contained here and my need for a reference manual is complete. I share it with others who have need of information on the many and important fatty acids, lipids, and oils of the botanical world.

Acknowledgements are never complete until the author’s support crew, their family, are recognized for the untold help they provide. I thank my husband Jeryl for reading reams of early drafts and acting as sounding board for the ideas and concepts as they bubbled up; his help is far beyond what I can ever fully acknowledge. And my daughter Olivia, who has taken to the oils with a passion dear to her mother. My son Evan, his wife Sarah, and grandbaby Theo, have proven willing guinea pigs trying out oil combinations for skin and body. And last but not least, the many friends and customers from around the country and world who have bought my products and provided invaluable feedback over the 18 or more years that this has been in production.

And finally, to my late mother, who I can still hear saying, go look it up. She didn’t believe that one needed to memorize information, just know where to find it. She also loved to read. When my form of dyslexia, a new concept then, revealed itself as I stumbled over the Dick, Jane, and Spot early readers, she took it upon herself to learn the new discipline of phonics. She spent hours and taught me how to break down and sound out words, to recognize them, and appreciate their ability to communicate. And so this book is dedicated to her and her exhortation look it up, and the early intervention that helped me overcome my difficulty with reading. She opened up the world of the written word and made it accessible.

—SMP

A Note on the Drawings

The fatty acid drawings represent the shapes and bonds between atoms in the fatty acid molecules, a visual representation of their basic structure. As molecules in nature, they are neither static nor absolute, while our drawings must be. The way the structures of the fatty acids change when nature, oxygenation, hydrogenation, and man act them upon is complex and dynamic, and difficult to represent in two-dimensional drawings, but we have done our best.

Introduction to Oils

Oils, beautiful, colorful, and vibrant, are nourishing, soothing, sensual, and medicinal. Occupying a place in nearly all aspects of life, from kitchen to spa, industry to clinic, oils are so much more than the pale-colored bottles on grocery shelves. There are countless oils representing all corners of the earth in every color, scent, taste, and texture, serving multiple purposes and functions. The world of plant-based oils is a large and fascinating place to study. Imagine people in far-flung parts of the world producing and using exotic oils. First, imagine central Africa, where the temperature is high and women are collecting fallen nuts, adding them to a large pot outdoors. The smoky scent of wood ash and oil heating fills the nose. The women are happy and talking while they work. At the end of the day, they will have oil for cooking, enough to oil the drum heads, and some oil left over to sell in the market. As they work, the oil separates from the nuts and rises to the surface of the pot. A few of the women pull a little of the oil off the surface and rub it into their skin to protect against the burning rays of the sun. Shea butter and oil are part of their daily activities, and their lives would not be the same without them.

In another corner of the world, imagine the olives are ripe this time of year. Days are spent collecting them to take to the pressing mill. The rich, spicy scent inside the mill house is a familiar and favorite smell. The oil will grace tonight’s table in most of the dishes, and be shared with the rest of the family. Tomorrow is soap-making day for the oil that is not good enough for the kitchen and table. You could be in Italy, or Spain, or California in this scenario.

The world of plant oils is large and diverse. Culture by culture, around the globe and throughout time, oils are central players in all communities. Natural and necessary, the lubricant to nature’s smooth functioning, oils are ever-present and integral to the life forms of plants, animals, and humans. The source for all this oil? Seeds. Seeds are nature’s oil-producing calorie factories. A storehouse of sunshine within the seed, oils nourish the next generation of plant until it can feed itself through photosynthesis. Seeds and kernels, nuts, and fruiting bodies are complete energy and dietary centers, the grocers of the plant world.

Every seed has the capacity to make oil and carries unique properties from the parent plant. While all oils have a common structural similarity, each plant’s seed brings something special to the individual commodity. Spicy, tangy olive oil is uniquely different from rich, flavorful, and solid coconut oil. Contrast similar oil dichotomies throughout the plant kingdom, and the range, variety, qualities, and properties possible become truly astonishing.

The goddess Flora, spirit of the plant world, produces an untold number of seeds each year. We eat some seeds all the time, such as sunflower and pumpkin. Others we toss, like watermelon seeds and olive pits. Often, seeds are undeveloped when we eat them and consumed unknowingly. But all seeds have the potential to produce oil when fully ripened. Under great pressure, gentle squeezing, or by chemical extraction, oils are separated from the rest of the seed matter.

Cultural, regional, communal, cooking, and healing traditions use local and native oils. Indigenous plants, those native to a particular geographical region, serve their communities by providing food and medicine locally. These oils are adapted to the specific climate and environmental conditions and to the local culture. By maintaining connections to native and indigenous flora, the community’s continuity and health is preserved.

Rare and exotic or common and found closer to home, oils contain a variety of beneficial and useful properties for human endeavors. With modern means of distribution, we share oils from around the globe, enjoying their nourishing and culinary properties or using them in manufacturing and industrial applications. Sharing resources from communities other than our own, including native oils, unites us but also involves a level of responsibility. We must be conscious of the impact our desire for resources has on other places. Their culture, environment, and way of life deserve our respect and fair trade for their native goods.

