| Soap nuts are a fruit. It is their remarkable ability | | | | also, they will not be of the quality of a fully |
| to produce a natural soap that makes them so | | | | mature soap nut. Given drying and shipping times, |
| special - an ideal natural detergent and cleaner. As | | | | look for the best quality newly harvested soap |
| a consumer, you receive them as simply the | | | | nuts to begin showing up in the US in late |
| dried fruits with their seeds removed (usually). | | | | December and January. Properly stored soap nuts |
| However, as an apple is not just an apple, or a | | | | from last years harvest will be the better choice. |
| grape is not just a grape, a soap nut is not just a | | | | If the soap nuts are very dark, gummy and |
| soap nut. Do you think a vineyard cares about | | | | sticky (as is often the case at this time), they |
| the type and quality of the grapes they grow? | | | | have not been stored properly. NaturOli is the only |
| You bet - big time. If all is not right, a year's | | | | company I know of that does a final sort before |
| harvest could become worthless. Now, the grape | | | | packaging for retail. Hence look there for the best |
| is probably the most extreme example I can | | | | quality - regardless of time of year. |
| think of to make my point. Such is the beauty of | | | | Thirdly, the results of inexperience: Most sellers of |
| extremes - the fundamentals are made easy to | | | | soap nuts know little more than the average user. |
| understand. It's such fundamentals that we are | | | | Soap nuts are so new to the US and western |
| going to apply to soap nuts. The purpose of this | | | | hemisphere in general, that many sellers are selling |
| article is to simply provide some basics about | | | | only due to the fact that there is a market. |
| soap nuts that may lead to even better | | | | Whenever there is a market, there will be sellers |
| experiences, and also to assist you in becoming a | | | | (and of course buyers). It is a caveat emptor |
| more informed consumer. | | | | (buyer beware) scenario. The quality of product |
| Firstly, the type, variety and strain: As with | | | | the buyer receives is largely a function of the |
| grapes, they run from a to z. A vineyard is | | | | questions the buyers ask. Therefore, ASK |
| extremely particular regarding the grapes they | | | | QUESTIONS. Ask about the species, quality, |
| grow. Different grapes will produce different | | | | condition, color and size. Don't get too hung up on |
| wines. With soap nuts, we don't need to go to | | | | age. The shelf life of soap nuts is very long if |
| that extreme for one reason: There is no culinary | | | | properly stored and maintained. ASK. If you don't |
| aspect to deal with. The value of a soap nut | | | | get good answers, look for another seller. Above |
| distills (pun intended) down to one thing - saponin. | | | | all, be cautious of cheap prices. Improperly stored |
| 100% pure saponin (other than the extraction | | | | soap nuts are getting bad at this time. Sellers will |
| process) has no variables. It is what it is. It is the | | | | "fire sale" them. You typically get what you pay |
| concentration of saponin that we must concern | | | | for. |
| ourselves with. From species to species in the | | | | Lastly, bottom of the barrel hunting. The two |
| Sapindus tree family that grows across the globe, | | | | main varieties that are being sold in the US are |
| the soap nuts vary greatly. Without going into the | | | | Sapindus Mukorossi and Sapindus Trifoliatus. Both |
| many, many varieties in detail (that's another long | | | | grow in relatively close proximity, particularly in |
| article), the fact is that the mukorossi variety | | | | India. The trifoliatus variety is smaller and less |
| contains the most consistently high concentration | | | | effective. They are not as highly valued. Mixing |
| of saponin. Hence, it is the most prized and | | | | the varieties is a very common practice among |
| highest valued. The Florida soapberry for example | | | | harvesters and exporters. Not even those that |
| is a soap nut, but it simply doesn't work as well | | | | are very familiar with soap nuts can immediately |
| because its saponin concentration pales by | | | | identify the difference. NOTE: A large amount of |
| comparison. Hence it is not the same as others. | | | | soap nuts are pre-packaged overseas for retail in |
| So far, easy, right? | | | | the US to save on labor costs. (That note is |
| Secondly, the harvest and back to grapes: The | | | | worthy of its own article, so I will drop it here.) |
| growers are very precise as to when they | | | | Hence, not even the US and Canadian sellers can |
| harvest. The grapes are checked daily. Only at | | | | inspect them carefully. Again, NaturOli, is an |
| their optimal point, depending on what the grower | | | | exception. Soap nuts shipped by NaturOli have |
| wants, are they harvested. Even a day can make | | | | been hand inspected within only weeks of order. |
| a difference. Given that this is November, it is the | | | | Only the best quality is chosen for "select" grade |
| perfect time of year to address this issue. To | | | | quality. NaturOli uses all the less than "select" |
| keep focus I will refer strictly to mukorossi | | | | quality shells for saponin extraction. Therefore no |
| harvests, albeit the fundaments are the same for | | | | soap nuts go to waste - another green effort in |
| all. | | | | the NaturOli business model. |
| At this time of year the soapberry is maturing on | | | | So, the bottom line: You need not be a |
| the trees. From area to area and affected by the | | | | connoisseur (as a wine master) to find quality |
| years weather in the area, we will find soap nuts | | | | soap nuts. The very simple, and even common |
| at various stages in their development. We are | | | | sense, knowledge shared above should help you |
| dealing with both wild and plantation grown soap | | | | to make better decisions. Be you a newbie or |
| nuts. Last years harvest of soap nuts has | | | | veteran to soap nuts, you want a good |
| become very dark and the shells have shrunk in | | | | experience - and the most value for your money. |
| size. Only if stored properly will they still be dry | | | | Reliable quality and saponin content will ultimately |
| (nut gummy or sticky). The new harvest is of | | | | lead to increased affordability. You will never again |
| highest demand and value. However, in the rush | | | | need to rewash a load, or use more soap nuts |
| to bring newly harvested soap nuts to the | | | | than required. A little knowledge goes a long way. |
| market, many soap nuts are prematurely | | | | Understanding that soap nuts are Mother Nature's |
| harvested. When prematurely harvested, soap | | | | fruits - not lab produced products - is the |
| nuts will be a golden to yellow color, but also they | | | | imperative. If you think of soap nuts as a fruit - |
| will be small (often in the 2cm range as compared | | | | be it a grape, cherry, apple or orange - you are |
| to a mature soapberry at 4cm or larger). A | | | | half way to being a better soap nut consumer. |
| mature soap nut will have reached its peak in | | | | Nature's fundamentals are at least consistent: |
| saponin content - the most important factor. | | | | There are very few "always" in nature’s |
| Hence, not only are the prematurely harvested | | | | ways. The only "always" is our need to use our |
| soap nuts wasteful in that another six weeks | | | | heads and think. |
| could produce a much higher quality soap nut. But | | | | Good luck and happy washing! |