Coconut oil is used as an ingredient in vegan beauty products and all-natural beauty products such as lip balms, lotions, shaving creams, and makeup remover. It has a high content of saturated fat and medium-chain fatty acids that helps to bypass and metabolize the normal fat. Coconut oil has fatty acids maintains coagulation factors and prevents the chances of heart ailments by lowering the level of triglycerides and cholesterol. It possesses antioxidants such as pro-Vitamin A, Vitamin E, phytosterols, and polyphenols. It is used for cooking purposes due to the high burning point. This oil becomes solid at room temperature and is usually used for baking and to add a nutty vanilla-like flavor.

This oil is extracted from the coconut. The oil has a waxy and soft consistency and is malleable. It has components such as capric acid, lauric acid, antimicrobial lipids, caprylic acid, and saturated fat.

Coconut oil facts

Coconut oil helps to soothe skin due to its healing properties. The oil is extracted from the flesh of mature coconuts.

History

Coconut was firstly observed in the 5th century A.D. by Costas is an Egyptian traveler. The scholars believed it to be a coconut which he wrote about finding an Indian nut. In the 9th century, coconuts were used to make fibers in the market in China. In the year 1280, Marco Polo referred to coconuts as nux indica. The leaves of coconut are used to make baskets, meat for consumption, milk, and water to drink, shells to use as bowls, utensils, and musical instruments. Before the mass production of oils by companies and factories, people extracted oil on their own.

Types of Coconut Oil Consumption

1. Virgin Coconut Oil

Virgin coconut oil is the least processed, and best variety of coconut oil for your health. Is it made by taking desiccated (dehydrated) coconut meat of a mature coconut and extracting the oil? Since no heat processes are used, the beneficial antioxidants remain intact. Not only that, virgin coconut oil is the primary option if you’re looking for that potent coconut flavor.

Since this type of coconut oil is unrefined, it is a rather unstable product — it won’t have as long of a shelf life as other processed products. You’ll be able to tell it has gone bad due to a pungent odor and a change in color. Try to use your virgin coconut oil for cooking and cosmetics before it reaches this point.

2. Unrefined Coconut Oil

Raw or unrefined coconut oil is made from fresh, raw coconut meat. This oil is extracted through a wet mill or a quick-dry process.

Wet milling means the coconut meat is processed into coconut milk, which is quickly brought to boil, strained, and fermented. The milk is then separated from the oil through a centrifugal process.

Quick-drying means drying the coconut meat very quickly and then mechanically squeezing out the oil from it.

Since this oil is not subjected to high temperatures, it means much of its beneficial enzymes remain intact, and it retains its flavor. The process also does not involve bleaching or adding preservatives. It is clear when it liquid forms and milk-white when it solidifies.

3. Refined Coconut Oil

Unlike raw coconut oil, refined coconut oil is derived from dried coconut kernels, called “copra.” Oil produced from copra needs to be treated for contaminants produced by the desiccation process. This requires the oil to be subjected to high heat and be treated with preservatives and other additives.

The resulting oil is less flavorful than unrefined oil but has a higher burning point, which makes it excellent for cooking food at high heat. However, when buying coconut oil, make sure that the oil has been refined by using friction or centrifuge.

If the label indicates that preservatives like sodium hydroxide have been used in its processing, that product should be avoided.

4. Hydrogenated Coconut Oil

Sometimes, the refined coconut oil that we just discussed, is also partially hydrogenated. This means that the oil is subjected to high heat and high pressure, and has nickel and hydrogen molecules added. All of this processing is so that the coconut oil has a longer shelf life.

Hydrogenated coconut oil can remain in soil form at warmer temperatures, and is often used for making confectionery products. However, this is a lesser healthy option, and this processing encourages a large number of trans fats and saturated fat.

5. Organic Coconut Oil

When you see that coconut oil is of the organic variety, that indicates that the farm on which the coconuts are grown are done so without pesticides or the use of GMOs. This is a great product to invest in because it is a more natural product, and most of its nutritional value is maintained.

