Know why argan nut oil is so damned expensive? It’s because in order to obtain argan nuts for processing, someone has to follow goats around as they climb trees, eat unripened fruit, commence breaking down the nut of this fruit, and extrude said broken down nut at the conclusion of the digestive process. This person must then harvest the argan nuts thus processed for further processing. There’s your scarcity of supply.
As a hairstylist I took an interest in the reputed provenance of argan oil…
You can find articles, even in sources like HuffPost and CBS News, that promulgate the tale about it coming from nuts partially digested by goats…
but I believe the more scientific sources that refute that, and say it’s mostly an URBAN LEGEND.
Argan oil does not come from goat poop … it comes from newly harvested nuts.
I can’t link to the articles I found several years ago…
But here’s something from the website of The McGill Office for Science and Society:
“Actually, the oil is pressed from fruit that has been picked by human hands, making the tree-climbing goats a nuisance. Still, one can appreciate their remarkable athleticism. But collecting their poop to isolate the nuts is a myth. As much a myth as the one about argan oil having magical properties.”
Here’s the whole short article (about argan oil, but including a bit more about the climbing goats) in case you want to read it:
Goats are ruminants. They chew twice their food, and the food first goes through microbial digestion prior to acidic digestion. The nut wouldn’t survive that.
That is true and yet there is a lot of Argan Oil being processed every day in Morocco. ;-) I have seen the goats in the trees many times on my travels there. :-) wish I could attach a photo!
some idiot from R'lyeh Premium Member over 3 years ago
Bub expresses the real ethical concern.
Liverlips McCracken Premium Member over 3 years ago
Know why argan nut oil is so damned expensive? It’s because in order to obtain argan nuts for processing, someone has to follow goats around as they climb trees, eat unripened fruit, commence breaking down the nut of this fruit, and extrude said broken down nut at the conclusion of the digestive process. This person must then harvest the argan nuts thus processed for further processing. There’s your scarcity of supply.
Jeffin Premium Member over 3 years ago
I want a calendar of Board Meetings in trees.
SusanSunshine Premium Member over 3 years ago
As a hairstylist I took an interest in the reputed provenance of argan oil…
You can find articles, even in sources like HuffPost and CBS News, that promulgate the tale about it coming from nuts partially digested by goats…
but I believe the more scientific sources that refute that, and say it’s mostly an URBAN LEGEND.
Argan oil does not come from goat poop … it comes from newly harvested nuts.
I can’t link to the articles I found several years ago…
But here’s something from the website of The McGill Office for Science and Society:
“Actually, the oil is pressed from fruit that has been picked by human hands, making the tree-climbing goats a nuisance. Still, one can appreciate their remarkable athleticism. But collecting their poop to isolate the nuts is a myth. As much a myth as the one about argan oil having magical properties.”Here’s the whole short article (about argan oil, but including a bit more about the climbing goats) in case you want to read it:
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/general-science/goat-poop-your-hair
mourdac Premium Member over 3 years ago
Sounds like that coffee that has to pass through a certain monkey or civit’s digestive system first. Big pass on that one.
cabalonrye over 3 years ago
Goats are ruminants. They chew twice their food, and the food first goes through microbial digestion prior to acidic digestion. The nut wouldn’t survive that.
jtlaudeman over 3 years ago
That is true and yet there is a lot of Argan Oil being processed every day in Morocco. ;-) I have seen the goats in the trees many times on my travels there. :-) wish I could attach a photo!