Evening primrose (Oenothera) - source of seed oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)

Oenothera (Onagraceae) is a genus of about 157 species of herbaceous flowering plants native to the Americas. Common names include evening primrose (as its flowers open in the evening), suncups, and sundrops. Several Oenothera species are now naturalized in Europe. Oenothera biennis and Oenothera parviflora are among the species which are present in Poland.

Oenothera biennis seed oil (or evening primrose oil, EPO) is commonly used as a dietary supplement and as an intermediary product in cosmetics. On average, evening primrose oil contains 76% of linolenic acid (LA) and 8-10% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). It also contains vitamin E, zinc, selenium, magnesium and calcium. To preserve its properties, the oil must be extracted mechanically and stored in a cool and dark place.

Less-known dietary uses of Oenothera biennis include infusions from dried leaves or roots.

Poland is one of the largest producers of Oenothera seeds in the world (after China). However, conditions of cultivation and processing vary and so do the final parameters of the product.

Through stringent quality control, from seed choice, farmers training and supervision, cultivation, crops, processing and packaging to shipment, Pro-Organic P.S.A. guarantees that your product will be truly ecological and up to your expectations.

 

Sources

1.       Zbigniew Mirek and others, Vascular plants of Poland. An annotated checklist, Kraków: W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, 2020, s. 121-123, ISBN 978-83-62975-45-7.

2.       "Evening primrose oil". National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, US National Institutes of Health. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2023.

3.       “Wiesiołek – zastosowanie oraz właściwości lecznicze i kosmetyczne”, Bonavita.pl. Retrieved 21 September 2023.

4.       „Ekologiczna uprawa wiesiołka - właściwości, zastosowanie”, Małopolski Ośrodek Doradztwa Rolniczego z siedzibą w Karniowicach. Retrieved 21 September 2023.

5.       The picture of Oenothera biennis - courtesy of the Wikipedia