We took a closer look at the praised healing powers of coconut oil

Coconut oil is a vegetable oil that has long been used in South Asian countries and has seen rapid growth in popularity amongst Western countries in recent years. Why? Because there are so many desirable health benefits associated with coconut oil. 

​​Coconut oil contains the active compound monolaurin, which is a natural component of breastmilk that possesses antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial properties. The oil also has proven skin-barrier repairing properties and can reduce the symptoms of many skin conditions, including atopic dermatitis and acne.

Additionally, coconut oil has been linked to weight loss, the prevention or reduction of diseases like diabetes and cancer, and is known to have anti-inflammatory effects. 🥥🌿🥥

Contrary to coconut oil’s highly acclaimed health benefits, some voices advise against a (high) consumption of coconut oil due to its high levels of saturated fat. So, what’s the truth? Is coconut oil beneficial or harmful to our health and wellbeing? We looked at several scientific studies to clear up any confusion.

Let’s start with the most important aspect: Can coconut oil consumption lead to harmful consequences?

The short answer is No. You don’t need to worry. Even though coconut oil contains over 90% saturated fatty acids (SFAs) – which may lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD) – it is not harmful to us, especially when compared to animal fats. Coconut oil composition differs from animal fats and palm oil due to its unique chemical composition. Coconut oil has been shown to have no significant effect on the ‘bad cholesterol’ LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Therefore, you can consume it without concern.

It is important to maintain a balanced diet composed of mainly plant-based foods (eg. vegetables, fruit, legumes and nuts), and a smaller intake of fats and sugar.

What other benefits can coconut oil have on our health?

Now that we’ve established that coconut oil isn’t dangerous for your health, let’s take a closer look at its positive effects. One beneficial characteristic of coconut oil – especially virgin coconut oil – which has been proven through studies*, is its healing effect when it comes to inflammation. Several studies demonstrated that (virgin) coconut oil can balance our blood sugar levels and thereby reduce the onset and development of diabetes. Similarly, coconut oil has shown to be beneficial when it comes to fighting different kinds of cancer (eg. mammary, colon, liver, lung and oral cancer cells) as well as suppressing the undesired side effects of chemotherapy. 

Furthermore, coconut oil may inhibit hepatosteatosis (fatty liver disease) by supporting and rebuilding the liver. Another positive effect that has been confirmed by scientists is the healing impact of coconut oil when it comes to a number of viral and bacterial illnesses (e.g. cytomegalovirus, influenza virus, leukemia virus, hepatitis C virus, pseudomonas aeruginosa and bacillus subtilis).

As the research around coconut oil isn’t exhausted yet, there is still a need for long-term studies when it comes to some of these findings. However, it is highly visible that coconut oil has no risky impact on us but rather a natural ability to support our health and wellbeing.

What about coconut oil as a skin and hair treatment?

Coconut oil has been a popular natural skincare ingredient in Asian cultures for centuries. It can help our skin to recover from burns, wounds and infections by creating a protective barrier on the skin whilst allowing the skin to breathe and heal. Its rich, hydrating properties make coconut oil ideal for soothing dry and itchy skin, on the face and body. Finally, you can use coconut oil as pre and post-wash for your hair to prevent split ends and dryness, often caused by heated styling tools. 

So in conclusion, we can say that coconut oil is pretty amazing! ✨ Best of all, it comes straight from nature and is a nutritious addition to our skincare and haircare regimens. 

If you are looking for a plant-based cream which includes coconut oil and all its healthy qualities then take a look at our 🌱 all-natural Hero Balm in our online store.

Reference materials:

Deen, A., Visvanathan, R., Wickramarachchi, D., Marikkar, N., Nammi, S., Jayawardana, B. C., & Liyanage, R. (2021). Chemical composition and health benefits of coconut oil: an overview. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 101(6), 2182-2193.

Intahphuak, S., Khonsung, P., & Panthong, A. (2010). Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of virgin coconut oil. Pharmaceutical biology, 48(2), 151-157.

Korrapati, D., Jeyakumar, S. M., Putcha, U. K., Mendu, V. R., Ponday, L. R., Acharya, V., ... & Vajreswari, A. (2019). Coconut oil consumption improves fat-free mass, plasma HDL-cholesterol and insulin sensitivity in healthy men with normal BMI compared to peanut oil. Clinical Nutrition, 38(6), 2889-2899.

Nevin, K. G., & Rajamohan, T. (2010). Effect of topical application of virgin coconut oil on skin components and antioxidant status during dermal wound healing in young rats. Skin pharmacology and physiology, 23(6), 290-297.

Seleem, D.; Freitas-Blanco, V. S.; Noguti, J.; Zancope, B. R.; Pardi, V.; Murata, R. M. (2018). In Vivo Antifungal Activity of Monolaurin against Candida albicans Biofilms. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin, 41 (8), 1299-1302.

Silva, V. O.; Pereira, L. J.; Pasetto, S.; da Silva, M. P.; Meyers, J. C.; Murata, R. M. (2018). Effects of Monolaurin on Oral Microbe-Host Transcriptome and Metabolome. Frontiers in microbiology, 9, 2638.

Vaughn, A. R.; Clark, A. K.; Sivamani, R. K.; Shi, V. Y. (2018). Natural Oils for Skin-Barrier Repair: Ancient Compounds Now Backed by Modern Science. American journal of clinical dermatology, 19 (1), 103-117.