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Marula oil

Oil from the seeds of Sclerocarya birrea

Marula oil

Oil from the seeds of Sclerocarya birrea

Marula oil on sale at Ongwediva Trade Fair 2016

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.

Chemical composition

Marula oil contains a large proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids which make the oil very stable. The fatty acid composition of marula oil includes:{{cite book

Monounsaturated fatty acids:

  • Oleic acid (70–78%)

Polyunsaturated fatty acids:

  • Linoleic acid (4.0–7.0%)
  • Alpha-linolenic acid (0.1–0.7%)
  • Arachidonic acid (0.3–0.7%)

Saturated fatty acids:

  • Palmitic acid (9–12%)
  • Stearic acid (5.0–8.0%)

Tocopherols, sterols, flavonoids, procyanidin, gallotannin and catechins are also found in marula oil.{{cite journal | display-authors=etal

Physical properties

Marula oil has a clear, light yellow colour and a nutty aroma. It has a saponification value of approximately 188–199 and a specific gravity of 0.91–0.92 (at 15 °C).{{cite book |display-authors=etal}}

Traditional uses

The Tsonga people of South Africa and Mozambique have used the oil as a moisturising body lotion for women and also as a massage oil for babies. In the past, Namibian women used marula oil rather than water to clean themselves.{{cite book

Marula oil is used in diets, especially for people of the Inhambane Province in Mozambique, Owamboland in north central Namibia, Northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and the Zvishavane district of Zimbabwe. Furthermore, marula plays an important role in the diet of Bushmen and Bantus.{{cite journal |display-authors=etal}} The Venda use the oil from the kernels to preserve meat, which enables it to last up to a year. Marula oil is considered a delicacy by local people, and is added to many traditional and modern recipes.

References

References

  1. Toit, Magda du. (2022-10-25). "Rediscovering the importance of marula fruit in Namibia".
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