However, since coconuts are grown in very tropical and usually rather remote places, the likelihood that the coconuts are organically grown is rather high, but it won’t always be labeled as so. If it has been approved by the USDA as being organic, that’s when you can be sure.

6. Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil

Expeller-pressed coconut oil is derived from a mechanical extraction process but does not involve chemical or solvent extracts. Instead, the oil is extracted with high temperature and high pressure. Because of the intense heat, the fatty acids break down and strip away many of coconut oil’s nutritional benefits. It also has a lighter taste than raw or virgin oils and a higher smoke point which makes it a good choice for cooking.

7. Fractionated Coconut Oil

Fractionated coconut oil is produced from fractionation! This process involves separating different types of fats from coconut oil using gradually increasing temperatures. This is possible because fatty acids have different melting points. Fats with higher melting points like lauric acid (coconut stearin) are separated from the ones with lower melting points (coconut olein). The oil that turns liquid is called fractionated coconut oil.

However, it does not contain lauric acid, which has numerous antifungal, antibacterial, and antiseptic benefits. Hence, fractionated oil does not have all the health benefits associated with other kinds of coconut oil.

8. RBD Coconut Oil

RBD stands for refined, bleached, and deodorized coconut oil. Unfortunately, this is the worst possible type of coconut oil for health purposes. To get this highly processed oil, the coconut oil is subjected to a long series of purification and processing; the extracted crude oil is treated with alkali to remove fatty acids, then subjected to steam and vacuum to get rid of all flavors and odors. It is then filtered with carbon to remove the yellow color.

Even though RBD coconut oil is high in saturated fat and saturated fatty acids (which cause risk for heart disease), and it does not have a distinctive coconut taste, it has many fans and is used in the food and cosmetic industries due to its cheap price and long shelf life.

9. 100% Pure Coconut Oil

This terminology is quite misleading because 100% pure can be used to define two vastly different categories of coconut oils. The first is 100% pure-natural oil, which is subjected to minor treatments to retain purity in natural ways.

The second one is 100% pure-refined oil, which is not considered “pure” at all by the consumer market definition. That’s because the “purity” is achieved by processes like RBD, which amounts to stripping away beneficial fatty acids, flavors, odors, and colors.

If you want to buy 1005 pure coconut oil, make sure it is of the former variety and not the latter. However, natural coconut can lose its purity if it is not properly processed. The processors may leave free fatty acid content and high moisture in the oil which could make it unstable and unpalatable.

10. Homemade/ Native/Traditional Coconut Oil

As the name indicates, this coconut oil can be extracted at your home. It is yellow in color and has a very strong taste and aroma. This oil is obtained by boiling coconut milk until all the water content is evaporated. The oil left behind with some solid matter is the traditional coconut oil.

Nutritional value

One tablespoon serving size of Coconut oil provides 121 calories and 13.47 grams of total lipid fat while saturated fat has the majority role. It does not have protein, cholesterol, or carbohydrates. Coconut oil also has iron, vitamin K, and vitamin E and high content of phenolic compounds that are natural antioxidants. Coconut oil (unrefined) has a high content of phenolics. Antioxidants help to prevent the body from damage caused due to free radicals and toxins.

Proximity	Amount	% DV
Water	0.07 g	N/D
Energy	1945 Kcal	N/D
Energy	8131 kJ	N/D
Total Fat (lipid)	215.95 g	617.00%
Ash	0.07 g	N/D

Minerals	Amount	% DV
Calcium, Ca	2 mg	0.20%
Iron, Fe	0.11 mg	1.38%
Zinc, Zn	0.04 mg	0.36%

Vitamins	Amount	% DV
Water-soluble Vitamins
Choline	0.7 mg	0.13%
Fat-soluble Vitamins
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)	0.24 mg	1.60%
Tocopherol, beta	1.31 mg	N/D
Tocopherol, delta	0.39 mg	N/D
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)	1.3 µg	1.08%

