What is Murumuru?

Information Brought to You By: RECHERCH'E ORGANICS

MURUMURU

Astrocaryum murumuru

Astrocaryum murumuru, commonly known as the murumuru palm and pronounced as Moor-oo-Moor-oo, is native to the Amazon rain forest of South America. This palm differs from most due to it's huge numbers of protective spines.  Even the seeds and flowers have little spines on them! This palm sports very long leaves up to 20 feet long, with striking whitish silver undersides. These leaves have been used through out history to make many accoutrement's by the natives including baskets, hammocks, woven into their homes and much, much more.  The oil rendered from the seeds has been a main source of edible oil for the people of this region since time immortal. 

Spines on Murumuru

Murumuru Nuts

 

In Spanish this tree is called Chonta, Chuchana, or sometimes Huicongo.  The large fruits of this palm have been highly valued through out history for the rich butter that they produce. Murumuru oil  has a unique odor, not dis-similar the characteristic scent of coconut oil.  Murumuru is solid at room temperature, with a slightly higher melting point than its much more well known cousin the coconut oil ( murumuru 91degreese Fahrenheit or 33 degrees Celsius and coconut 72 degrees Fahrenheit and 22 degrees Celsius). Due to it's many saturated short chain fatty acids, murumuru has a long shelf life and tends not to go rancid easily.

Murumuru Seeds and Unrendered Meat

Murumuru butter is rich in pro-vitamin A and C and Omega fatty acids 3, 6, and 9.  The main fatty acid found in this butter is called Lauric acid (at an astonishing 47%).  This is a similar amount of Lauric Acid that is  only found in one other natural ingredient...breast milk!  Murumuru has 7 other essential acids  besides Lauric acid, ( essential meaning your body needs to get them from outside sources but fully needs them to fully function) including myristic acid, oleic, palmitic, linoleic acids making.  Murumuru has been shown to be a wonderful moisturizer for sensitive skin.  This gentile moisturizer is readily absorbed into the deep layers of skin, helping to restore elasticity and suppleness of the bodies outer layers.

Murumuru Nut, Oil, and Butter

This highly moisturizing, natural emollient, hard and waxy butter has many noteworthy actions.  It is anti-allergenic, anti bacterial, anti inflammatory and considered anti viral.  It is a potent source of antioxidants and can be used as a mild antiseptic.  It therefore works with acne, aids in the healing of mild abrasions, helps moisturize psoriasis, and in conjunction with eczema. Murumuru does all of this but also has some pretty amazing attributes that you do not necessarily find with in other palms.  Possibly it's most significant lone characteristic is it's uncanny ability with HAIR~

Oh so Beautiful~

Yes Hair~ This butter makes a wonderful addition to hair products.  It helps to even sun damaged and chemical damaged hair.  It gives an other wise unseen ability to control frizzy, kinky, dry, damaged locks. It has natural saponins with in the kernel (as most all nuts of the coconut family).  However due to it's many differentiating nutrients, found naturally in perfect harmony with one another, it makes this the number one (all time best (in my humble opinion)) for coarse, kinky, and highly curly hair.  It renders these hair types highly manageable.  Soft and supple it lends a protective layer and lasting hydration.  It gives a healthy shine to all hair types but lends its magic to these tresses in particular~

A Tribute to Tamanu Oil~

INFORMATION BROUGHT TO YOU BY: 

Tamanu Tree Calophyllum tacamahaca

 The Tamanu tree, Calophyllum tacamahaca is indigenous to Southeast Asia.  Found throughout Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and Polynesian islands.  This slow growing evergreen tree can exceed 30 meters tall (over 90 feet) and is part of the Mangosteen Family.  The oil derived from the nut of this tree has been used topically as far back as history can date. Growing both coastally as well as inland with equal vigor, it is interesting to note that the natives of this region consider the trees growing close to salt water to be the ones with the most potent medicine.

