I’m trekking through the heart of the Peruvian jungle, sweat running down my face and back. Giant mosquitoes buzz us as we hack our way through the underbrush. Slowly but surely, we make our way higher and higher…
At last my companion gives a shout. “Here it is,” he calls to me in Spanish. He’s waving a star-shaped fruit, freshly picked, in his hand.
My guide today is Dr. Octavio Zolezzi from Lima University. We’ve explored miles of narrow, jungle trails that snaked from village to village. We’re seeking plants that Westerners have rarely seen. And now he triumphantly holds this fruit aloft, like a boxer who’s just won the championship belt.
We crack the fruit open to reveal the seeds inside. This was the prize we’ve sought: the fabled sacha inchi nut.
I’ve written to you about sacha inchi before. The Incas prized it for both food and medicine. And I knew they had been on to something.
You see, the seeds of the sacha inchi plant are almost 50% heart-healthy Omega-3 oils. It’s one of the richest plant sources I’ve ever found.
Most of the Omega-3s in sacha inchi are linolenic acid. In fact, sacha inchi oil is 44% linolenic acid – an Omega-3 your body can convert to EPA and DHA, the same healthy Omega-3s found in fish oil. It’s a nutritional bonanza.
Shortly after I returned from Peru, I was able to make pure sacha inchi oil available to my patients and readers. It’s great for frying or adding to salads. The taste is light and slightly nutty – like almonds. I often use it in place of olive oil.
But that’s not where the story ends. I’ve been testing sacha inchi oil for other purposes. And I think you’ll be as excited as I am with what I’ve found.
Recent studies show you can effectively absorb essential fatty acids – EFAs – through the skin. And this process will raise the levels of healthy fatty acids – like linolenic acid – in your blood and skin.1
This got me thinking. What if I replaced some of the moisturizing oils in a skincare product with an oil that could boost levels of EFAs like linolenic acid? And there was the answer… right in my own kitchen.
Sacha inchi oil is the perfect choice. Lower EFA levels have been linked to a greater risk of everything from acne to psoriasis to skin cancer. Linolenic acid also helps build your skin’s defenses against infection and inflammation.2
And here’s the kicker… When it comes to getting the skin benefits of Omega-3s, you’re better off rubbing these EFAs directly onto your skin than you would be taking a supplement!
You see, your liver oxidizes an awful lot of the EFAs you get through your diet. That’s one reason I suggest taking a fish oil supplement. But gently massaging the Omega-3’s directly into your skin effectively bypasses your liver. So more of these healthy fats can be used where they’re needed.
But if you rub fish oil directly on your skin, every cat in town will be after you. Not to mention the flies. Using sacha inchi oil avoids this problem altogether.
Once I’d worked this all out, there was just one last hurdle.
It hadn’t been easy to ensure a steady supply of sacha inchi oil for my patients and readers to use in their cooking. How much more of this uncommon oil could I get?
Fortunately, the connections I made during my trips to the Amazon Basin paid off. I’ve been able to ensure an even larger supply of pure sacha inchi oil. And I’ve added it to my new anti-aging facial scrub, Glow.
This is one of the most advanced – and most economical – anti-aging products I’ve ever developed. When you try it, you’ll see why I’m so excited.
1. Solanki, K., et al, “Transcutaneous Absorption of Topically Massaged Oil in Neonates,” Indian Pediatrics 2005; 42:998-1005.
2. McCusker, M.M. and Grant-Kels, J.M., “Healing fats of the skin: the structural and immunologic roles of the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids,” Clin Dermatol. Jul-Aug 2010;28(4):440-451.