Trees, wildflowers, grains, grasses, nuts, palms, shrubs, vegetables, and fruit, from every region, all produce seeds that can be and are pressed for oil. Globally, each region and type of plant produces a wide variety of oils. Color, scent, texture, nutritional compounds, and healing properties are broadly diverse. The many colors of oils range from red, orange, green, brown, golden yellows to completely clear. Each hue and tint carries attributes that give oils their own signature qualities, both nutritionally and for topical use.

In terms of scent, taste, texture, and feel, oils can be nutty or spicy, strongly green-smelling, fruity, thick and heavy, or light like water. Wide variations play a part in how oils are used and enjoyed. Who doesn’t love a piece of French bread dipped in a good hearty olive oil, or coconut oil and its rich fatty milk in Indian food? The spicy oil of black cumin seed, nigella, is a delicacy of the Middle East and used medicinally there to heal the body.

Oil and fats have gotten a bad reputation in recent decades. Misunderstandings regarding their composition and how they function in the body, along with incomplete studies and the politics of the food industry, created a perfect storm of bad information and fear-based pronouncements. Oils are said to be bad for our health and to make us fat. Don’t believe it! Fortunately, the information regarding oils and health is changing.

In fact, oils are vitally important to the healthy functioning of the body. Nutritionally, medicinally, and culinarily, oils are absolutely necessary for maintaining your physical body. Most importantly, however, oils are the food of the soul.

My Oil Story

The purpose of this book is somewhat self-serving. I wanted to create the reference manual I wished was available twelve years ago. The content will focus on oils for skin care, supported by nutritional, functional, and culinary information. We’ll also take a few detours to look at common oils used in unusual ways, to demonstrate their functions as useful natural substances.

Plant oils can be of two kinds: the aromatic essential oils, or the fixed seed and nut oils. The essential oils are distilled from flowers, leaves, peels, and roots of various aromatic plants. Many books and web sites are devoted to essential oils, and for good reason, since they smell lovely and have therapeutic properties.

It is the plant world’s other oils, the seed and nut oils, that are the focus of this book. Vital for health, the fixed oils are used in food and cooking, skin care, paint, lubrication, and medicine. Their qualities and real-world applications vary according to the plants that produce them. Their ubiquitous presence in all aspects of our lives and far-reaching usefulness is what I want to explore.

My purpose in writing this book is to share what I have learned about oils over some eighteen-plus years of working intimately with them. I’ll explain why some oils are solid and some liquid, some red or yellow or clear. Why some last a long time, while others get funky quickly. Where they come from, and most importantly, how to best use them.

I’ve grown to be quite passionate about oils that the plant world produces, but it hasn’t always been that way. This love affair developed over years of cooking and using oils. As an herbalist and maker of topical skin care products, I work with oils almost daily. Eighteen years ago, when I began this adventure with herbs and oils, I used just a few: olive, almond, and castor for the herbal salves, plus coconut and palm to make soap. Oil’s oil, more or less, or so I thought.

Learning the art of herbal infused oils is a natural beginning to herbalism. Salves were fun and easy; different combinations of herbs macerated in olive oil made ointments for a variety of conditions. For a time, I infused every kind of plant matter I could get my hands on: chili peppers, eucalyptus leaves, evergreen boughs, pine, cypress, and fir, lichens, flowers like jasmine and roses, along with the usual herbs such as comfrey, calendula, St. John’s wort, lemon balm—the list goes on.

In time I became proficient at making creams, by emulsifying oils and watery materials like hydrosols and aloe using beeswax. And soap is pure alchemy, liquid oils turning into hard bars of lather. I loved learning all the techniques and tricks of my craft.

People inquired about classes and I began to teach a few. They were interested in the how of soap, creams and salves. It was in one of these early classes that a student remarked rather casually, Oh, you must know all about the ‘drying’ oils.

Huh? I wasn’t sure what she was referring to. What dried: The oil? The skin? The oil on the skin? The skin under the oil? As I was in the middle of a class, I nodded noncommittally and continued teaching. But that one remark got me thinking, what on earth did she mean? And I felt a bit silly that I didn’t know something that sounded like basic knowledge. I thought I knew my materials pretty well. The question of what a drying oil was stayed with me.

Up to that point, I thought oils were either liquid or solid, unsaturated or saturated, but I hadn’t considered dry. Over a period of time it dawned on me that yes, some oils do dry! Think paint. I was carried back to my days in art school, when I had painted with oil paint. It seems an obvious link, but I hadn’t considered it—and didn’t they add driers to the paint to make it dry?

In time, the phenomena of drying oils began to fall into place. I remembered I had experienced oils drying in cooking. Years before, while changing my diet from traditional western fare to a more healthful semi-vegetarianism that eliminated butter, I switched to vegetable oils. Baking projects inevitably require the cook to grease a pan, and liquid oils replaced butter in my kitchen. When resinous and dark brown spots