Evening Primrose Oil

Primrose Day on 19th April and Princess Haiku’s recent comment made me think you might like me to repost my primrose entry. So here it is with a couple of beauty recipes added.

Evening primrose oil is a popular supplement derived from the seeds of the evening primrose plant. Known for hundreds of years as a medicinal plant, Native Americans used the bark and leaves for many disorders and it was also used for many medical disorders in England as far back as the 17th Century.

As the oil easily goes rancid once exposed to the air so it is therefore better to purchase it as organic, cold-pressed, evening primrose oil, veggie capsules. These are readily available in most health shops and some supermarkets.

Health-wise, the oil contains a high concentration of naturally occurring gamma linoleic acid (GLA) which is an Omega-6 fatty acid. GLA supports the body’s cardiovascular, immune, nervous and reproductive systems. It also contains oleic acid and palmitic acid. Recent research has shown it’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are found useful in treating arthritis, menopausal problems, heart disease, eczema, itchy skin and sunburn. Is said to lower the risk of osteoporosis in women and relieves PMS and breast feeding breast pain, bloating and depression. Plus many men swear by it as a hangover cure.

Beauty-wise, evening primrose oil is excellent for the skin, hair and nails if taken both internally and externally. Puncture a capsule with a pin and use the oil rubbed into the nails or applied to the skin and scalp. It is very nourishing for normal to dry skin and reduces acne inflammation.

NOTE: Evening primrose oil is not recommended during pregnancy.

Eating the flowers, seeds, leaves, or roots of evening primrose provides the same health benefits as taking commercial oil. Therefore it is worthwhile growing it in the garden. The roots can be boiled and eaten like any other root vegetable. The flowers are excellent for decoration and taste in a salad and the leaves can be cooked the same as spinach and served as a vegetable. During WW2 the seeds were roasted and used as a coffee substitute but nowadays they are generally roasted and sprinkled on salad.