Can Oils Contain Protein?
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free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2012 5:10 am

There are some women who claim that certain oils strengthen their hair. These women believe that such oils. thus, have protein.

Is it possible for a oil to have protein? I thought that oils only contain fat--no proteins or carbohydrates.

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2012 5:58 am

Oils do not contain protein unless they are contaminated. Certain oils can strengthen hair tho - lauric acid particularly is a small enough molecule to penetrate the shaft and has an affinity for protein so helps reduce structural protein loss during washing, UV exposure and bleaching. Perhaps that is where the confusion arises?

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2012 10:13 am

Firefox, I just sent you a pm.

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:34 am

Sweet almond oil is supposed to be high in protein.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_almond_oil
Almond, nut, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 2,503 kJ (598 kcal)
Protein 19.5 g Vitamin A equiv. 2.0 Î¼g (0%)
Thiamine (vit. B 1 ) 0.19 mg (17%)
Riboflavin (vit. B 2 ) 1.4 mg (117%)
Niacin (vit. B 3 ) 3.9 mg (26%)
Pantothenic acid (B 5 ) 0.47 mg (9%)
Vitamin B 6 0.14 mg (11%)
Folate (vit. B 9 ) 29 Î¼g (7%)
Vitamin C 0.0 mg (0%)
Vitamin E 26.2 mg (175%)
Calcium 250 mg (25%)
Iron 3.9 mg (30%)
Magnesium 260 mg (73%)
Manganese 2.29 mg (109%)
Potassium 740 mg (16%) Sodium 5.0 mg (0%)
Zinc 3.7 mg (39%)

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:30 am

Wow, I didn't know oils could contain protein.

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 8:23 am

Keliu wrote:

Sweet almond oil is supposed to be high in protein.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_almond_oil
Almond, nut, raw

That is the whole nut not the oil. Check the heading, Wikipedia directs from the Sweet Almond Oil listing to the Almond listing.

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:00 am

Firefox7275 wrote:

Keliu wrote:

Sweet almond oil is supposed to be high in protein.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_almond_oil
Almond, nut, raw

That is the whole nut not the oil. Check the heading, Wikipedia directs from the Sweet Almond Oil listing to the Almond listing.

Allergenicity of gourmet nut oils processed by different methods.
Teuber SS, Brown RL, Haapanen LA.
Source
Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, School of Medicine, USA.

RESULTS:
The oil extracts known to be from oils that had undergone less processing at lower temperatures tended to demonstrate qualitatively greater IgE binding and higher protein concentrations.
CONCLUSIONS:
Tree nut and peanut oils may pose a threat to patients with allergy, depending on the method of manufacture and processing.
PMID: 9111495 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9111495

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:41 am

DarkMoon wrote:

Allergenicity of gourmet nut oils processed by different methods.
Teuber SS, Brown RL, Haapanen LA.
Source
Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, School of Medicine, USA.

RESULTS:
The oil extracts known to be from oils that had undergone less processing at lower temperatures tended to demonstrate qualitatively greater IgE binding and higher protein concentrations.
CONCLUSIONS:
Tree nut and peanut oils may pose a threat to patients with allergy, depending on the method of manufacture and processing.
PMID: 9111495 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9111495

As I said "Oils do not contain protein unless they are contaminated" - contamination depends on extraction or refining method. Furthermore the concentration of protein molecules required to elicit anaphylactic shock is so tiny that they cannot be measured in percentages.

From the same link
"METHODS: Several brands of walnut, almond, hazelnut, pistachio, and macadamia nut oils were examined. Peanut oils, both unrefined oils (which have been shown to contain allergenic proteins) and refined oils (without previously demonstrable allergens), were also examined to confirm reproducibility of immunoreactivity as reported by other investigators."

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:50 am

"Full refining of oils results in the almost complete removal from oils of protein, which is responsible for allergic reactions. However, it is uncertain whether the minute amounts remaining could provoke allergic reactions in highly susceptible individuals. This has led to a vigorous debate about the safety of refined oils and specifically whether to label each oil individually because of the potential risk of allergenicity.

