Coconut Oil

Latin (Botanical) Name:   Cocos Nucifera

Plant Family:   Arecaceae

Common Extraction Method:  Cold press

Typically Used Plant Part:   Fruit

Color:   Clear

Aromatic Characteristic:   Coconut aroma

 

The first records of coconut date back to 1500 BC. It mentions its use in Ayurvedic medicine as a remedy for ailments of the mind, body, and spirit.

Coconuts are also mentioned in 9th century Chinese documents and in 1001 Nights about Sinbad the Sailor. The first coconut sighting probably belongs to an Egyptian traveler known as Kostas, who recorded in the 5th century AD the find of a "Indian Nut" that scholars believe to be Coconut.

Even British explorer Captain Cook spoke of the appeal of the communities that surround the Pacific Ocean and make heavy use of Coconut Oil.

Native Samoan healers, Central and South American healers, and Ayurvedic medicine practitioners have used coconut oil as a remedy to treat illness and heal wounds.

After being named "Nux indica" by Marco Polo in 1280, "Nargils" by Sir Francis Drake in the 1600s, and by numerous other names, the coconut took its present name by the Portuguese in the 1700s. Its name is derived from the 16th century Portuguese and Spanish word "coco" meaning "head" or "skull" because of the three indentations that resemble the placement of the eyes and nose on a human head.

Coconut is a type of palm that grows in tropical regions from the palm family and whose fruit is eaten. The height of its trees can exceed 20 meters. Coconut begins to bear fruit between the ages of 7-13. It gives products up to 60 years. Lives up to 90-100 years.

Coconut oil is obtained from the coconut fruit by cold pressing method. At temperatures above 24 °C, coconut oil appears as a clear liquid. In environments colder than 24 °C, coconut oil is in solid form and appears opaque and white.

It can be consumed in pieces in desserts and cake decorations, in the form of coconut milk for vegan nutrition and dessert making, and as a fruit in its natural state. However, although it has been included in the composition of products in the cosmetic industry for many years, the use of pure coconut oil alone has become very popular recently.

It consists of 80-90% saturated acids. The fleshy part of the coconut contains vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, E, K, vitamin C, iron and is a good source of fiber. It offers many benefits thanks to its rich fatty acids.

      KEY COMPONENTS / ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

• Lauric acid
• Myristic Acid
• Palmitic acid
• Caprylic acid
• Capric acid
• Oleic acid (Omega 9)
• Stearic acid
• Linoleic acid (Omega 6)

      BENEFITS

• Skin, lips and hair friendly:

 

• It helps improve your dental health:

Studies have shown that coconut oil works like a mouthwash thanks to its antimicrobial property, helping to destroy bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans that cause dental plaque, tooth decay and gum disease [5] [6].

 

• It supports bone health:

Animal studies have shown that the antioxidants in pure coconut oil help maintain bone health and improve bone structure by neutralizing free radicals that can damage bone cells [7] [8].

 

• Heart friendly:

The fatty acids in coconut oil help raise HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood and reduce the risk of heart disease [9] [10].

 

      WARNINGS

• Avoid contact with eyes, in case of contact rinse with plenty of water.
• Do not use the product if you have a known allergy to any of its ingredients.
• It is recommended that children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people using medication should consult their doctor before using coconut oil.

 

      ACADEMIC STUDIES

[1] A. L. C. Agero, V. M. Verallo-Rowell (2004). A randomized double-blind controlled trial comparing extra virgin coconut oil with mineral oil as a moisturizer for mild to moderate xerosis. Dermatitis, 2004 Sep;15(3):109-16.

[2] M. T. P. Evangelista, F. Abad-Casintahan, L. Lopez-Villafuerte (2013). The effect of topical virgin coconut oil on SCORAD index, transepidermal water loss, and skin capacitance in mild to moderate pediatric atopic dermatitis: a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial.  International Journal of Dermatology 2014, 53, 100–108.

[3] C. D. Kaur, S. Saraf (2010). In vitro sun protection factor determination of herbal oils used in cosmetics. Pharmacognosy Res. 2010 Jan-Feb; 2(1): 22–25.

[4] A. S. Rele, R. B. Mohile (2003). Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. J Cosmet Sci. Mar-Apr 2003;54(2):175-92.

[5] M. Kaushik, P. Reddy, R. Sharma, P. Udameshi, N. Mehra, A. Marwaha (2016). The Effect of Coconut Oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans Count in Saliva in Comparison with Chlorhexidine Mouthwash. J Contemp Dent Pract. 2016 Jan 1;17(1):38-41.

[6] F. C. Peedikayil, P. Sreenivasan, A. Narayanan (2015). Effect of coconut oil in plaque related gingivitis - A preliminary report. Niger Med J. Mar-Apr 2015;56(2):143-7.

[7] M. A. Abujazia, N. Muhammad, A. N. Shuid, I. N. Soelaiman (2012). The effects of virgin coconut oil on bone oxidative status in ovariectomised rat. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012 ; 2012 : 525079.

[8] Z. Hayatullina, N. Muhammad, N. Mohamed, I.N. Soelaiman (2012). Virgin coconut oil supplementation prevents bone loss in osteoporosis rat model. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012 ; 2012 : 237236.

[9] M. L. Assunção, H. S. Ferreira, A. F. Santos, C. R. Cabral, T. M. M. T. Florêncio (2009). Effects of dietary coconut oil on the biochemical and anthropometric profiles of women presenting abdominal obesity. Lipids, 2009 Jul;44(7):593-601.

[10] D. A. Cardoso, A. S. B. Moreira, G. M. M. Oliveira, R. R. Luiz, G. Rosa (2015). A coconut extra virgin oil-rich diet increases HDL cholesterol and decreases waist circumference and body mass in coronary artery disease patients. Nutr Hosp. 2015;32(5):2144-2152.