Corozo [Attalea cohune] Nuts and Oil

Corozo palms produce large bunches of nuts that hang among their enormous fonds in the configuration typical to palm trees. An individual mature tree produces 2–4 bunches of nuts. Each bunch is large, up to 5 feet in length and weighing up to 40 kilograms.

Corozo palm with two mature bunches of nuts. Izabal, Guatemala. Image by Jingwen Sun

Corozo palms set fruit once a year, over a period of a few months. Once an inflorescence has been fertilized, the nuts require several months to reach maturity. At maturity the individual nuts have grown large enough such that they are tightly packed together around their central stem and their color changes to a lighter greenish-brown with a light colored circle on the distal edge.

Single mature bunch of Corozo nuts. Izabal, Guatemala. Image by Jingwen Sun

Individual Corozo nuts are oblong in shape, 3–4 inches long and 2–3 inches in diameter. The shell is quite durable, composed of a fibrous outer layer, and a hard, rigid shell. These shells do such a good job at protecting the inner kernel that nuts can be stored for long periods of time with almost no risk of spoilage.

un-cracked Corozo nuts. Izabal, Guatemala. Image by Jingwen Sun

The inner kernel of the Corozo nut is bright white and rich in smooth luxurious oil. The kernels are are crunchy in texture, and covered by a thin brown mesocarp that is easily peeled away. The kernels can be consumed as a calorie rich food, but do not possess any definable taste.

cracked Corozo nut showing inner kernel with oil visible on surface. Izabal, Guatemala. Image by Jingwen Sun.

Corozo oil is near completely colorless and odorless, making it versatile in its application in cosmetics and personal care products. It is principally composed of short chain, saturated fatty acids meaning that it is less greasy than many other natural oils, but remains liquid down to relatively low temperatures. Corozo oil also contains a wide range of antioxidants and other secondary phyto-compounds that produce various functional properties that are effective for improving the condition of skin and hair.

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