If you have been looking for a healthy oil for cooking, grapeseed oil may just fit the bill. Made from grape seeds, grapeseed oil is often used in beauty products due to its benefits for skin health. But this oil also has many benefits when taken internally. Amongst these are its ability to reduce swelling due to an injury, help with eye issues resulting from diabetes, and promote heart health.
Grapeseed oil is rich in omega-6 fatty acids and vitamins and has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties.
Grapeseed oil contains high quantities of omega-6 fatty acids. While these polyunsaturated fats tend to promote heart disease, due to their comparatively high levels Western diet, the greatest percentage of omega-6 fatty acids in grapeseed oil consists of linoleic acid. Because linoleic acid converts to dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) however, we can safely say that it not only promotes the lowering of cholesterol levels but helps address inflammation as well.
Furthermore, grapeseed oil is high in polyphenols. These compounds promote immune and heart health. What is more, they also inhibit your body’s release of arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid, in turn, helps with leukotriene and prostaglandin production. These play a crucial role in your body’s inflammatory response when dealing with stress of any kind.
Literature also suggests that grapeseed oil may improve inflammatory markers and lower insulin resistance in those suffering from obesity.
And lastly, the oil has a high vitamin E content. Vitamin E, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, is shown to have anti-cancer properties and may induce cell death or prohibit cellular proliferation in cancer cells in the colon.
We can ascribe the antioxidant properties of grapeseed oil to its high vitamin E content and the polyphenols compound proanthocyanidin. Both these powerful antioxidants fight free radicals in your body. Furthermore, proanthocyanidin boosts immune system health and plays a part in white blood cell formulation.
Literature suggests grape seed oil has antibacterial properties that could work against certain bacterial strains in your gut, food, and environment. Literature particularly mentions its effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Staphylococcus aureus is known for causing skin and soft tissue infections. Escherichia coli, on the other hand, is prevalent in the intestines. While some strains may prove beneficial to gut health, others can cause diarrhea and other health problems. We often associated these bacteria with food poisoning. In addition, grapeseed oil has antifungal properties that may help in dealing with candida.
Many of these properties are significant because they play a role in your body’s Detoxification Circuit. This circuit consists of your immune system, liver, and interstitium. It is part of your body’s response to stress, governed by the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response. Its job is to rid the body of all substances manufactured due to stress, or those causing the stress.
But to detox properly, your body relies on various compounds from foods, as well as the proper functioning of other body processes. Gut and immune health, for example, are both important. A compromised immune system, for example, can lead to a state of hyperactivation which, in turn, could result in chronic inflammation. It could also lead to a flare-up of certain health conditions like Lyme disease, for example. So too could an imbalance in gut bacteria result in inflammation that could lead to gut health issues like leaky gut.
Grapeseed oil with its antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties could help address several of the issues that hamper your detoxification process.
Grapeseed oil has many benefits when taken internally or externally.
When used on the skin, the fatty acids in grapeseed oil can help rebuild collagen. Aging tends to see a loss in collagen which contributes to dull, sagging, wrinkly skin. Grapeseed oil also has marvelous hydrating properties, something those with dry skin are likely to appreciate during cold, dry winter months.
The anti-inflammatory properties of the oil may help address skin sensitivity issues like itching, burning, or redness. The oil’s antibacterial properties may kill off bacteria causing skin issues like acne. It may also help even out skin tone, reduce hyperpigmentation, and protect you from UV damage from the sun.
The antioxidant properties of grapeseed oil may protect your blood vessel lining from getting damaged and thus promote heart health and prevent the forming of blood clots. One study found it also lowers platelet aggregation.
Likewise, people with high blood pressure issues due to metabolic syndrome often experience a drop in blood pressure levels after taking grapeseed oil. This may help lower risks associated with high blood pressure.
Finally, it may help keep cholesterol under control. High cholesterol levels are a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
The properties of grapeseed oil offer benefits that may help address several other health conditions as well.
You can add the oil to your diet as a supplement or use it in your cooking to take it internally. You can also apply it to your skin.
You can purchase grapeseed oil in capsule form. Dosage is usually indicated on the packaging. Most people opt not to drink it directly because of the taste and texture.
If wanting to take grapeseed oil as a supplement, please do so only after talking to your healthcare provider.
Grapeseed oil is great for cooking. This is because of the oil’s high smoking point. This means that, like coconut oil, the oil’s structure does not change once heated. Many oils, once heated, do not offer the same benefits as when unheated. Furthermore, you can also use it in your salad dressing.
You can apply grapeseed oil to your face directly. It makes a wonderful serum when applied before going to bed. You can also add a few drops of the oil to your moisturizer or body cream.
To apply it as a moisturizing mask, add a few drops to the palm of one hand and then rub your hands together. Once slightly warmed up, rub the oil into your skin, leave it on for about ten minutes, and wash it off with warm water before continuing with your nightly skin care regimen. You could also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil like lavender before applying.
While considered a safe oil to use with few risks, you do need to consider a few factors first. First, like any oil, when eaten in excessive quantities it can also cause weight gain, so it's best used in moderation.
Cold-pressed grapeseed oil does not involve the use of chemicals in the manufacturing process. Many of the grapeseed oil products found on shelves have undergone an extraction process using certain chemicals. One of these, hexane, is considered a neurotoxin.
Taken as a supplement with certain medications may also result in certain adverse reactions. So, if you regularly take heart medications, blood thinners, painkillers, or undergo cancer treatments, please talk to your healthcare provider before starting a supplement course. Furthermore, it has a blood-thinning effect and could also reduce your body’s iron absorption ability. Those already using blood thinners or who suffer from an iron deficiency should thus avoid this oil.
Considered relatively safe when taken as a supplement or used in cooking, grapeseed oil has several undeniable health benefits.
However, if you have health issues and want to use this oil as a supplement or for cooking, here are a few things to consider.
If taking the oil as a supplement, please do so with the guidance of your healthcare practitioner. They are best able to assess a supplement’s benefits for you as well as recommend the correct dosage.
If you would like to know more about grapeseed oil as part of an overall healthy diet for your body, the team at Dr. Lam Coaching can help. We offer a free** no-obligation phone consultation at +1 (626) 571-1234. We will privately discuss any queries or concerns you may have and offer you various alternatives. You can also send us a question through our Ask The Doctor system by clicking here.
Grapeseed oil has antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. These may promote adrenal health due to their beneficial effect on all body systems. Do first consult your healthcare practitioner about using this oil. They are best able to determine its suitability.
