What is coconut oil?
Coconut oil is a popular product often used for cooking and cleaning, and more recently seen in health and beauty products.
Coconut oil comes from pressing fresh or dried coconut meat or copra. It is made up of various fatty acids: linoleic acid, oleic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, and stearic acid (Boateng et al., 2016). Additionally, coconut oil contains minerals, vitamins, and plant sterols with a chemical structure that helps block the absorption of cholesterol in the body (Boston, 2018).
Benefits of coconut oil
- Eye makeup – add a few drops to a cotton ball to remove eye makeup and mascara
- Facial cleanser – use directly on the skin to dissolve dirt and makeup stuck in the pores
- Moisturizer – use it to moisturize dry skin
- Frizzy hair – use it to control frizzy hair
Potential Risks
Using coconut oil more than the intended use can increase cholesterol levels.
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-Written by Karen Manalac
Resources:
Boateng, L., Ansong, R., Owusu, W. B., & Steiner-Asiedu, M. (2016). Coconut oil and palm oil’s role in nutrition, health and national development: A review. Ghana Medical Journal, 50(3), 189–196. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5044790/
Boston, 677 Huntington Avenue & Ma 02115 +1495‑1000. (2018, July 24). Coconut oil. The Nutrition https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/coconut-oil/
Coconut oil: Not as healthy as you think. (2022, March 22). Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-coconut-oil-healthy-for-your-heart-or-not/
Neelakantan, N., Seah, J. Y. H., & van Dam, R. M. (2020). The effect of coconut oil consumption on cardiovascular risk factors. Circulation, 141(10), 803–814. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.043052
What are the benefits of coconut oil? (2016, November 16). El Camino Health. https://www.elcaminohealth.org/stay-healthy/blog/what-are-benefits-coconut-oil
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