Being a native of Kerala (A south-indian state) & forty years of our clinical practice is a testimonial of benefits of these two oils (Coconut & Olive oil). Nothing in this world can be compared to the goodness of these two oils in Skin & Hair Care. The modern medical world has started recognizing these facts in many of their recent research publication. But, how do we get benefit out of it? The trick lies in the form & method of using the two oils.

Benefit: First of all let us try to understand the benefits of these two oils.

Skin Care:

Coconut oil & Olive oil is being used by humans for centuries in personal care. It is a great skin moisturizer, in part because it contains linoleic acid, a compound not made by the body, but which prevents water from evaporating.

Research on Olive Oil and Skin Health:

• According to Leslie Baumann, M.D., author of The Skin Type Solution, consuming olives and olive oil can promote healthy skin, as can applying it directly as a moisturizer.
• According to Baumann, olive oil also contains at least four different antioxidants, which can help “neutralize damaging free radicals that can lead to skin aging and skin cancer.” Baumann writes that in studies mice that drank extra virgin olive oil developed less skin cancer after exposure to UV light.
• According to nambison’s oral consumption of olive oil (virgin or extra virgin) can protect you against sagging of skin, signs of aging, hasten healing of lesions of skin & also help in preventing as well as treating skin cancers, attributed to its anti-oxidant property.

Research on Coconut Oil and Skin Health:

• Study at Skin and Cancer Foundation, Philippines revealed that Virgin Coconut and Olive Oils are Anti-bacterial, Anti-fungal, and Anti-viral and has Emollient/moisturizing Effects in skin diseases.^[1]
• In 2009 a study was conducted in the Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego and published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. The title is Antimicrobial property of lauric acid against Propionibacterium acnes: its therapeutic potential for inflammatory acne vulgaris.^[2]
• According to nambison’s local application of coconut oil (virgin or extra virgin) is the best method of deriving benefits of coconut oil.

Coconut oil is an excellent massage oil for the skin. It acts as a moisturizer on skin, therefore a boon for dry skin. Coconut oil is a safe solution for preventing & curing roughness, dryness and peeling of skin.

It also delays the appearance of wrinkles and sagging of skin which normally accompany aging.

Coconut oil also helps in preventing premature aging and degenerative diseases due to its well-known antioxidant properties.

Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including acne, psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections.

What is so magical inside coconut oil?

More than 90% of coconut oil consists of saturated fats, along with traces of few unsaturated fatty acids, such as monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids and Vitamin-E, vitamin K and minerals such as Iron.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids: Linoleic acid. (Moisturizer)

Monounsaturated fatty acids: Oleic acid.

Poly-phenols: Coconut contains Gallic acid, also known as phenolic acid.

Saturated fatty acids: Mostly medium chain triglycerides, which assimilate well in the body. Lauric acid 40% (the killer) of total, followed by capric acid, caprylic acid, myristic acid and palmitic.

Lauric acid in Coconut oil is the warrior:

Lauric acid was first found in palm oil by Prof. Dr John J Kabara, from the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacology, Michigan State University, America in the 1960s.

Virgin coconut oil is useful as antiviral, antibacterial, antiprotozoa, and antiparasitic. Because of its property to kill them, harmful micro-organisms that have cell walls composed of lipids, their cell walls are penetrated by monolaurin (our body converts lauric acid into monolaurin) that sucks out the liquid inside the cell. Cell shrinkage ensures death of micro-organisms. This mechanism is only applied to bad microorganisms and keep the good one.

Vegetable oils (corn, soybean, sunflower and canola) do not contain antimicrobial activity altogether.

What is virgin oil?

Virgin in other word is first press. The pure oil pressed out directly from coconut olive. But, what we get in the market is refined or processed oil mostly through RBD. RBD stands for refined, bleached, and deodorized. High heat is used to deodorize the oil, and the oil is typically filtered through (bleaching) clays to remove impurities. Sodium hydroxide is generally used to remove free fatty acids and prolong shelf life.

• How to make virgin coconut oil at home?
• How to make virgin olive oil at home?

References

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