66 BBC SCIENCE FOCUS MAGAZINE COLLECTION
DIETThe yellow fruit
of the argan tree,
Argania spinosa, which
contains the argan nutA
IS FOR
ARGAN OIL
The argan nut grows in Morocco on
those thorny trees that goats climb. It’s
added to many cosmetics and toasted
argan oil is also used in cooking.
The oil contains the antioxidant
vitamin E and linoleic acid, which
has anti-inflammatory properties. A
recent study found that it improves
the elasticity of the skin of post-
menopausal women – making it look
wrinkle-free. This seems to work
whether it’s applied as a cream or
taken internally. It can also lower your
blood cholesterol.RATING
C
IS FOR
CHLORELLA
Chlorella pyrenoidosa is a single-celled
freshwater alga that has been explored
as a potential food source, because
it is high in protein and calories. As
a medical supplement though, the
benefits are much less convincing.
Several studies have looked in vain for
antioxidant, blood pressure lowering,
or weight loss effects. There is some
very limited evidence that it might
boost the immune system and reduce
the symptoms of fibromyalgia, but a
lot more research would be needed to
confirm these effects.RATING
D
IS FOR
DONG QUAI
Also known as ‘female ginseng’,
dong quai is a relative of the angelica
plant. It is sometimes prescribed by
practitioners of Traditional Chinese
Med ici ne for sy mptoms of menopause
or painful menstruation. Some research
has shown that it relaxes the muscles
of the uterus and opens capillaries,
but studies that looked for actual
therapeutic benefits in human patients
have generally found it is no better
than a placebo. And it may even be
dangerous in some circumstances,
since it’s been shown to interfere with
blood clotting.RATING
B
IS FOR
BEE POLLEN
Bee pollen is just ordinary flower
pollen that happens to have been
collected by bees. It’s a mixture of
sugar, protein and fat, which makes it
a fairly high-energy food source, but
that’s about it. The claims that it is
an effective treatment for cancer,
or that it can boost athletic
or sexual performance, is
not backed up by any hard
scientific data.RATING
It’s a myth that
pollen collected by
bees can treat cancer