Of all the vegetable oils that can be used both topically and internally, none have come close to the many beneficial health effects of Borage Seed Oil.
What is Borage Seed Oil?
Borage seed oil is made from the borage plant (or starflower). Native to Syria, this plant has since grown in abundance throughout Europe, Africa, and even North America. Borage oil is typically extracted from borage seeds by using a cold press method so that the borage seed oil preserves all of its many healthful benefits.
What are the benefits of Borage Seed Oil?
Borage seed oil has only recently made its way to the forefront of health digests because of its many benefits. Borage oil contains powerful antioxidants to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Borage seed oil has also been used topically to strengthen skin, as well as treating eczema and psoriasis. For those suffering from thrombosis, borage oil is recommended to reduce the pain, swelling, and inflammation. Regular doses of borage seed oil also greatly improves circulation, while also removing harmful free radicals from the body.
Clinical Trials & Borage Seed Oil
For many years, scientists studies natural medicine in the Middle East and came to a realization that very few people there suffered from high blood pressure and heart disease. After examining the diets of people in places such as Syria, scientists narrowed down the reasons for such low percentages of people at risk to a consumption of borage oil.
Borage seed oil contains natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that lower cholesterol and reverse the symptoms of arthritis and thrombosis. It has also been proven to regulate blood pressure. When used as an ointment or topical skin treatment, borage seed oil has been proven to reduce swelling in inflamed areas. It is also used to treat a number of skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema.
In fact, laboratory studies have even shown that the powerful benefits of borage seed oil can be used to treat severe illnesses, such as angina and asthma. Women in Syria and Mediterranean countries have been using borage oil for countless generations to ease and reduce the symptoms associated with menopause.
What to look for when buying Borage Seed Oil
First and foremost, when shopping for borage seed oil you want to be certain to check its purity. A few companies will often blend borage oil with other vegetable oils, and then try to pass it off as borage seed oil. Make sure that the contents list 100% pure borage seed oil to ensure that you get all of the healthy benefits that this oil has to offer.
Second, you want to make sure that the borage seed oil was obtained through a cold press method. Any other type of processing will reduce (or even nullify) the powerful antioxidants and other agents that can only be preserved if the borage oil is obtained through a cold press method.
Lastly, you might want to check for the “organic” label. While it is not necessary that you buy certified organic borage seed oil to get all of the benefits, there are those who adhere to strict organic diets, and for them borage seed oil that is certified organic means they can reap the benefits without harming their diets.
Bottom Line
Whether you are using it in cooking, as a daily supplement, or as part of a natural treatment regimen, borage seed oil is very powerful in helping to reduce cholesterol and to reverse signs of aging in the skin. As a topical anti-inflammatory to reduce swelling, or to combat the onset of menopause, borage seed oil will help to give you a clean bill of health, both inside and out.