Lipids	Amount	% DV
Fatty acids, total saturated	179.796 g	N/D
4:00	0.02 g	N/D
Caproic acid 6:00 (hexanoic acid)	1.04 g	N/D
Caprylic acid 8:00 (octanoic acid)	14.828 g	N/D
capric acid 10:00 (decanoic acid)	11.75 g	N/D
Lauric acid (dodecanoic acid) 12:00	91.211 g	N/D
Myristic acid  14:00(Tetradecanoic acid)	36.304 g	N/D
pentadecanoic acid (15:00)	0.033 g	N/D
Palmitic acid 16:00 (Hexadecanoic acid)	18.826 g	N/D
Margaric acid (heptadecanoic acid) 17:00	0.02 g	N/D
Stearic acid 18:00 (Octadecanoic acid)	5.485 g	N/D
Arachidic acid 20:00 (Eicosanoic acid)	0.166 g	N/D
Behenic acid (docosanoic acid) 22:00	0.041 g	N/D
Lignoceric acid (tetracosanoic acid) 24:00	0.068 g	N/D
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	13.804 g	N/D
Palmitoleic acid 16:1 (hexadecenoic acid)	0.035 g	N/D
16:1 c	0.035 g	N/D
Oleic acid 18:1 (octadecenoic acid)	13.677 g	N/D
18:1 c	13.632 g	N/D
18:1 t	0.046 g	N/D
Gadoleic acid 20:1 (eicosenoic acid)	0.089 g	N/D
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	3.71 g	N/D
Linoleic acid 18:2 (octadecadienoic acid)	3.669 g	N/D
18:2 n-6 c,c	3.654 g	N/D
18:2 t not further defined	0.015 g	N/D
Linolenic acid 18:3 (Octadecatrienoic acid)	0.041 g	N/D
Alpha-linolenic acid 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (Octadecatrienoic acid)	0.041 g	N/D
Fatty acids, total trans	0.061 g	N/D
Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic	0.046 g	N/D
Phytosterols	187 mg	N/D

*Above mentioned Percent Daily Values (%DVs) are based on 2,000 calorie diet intake. Daily values (DVs) may be different depending upon your daily calorie needs. Mentioned values are recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They are not rxharun.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average age of 19 to 50 years and weigh 194 lbs. Source: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ 

Health Benefits of Coconut oil

Coconut oil is used for hair care, skincare, treating yeast infections, weight loss, enhancing immunity, and improving digestion. This oil is used to prevent heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, blood pressure, and buildup of cholesterol. It is used to treat inflammation and kidney diseases. Coconut oil has medium-chain fatty acids. Some health benefits are discussed below:

1. Oral health

Coconut oil has the ability to counteract bacterial that are the cause of tooth decay. It acts as an antibiotic that is used in dental care products. It has antibacterial properties. It inhibits the growth of Streptococcus bacteria and Streptococcus mutans which is an acid-producing bacterium that causes tooth decay. (1)

2. Growth of fungus

Coconut oil effectively controls the growth of a fungus called Candida albicans in mice as shown by the study. The bloodstream could be infected due to the high presence of C.albicans in the gastrointestinal tract. It lowers the infections caused due to C.albicans. C.albicans could cause systemic infections that could lead to invasive candidiasis that causes infection of the blood. (2)

3. High blood pressure

Coconut oil has positive effects on health such as better brain function, fat loss, and various benefits. The intake of coconut oil, as well as exercise training, helps to restore baroreflex sensitivity and lowers oxidative stress that results in blood pressure. It lowers weight gain in rats. The blood pressure is lowered by the improvement of lowered baroreflex sensitivity and lower oxidative stress in the heart, serum, and aorta. (3)

4. Healthy skin

Coconut oil is used as a massage oil and is used as a moisturizer for all types of skin including dry skin. It does not have adverse side effects like mineral oil. This oil prevents flaking and dryness of the skin. It slows down the appearance of wrinkles as well as sagging of skin that are the common signs of aging. It is used to prevent degenerative diseases such as premature aging due to the presence of antioxidant properties. It treats the skin problems such as dermatitis, psoriasis, skin infections, and eczema. Dermatologists recommend this guide if you want to try out coconut oil for your skincare.

