What is palmitoleic acid (also called omega-7)?
Sea Buckthorn oil contains from 35 to 40 percent of a 16-carbon monounsaturated fatty acid called palmitoleic acid, also known as omega-7. The only other known plant source of this rare omega-7 fatty acid is macadamia nut oil, but Sea Buckthorn oil contains almost twice as much (and many times as much as any other source of palmitoleic acid, whether plant or animal). Palmitoleic acid is believed to have a potent antiviral, antibacterial, and healing effect in humans. It is also similar to lipids naturally occurring in skin sebum, and is believed to provide important healing and anti-aging benefits for problem skin. Sea Buckthorn oil has been successfully used to treat such widespread skin problems as rosacea, eczema, and acne.