Properties of Coconut Oil

Also known as coconut butter, coconut oil is a vegetable oil that is a fatty substance, containing around 90% saturated acids when extracted from the pulp or flesh of coconuts. Consequently, it boasts a high saturated fat content. Due to the properties of coconut oil, it holds multiple benefits for humans, both in terms of cosmetics and health.

Before deciding on which coconut oil to choose, we should consider those that are completely virgin and natural, without any added processing. It’s always better to opt for those derived from organically treated and cultivated coconuts, without the use of chemicals.

 

Properties of Coconut Oil

The elevated levels of saturated fats make it slow to oxidize, ensuring a shelf life of approximately 6 months without deterioration. Additionally, let’s specify the properties of coconut oil.

 

1. Antibacterial Properties: Currently, there is ongoing debate about the antibacterial properties of coconut oil to prevent acne, improve skin infections, and address skin issues.

 

2. Antioxidant Properties: Coconut oil is an antioxidant-rich substance, helping to delay or mitigate the aging of our skin and body. It acts as an anti-aging agent, reducing the risk of degenerative diseases by combating the assault of free radicals.

 

3. Moisturizing Properties: One of the most prominent characteristics of coconut oil is its saturated fat content, which is also healthy fat. This gives it a significant capacity to hydrate our skin, enhancing the protective barrier and flexibility, shielding us from external agents that can cause harm.

 

4. Anti-inflammatory Properties: Coconut oil is one of the primary sources of lauric acid, constituting 50% of its composition. This makes it useful for soothing skin inflammations.

 

5. Nutritive Properties: This vegetable oil is often used in cooking as it contains nutrients such as the mentioned lauric acid, caprylic acid, or palmitic acid. All of these are saturated fats with a high calorie content that are easily absorbed.

 

Benefits of Coconut Oil

The benefits of coconut oil are manifold, thanks to the properties it contains. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, we can talk about both cosmetic and medicinal benefits to improve people’s health. Thus, coconut oil benefits us in:

 

• Cardiovascular Care: It helps increase levels of good cholesterol (HDL), directly impacting heart health.
• Fat Elimination: It aids metabolism by using energy more efficiently, making it a good remedy for weight loss.
• Brain Health: Coconut oil provides significant amounts of ketones, a chemical compound that supports memory.
• Dental Health: Due to its antibacterial properties, it reduces the presence of cavities and dental plaque. It can also eliminate bacteria responsible for bad breath.
• Skin and Hair Care: These benefits come in the form of cosmetics, such as shampoo, creams, or exfoliants, helping with eczema, psoriasis, burns, or wounds for the skin. For hair, it adds shine, protection, and reduces protein loss.

Regarding health-related benefits, it’s always advisable to consult a doctor beforehand to study each case individually and avoid problems.

 

Contraindications of Coconut Oil

 Despite its use in both cooking and cosmetics, it’s essential to consider that, like any product, coconut oil has some contraindications. Therefore, the contraindications of coconut oil are:

 

• People with Cardiovascular Pathologies: Excessive consumption of saturated fats, although helpful, can be detrimental, potentially leading to strokes or heart attacks.
• People with LDL Cholesterol: It’s not recommended to consume coconut oil if LDL cholesterol levels are high, even though it helps with good HDL cholesterol. Uncontrolled consumption can harm bad cholesterol levels.
• People with Indigestion: For those with sensitive stomachs, consuming coconut oil, being heavy, may not be a good idea.
• People with Crohn’s Disease: It can cause irritation of the intestinal mucosa and trigger diarrhea or cramps.
• People with Hypertension: Due to its saturated fats, coconut oil raises blood pressure.
• People with Diabetes: Excessive consumption can lead to excessive sugar production.
• People with Skin Allergies: It’s important to remember that coconut oil comes from a fruit, so it could trigger an adverse reaction.

How to Make Homemade Coconut Oil

 The versatility of coconut oil is one of its most appealing features. If you want to care for both your physical appearance and health and find out how to make homemade coconut oil, we have the answer. Keep in mind that coconut oil comes from coconut milk, so the first step is to extract it.

 

1. Take a fresh coconut and create three holes to extract and pour the liquid. Then, split the coconut in half and extract the pulp.
2. Once you’ve extracted the pulp, grate it and wrap it in a fine cotton cloth.
3. Squeeze the grated coconut pulp until you get coconut milk. Place a container below to catch every drop.
4. Mix everything, add the extracted coconut milk to the first container with the liquid (coconut water) you obtained at the beginning.
5. In a pan, boil the entire content. This will cause the water to evaporate, and the milk will thicken.
6. Once the nutrients start to granulate, you’ll see them separate from the coconut oil. You’ll need to strain the liquid with a colander. Once done, you’ll have your coconut oil.
7. If you want the oil to be more solid, let it rest for 3 or 4 hours in the refrigerator. If you want it to last longer, you can add a few drops of vitamin E.