5. Hair health

Coconut oil is used for the growth of hair and provides shine to the hair. It lowers the protein loss that could result in unhealthy qualities of hair and unattractiveness. It could be applied as hair oil and used for dandruff relief creams and conditioners. It is typically applied for hair care. It provides nutrients and proteins to the hair that helps to nourish and heal damaged hair. It treats the hair damage caused due to hygral fatigue. Massage head with coconut oil to eliminate dandruff and dry scalp condition. It also eliminates hair from lice as well as its eggs.

6. Heart problems

Coconut oil has a high content of saturated fats that is beneficial for the maintenance of a healthy heart. It has 50% of lauric acid that prevents the chances of heart problems such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. This oil does not raise LDL levels and lowers the incidence of damage and injury to arteries and prevents the chances of atherosclerosis. The study shows that coconut oil helps to maintain healthy lipid profiles in premenopausal women. (4) (5)

7. Assist to lose weight

Coconut oil is helpful for losing weight due to the presence of short and medium-chain fatty acids. It lowers abdominal obesity in women. It supports the functions of the endocrine and thyroid system. Moreover, it increases the metabolism of the body by eliminating stress on the pancreas and burning more energy.

8. Enhance immunity

Coconut oil helps to strengthen the immune system as it possesses lauric acid, antimicrobial lipids, caprylic acid, and capric acid that possess antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. It helps to deal with bacteria and viruses that are the cause of diseases such as influenza, herpes, cytomegalovirus as well as HIV. It helps to counteract bacteria such as helicobacter pylori and Listeria monocytogenes as well as giardia lamblia giardia which are harmful protozoa.

9. Supports digestive health

Coconut oil supports the internal functions if used as cooking oil. It enhances digestive health and prevents digestion and stomach-related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. Coconut oil has saturated fats that possess antimicrobial properties and deal with fungi, bacteria, and parasites that are associated with indigestion. It prevents nutrient absorption such as minerals, vitamins, and amino acids.

10. Dental health

Calcium is vital for teeth health. Coconut oil facilitates calcium absorption and assists in the development of strong teeth. The research shows that coconut oil is very helpful in lowering the formation of plaque and plaque-induced gingivitis. (6)

11. Relieve inflammation

Candida is a disease that is caused due to the high growth of yeast named Candida Albicans in the stomach. This oil is used to provide relief from inflammation that is caused due to candida both internally and externally. It has a high retaining capacity of moisture that prevents the skin from peeling and cracking.

12. Prevent infections

The application of coconut oil to the infected areas prevents the infected body parts from the air, external dust, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It is helpful for bruises as it speeds up their healing process.

13. Treatment for cancer and HIV

Coconut oil is vital for lowering viral susceptibility for cancer and HIV patients. The research shows that coconut oil is able to lower the virus of HIV patients. This oil helps to eliminate bacteria that are the cause of throat infections, ulcers, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and gonorrhea. It helps to eliminate yeast and fungi that are the cause of athlete’s foot, ringworm, diaper rash, and thrush. (7) (8)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGY2uzJInFE