Peanut oil has been the most thoroughly studied. It has been shown, in well-designed studies, that refined peanut oil can be safely consumed by the vast majority of peanut-allergic individuals, whereas unrefined oil can provoke reactions in some of the same individuals. However, some other studies report cases of allergic individuals reacting to oils, which are presumed to be refined. While it is likely that the discrepancy between these observations is due to differences in the processing of the oils, and possibly the protein content, this has not been formally demonstrated. Few data exist on the potential allergenicity of other edible vegetable oils; what data there are suggest that the major oils (soy, maize, sunflower, palm) do not provoke allergic reactions in susceptible individuals ...

Available data suggest that the protein content of crude oils is of the order of 100-300 microg and that refining results in levels up to about 100-fold lower. The review concludes that peanut oil, and by extrapolation other edible vegetable oils, presents no risk of provoking allergic reactions in the overwhelming majority of susceptible people."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10722892

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 10:07 am

Most of us buy UNREFINED, organic and cold pressed oils, the least processed oils available. Not what most consider contaminated just closest to natural!

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 10:46 am

DarkMoon wrote:

Most of us buy UNREFINED, organic and cold pressed oils, the least processed oils available. Not what most consider contaminated just closest to natural!

An oil is by definition a pure substance, anything that remains in it after extraction is an impurity or contaminant. It's quite normal to refer to allergens which remain in the lower grades as contaminants, and is why I often specify medical grade lanolin. The question was asked and answered in the context of skincare and haircare, not anaphylaxis. The miniscule amount of protein in an unrefined oil is not measurable in percentage terms and would have NO effect on the skin or hair of a healthy individual. There are many highly toxic or allergenic compounds found in nature, including cyanide and arsenic in some seeds. You wouldn't class having natural arsenic or natural cyanide in your unrefined seed oil as a contaminant?

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 11:55 am

Pretty sure I need a drink to read this thread again to understand....no protein, protein, geeez louise. I am still now very confused.

Keliu, DM, I assume you two are saying it does have protein?

FF I assume your sticking to your guns regardless of wording that it does not?

Help from moreconfusedthanever!

Sat Jul 21, 2012 12:28 pm

VeronicaM wrote:

Is it possible for a oil to have protein? I thought that oils only contain fat--no proteins or carbohydrates.

I would think that it would depend on the oil. For example, from Nature's Gift:

Avocado Oil
Contains: vitamins A. B1, B2, Pantothenic acid, Vit. D, E, protein, lecithin, fatty acids
http://www.naturesgift.com/carrier_oils/avocadoOil.htm

Search for "protein" on this page (or here) and several other oils are also listed as containing protein.

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 12:30 pm

Tiny wrote:

Pretty sure I need a drink to read this thread again to understand....no protein, protein, geeez louise. I am still now very confused.

Keliu, DM, I assume you two are saying it does have protein?

FF I assume your sticking to your guns regardless of wording that it does not?

Help from moreconfusedthanever!

Sorry Tiny as my British buddy says "I can't be arsed"
I do not need to be right at any cost but I think the following says it fairly clearly, as I recall the question was a simple can oils contain protein!

[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9111495

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 12:32 pm

Thank You Havana and DarkMoon! I can now stay sober

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2012 1:03 pm

Tiny wrote:

Pretty sure I need a drink to read this thread again to understand....no protein, protein, geeez louise. I am still now very confused.

Keliu, DM, I assume you two are saying it does have protein?

FF I assume your sticking to your guns regardless of wording that it does not?

Help from moreconfusedthanever!

As far as I am concerned nobody has posted anything that contradicts anyone else, it's the interpretation and semantics that is going awry. Keliu posted a chart for whole almonds and DarkMoon posted a link showing there are trace amounts in less refined oils. I hold that "oils do not contain protein unless they are contaminated - contamination depends on extraction or refining method".

free skin care · Mon Aug 06, 2012 4:16 am

How much difference is there between refined and unrefined oils?

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