The 19th-century American humorist Josh Billings once said: “Advice is like castor oil, easy enough to give but dreadful uneasy to take.” Although “dreadful uneasy to take,” consumers seem to hold the colorless oil in high esteem.
But are the health claims about castor seed oil circulating on the internet true? Or is this a billion-dollar industry’s way of generating even more interest in its product?
Castor Oil’s Modern Therapeutic Relevance
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves castor oil as a stimulative laxative, meaning that officials recognize the benefits of application in cases of constipation and see value in the oil’s use in certain types of medical procedures; for example, during the preparation of the bowel before a colonoscopy.
Alexandra Roach
Author
Alexandra Roach is a board-certified holistic health practitioner, community herbalist, and master gardener. She studied sustainable food and farming and lives with her family on an off-grid permaculture homestead. Roach works as a journalist and author, and writes with a broad perspective on health, gardening, and lifestyle choices.
