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Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis, Maracuja)
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Passion fruit comes from the passion flower plant (Passiflora edulis, Maracuja), which is native to South America and Africa, though it now also grows in Australia and Hawaii. The Passion fruit is round to oval, and either yellow or dark purple when ripe, with a soft, juicy interior filled with seeds. The taste is reported to be pleasantly sweet and tart, and is used in juices and fruit preserves.
Both the juice/pulp and seed of the fruit is edible, but the fruit has to be ripe first—immature fruits have toxins. The pulp is typically pressed through a strainer and bottled, then often used in combination with other fruit juices, or to make jams, syrups, and butters.
Passion fruit oil comes from the seeds of the fruit, and is typically yellow to vibrant yellow in color. Because of the nutrients in the oil as well as the fatty acids and antioxidants, it is now used as a nourishing moisturizer in skin care, and is particularly beneficial for those with aging, oily, or mature skin.
Passion fruit oil is full of nutrients that are good for skin. Among these are vitamins A and C, essential fatty acids, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and carotenoids.
The oil is light and is considered to be a good emollient. It acts as a nice moisturizer by penetrating readily into the skin and preventing moisture from leaking out. There are many other health benefits of maracuja oil.
Properties
Passion fruit oil for Dry Skin
Passion fruit oil is a nice emollient. So, it can be applied on the skin to keep it hydrated. For small dry regions on the skin, take few drops of oil on your palm and rub it gently into the skin. It moistens the skin and feels quite light. So, there is no greasy feeling after applying.
For large areas of skin, one can dilute it with carrier oil, like coconut oil, or olive oil in any dilution ratio that you prefer. Massage with this combination will provide the skin with the benefits of maracuja oil.
Treat sun damaged sun
Prolonged exposure to bright sunlight also exposes us to harmful UV radiation. UV rays are harmful for the skin, especially the UV-B rays. Over time, these rays lead to skin damage which is characteristic of accelerated ageing. The signs of this ageing on skin are wrinkles, sun spots and blemishes. Apply maracuja oil directly to these regions. The nutrients in maracuja oil, especially if it contains lycopene [1] can aid the skin in recovering from sun induced damage. Lycopene is a red colored carotenoid which is found in many foods, like tomato.
Massage for soothing painful aches
Sore and tired muscles can be soothed by incorporating maracuja oil in a massage formulation. Add maracuja oil to olive oil and massage it into sore muscles. Perform some basic stretching for that muscle group. Stretching also provides additional relief from cramping in muscles. Maracuja oil is anti-inflammatory, therefore it reduces inflammation in the muscles. Maracuja oil obtained from seeds of passion fruit are rich in omega- 6 fatty acids ( linoleic acid ). When an oil which is rich in this nutrient is massaged into the skin, inflammation is lowered.
Fatty acids
Maracuja oil contains 72.6 % linoleic acid, which is an omega – 6 fatty acid. This data comes from just one source. This makes maracuja oil undoubtedly one of the best sources of linoleic acid on earth. Linoleic acid, an omega – 6 is essential fatty acid which is required by the body. This is the complete fatty acid profile of maracuja oil.
Most oils contain a more distributed profile in terms of fatty acids. But, maracuja oil selectively contains very high amounts of linoleic acid.
Antioxidant capacity of Maracuja Oil
Although the most popular metric of antioxidant power is ORAC ( oxygen radical absorbance capacity ) value, for maracuja oil, the data is available in terms of another metric. It is called EC 50. The antioxidant power of maracuja oil is 7.12 mg/mL EC 50, which is stated to be a powerful antioxidant.
Apart from healthy fats, maracuja oil also contains carotenoids ( 4.6 μg per gm ) and phenols. Carotenoids are very healthy for the skin, especially when it comes to protecting it from sun damage.
Disclaimer: The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
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