Tamanu Fruit

Flowers of Tamanu Tree

The Tamanu tree (pronounced TAW-man-oo) has been considered a sacred gift by the natives of Southeast Asia.  It has been said time and again that "the God's hide within it's branches."  This beautiful tree flowers twice annually, yielding white fragrant flowers which later bring about clusters of yellow fruit.  The fruit has a similar taste to an apple and embedded with in the meat of this fruit lies a kernel (also called a punnai in some areas) which houses all of the delicate Tamanu oil.

Punnai or Kernal of Tamanu tree

Tamanu Oil also called foraha or doomba (no-pain) oil, is processed from the kernels harvested from the Tamanu tree.  Once the nuts are collected they are allowed to sit and dry in the sun for approximately 2 months of time. During this time of waiting, the kernel it's self becomes dark and sticky with the thick rich oil. It is crucial while drying that the nut is protected from both humidity and rain.  Then each nut is separated from it's shell and ground down into a pulp.  Through the pressing and grinding process friction does occur, but it is imperative that the temperature does not exceed 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) for the oil to be considered "cold pressed".  It is the cold pressed oils that maintain the integrity and the healing properties originally bestowed up on this plant. It takes 100 kilograms of Tamanu fruit, approximately the amount that 1 tree produces annually, to produce just 5 kilograms of this oil (approximately 220 pounds of fruit compresses into just under 11 pounds of oil).

Prepairing the Fruit to Make Tamanu Oil

 Traditionally this oil has been used throughout Southeast Asia to aid in the healing many different disorders of the skin and nervous system.  Almost always used as a topical aid or an single ingredient for these said ailments;  abrasions, acne, blemishes, blisters, body odor, burns, diabetic sores, diaper rash, dry skin, eczema, herpes sores, insect bites and stings, neuritis and neuralgia, psoriasis, rheumatism, sciatica, shingles sunburn and wrinkles.

In the early 1900's Tamanu Oil made it's first debue in the Western World.  A French nun by the name of Sister Marie Suzanna, had used tamanu oil to treat symptoms of leprosy with quite remarkable effect.

In 1918 researchers for the French Pharmacopoeia began to look deeper into the topical use of Tamanu Oil.  The scientists were immediately awed by the cicatrizing effects, the ability of this oil to regenerate skin cells and tissue.  There are many stories to be found in the French medical literature from the turn of the century stating the remarkable healing benefits of this prized oil. 

Cold Pressed Tamanu Oil

Tamanu oil should have a rich deep earthy scent and present in a dark greenish gold color.  This oil has a remarkable ability as a topical healing ingredient.  It is antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti neuralgic (nerve pain), and filled with antioxidant properties. It also contains a unique  fatty acid called calophyllic acid and a non steroidal anti inflammatory agent called calophllolide.  Tamanu contains coumarins which are another potent anti-inflammatory agent.     Tamanu oil contains 3 essential classes of lipids (fats): neutral, glyco- and phospholipids.  Over all Tamanu oil is wonderful for scar tissue reduction, and in any case where regeneration of skin cells is needed.  Over an 8 week period, daily application of Tamanu oil to stretch marks and other scars has been seen to reduce the visibility, color and depth of scar tissue. It can be used as a night application to fine lines and wrinkles with great success to it's users.  This makes a wonderful ingredient to a night cream or under eye serum.  Always look for cold pressed, organic and preferably fair trade labeling.


*The information found within these blog posts is brought to you by Recherch'e Organics.  The owner of this small batch bath and body care company is a trained Mater Herbalist, Holistic Nutrition Consultant and a Certified Holistic Health care Practitioner.  Many of these wonderful natural ingredients are used in our product line currently or are being considered for future products of Recherch'e.  For more information or to buy from Recherch'e Organics; Please visit our website http://www.rechercheorganics.com  or follow us on facebook for many great deals and information and through BEAUTIFUL YOU (this blog).
Thank you for reading,

Truly,

Hillari Ladd MH, NC, HHP