Traditional uses

• It supports weight loss, boosts memory as well as the immune system.
• It is used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
• It helps to treat skin problems such as psoriasis, acne, eczema, and rosacea.
• It enhances metabolism and increases body temperature.
• It is used to eliminate lice, dandruff and strengthen hair.
• It decreases the chances of heart ailments.
• It interacts with fungal infections both internally as well as externally.
• It prevents free radical damage and also prevents the chances of premature aging.
• It assists digestion.
• It rejuvenates skin and prevents wrinkles.
• It is used as a hair conditioner and helps to treat damaged hair.
• It is used to treat ringworm, Athletes foot, rashes, and chickenpox.
• It is a cure for earaches, bee stings, bruises, cracked heels, insect repellant, diaper rash, and cradle cap.
• It could be used in makeup remover, shaving cream, eye cream, deodorant, and hair conditioner.
• It is used to treat chronic fatigue, Chron’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, energy, thyroid conditions and enhance the immune system.
• Rub the mixture of coconut oil and eucalyptus oil to the chest that helps to open up airways and facilitate breathing. It helps to clear congestion and provides a good night’s sleep.
• Rub coconut oil on the stomach during and after pregnancy to lower stretch marks that occur due to compromising skin elasticity. It helps to eliminate discoloration, dark marks as well as redness. It hydrates the skin and assists in the healing process.
• Coconut oil lowers chronic inflammation and enhances the immune system.
• It is useful for dental cavities, food poisoning, ringworm, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, candida, ringworm, diaper rash, and athlete’s foot.
• It is used as the treatment for flu, measles, hepatitis C, and herpes.
• It is useful for hypertension patients.
• It provides relief from stress on enzyme systems and the pancreas.
• It lowers the symptoms related to pancreatitis.
• It also provides relief from chronic fatigue syndrome and lowers epileptic seizures.
• It prevents bladder infections and kidney problems.
• It is used to moisturize and provide relief from dry and itchy skin and is also used to remove makeup.
• For hair, it is used as a moisturizing treatment and deep conditioning.
• It enhances the absorption of vitamins and nutrients.

 Precautions

• Allergic people should avoid it.
• The daily intake of coconut oil increases the level of bad cholesterol.
• It may cause hypertension or high blood pressure.
• It might clog the arteries and could cause stroke, heart attack, and even death.
• It may be the cause of metabolic disorders.
• Allergic reactions such as breakouts, rashes, nausea, urticarial, itching, swelling, shortness of breath, and vomiting might be experienced.

An allergy to coconuts is rare; however, customers who are allergic to coconuts may experience contact allergic dermatitis to coconut products. Food allergies are due to the inability to digest proteins, such as gluten (found in wheat), casein (found in dairy), a protein found in tree nuts, etc. Coconut protein is found in the meat of the coconut, not in the oil. This product contains 100% Extra Virgin Coconut Oil only. No other ingredients are present that would not be suitable for use or consumption

Culinary uses    

• It is used for cooking and baking purposes as well as to add nutty and vanilla-like flavor to the foods.
• It could be added to food, smoothies, or supplements.
• It is used for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes.

Other Facts        

• Coconut oil has a high smoking point.
• It becomes solid at room temperature.
• This oil does not have cholesterol in it.

Nutiva Virgin Coconut Oil	Nutiva Refined Coconut Oil	Nutiva Liquid Coconut Oil	Nutiva Steam-Refined Avocado Oil	Nutiva Extra Virgin Avocado Oil	Nutiva Regeneratively Grown Coconut Oil
Flavor	Pure	Neutral	Pure	Neutral	Robust	Pure
Best For	Sautéing and baking	Sautéing and stir-frying	Sautéing, cooking, and baking	Grilling, sautéing, frying, and roasting	Sautéing, salads, and finishing oil	Sautéing, cooking, and baking
Smoke Point	Medium Heat, 350°F	Medium Heat, 400°F	Medium Heat, 350°F	High Heat, 500°F	Medium Heat, 375°F	Medium Heat, 350°F
Refinement	Cold-pressed and unrefined	Steam-refined, no chemicals used	Cold-pressed and unrefined	Steam-refined, no chemicals used	Cold-pressed and unrefined	Cold-pressed and unrefined
Keto-Friendly	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Whole30 Approved	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Organic	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Sustainably Sourced	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

References

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