Coconut oil is a fat consisting of about 90% saturated fat. The oil contains predominantly medium chain triglycerides,[1] with roughly 92% saturated fatty acids, 6% monounsaturated fatty acids, and 2% polyunsaturated fatty acids. Of the saturated fatty acids, coconut oil is primarily 44.6% lauric acid, 16.8% myristic acid and 8.2% palmitic acid, although it contains seven different saturated fatty acids in total. Its only monounsaturated fatty acid is oleic acid while its only polyunsaturated fatty acid is linoleic acid.[2] Unrefined coconut oil melts at 24-25°C (76°F) and smokes at 170°C (350°F),[3] while refined coconut oil has a higher smoke point of 232°C (450°F). Coconut oil has a long shelf life compared to other oils, lasting up to two years due to its high saturated fat content; saturated fats resist rancidity. Coconut oil is best stored in solid form—i.e., at temperatures lower than 24.5°C (76°F)—in order to extend shelf life. However, unlike most oils, coconut oil will not be damaged by warmer temperatures.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sep 26, 2007
Coconut oil
From a Nurse: Using Coconut Oil as an Effective Acne Treatment
By Helen Hecker
Sometimes one has to resort to alternative, natural, effective treatment methods to get the best cure or solution to their acne, zits and pimple problems.
And often it's a better choice, due to less exposure to drugs and chemical-laden acne products.
It should always be the first type of treatment to consider when you want to take the best care of your skin.
One of the best things I've found to heal acne is extra virgin coconut oil. It works better than acne creams, which are usually chemical-laden products, or acne medicines, whether for babies, teens or adults.
Make sure you're working on eliminating the cause of your acne, which we won't go into here.
Extra virgin coconut oil has helped many to help heal their acne. Ultimately, of course, the immune system and body do the healing if you were to do nothing, but coconut oil can speed up the process.
The coconut oil actually penetrates the skin and helps the body get rid of the impurities, and therefore acne, while the toxins are expelled from the skin. The skin should show improvement in a few weeks with continued application.
One teenager had used prescription medicines for three to four years for his acne and they didn't work. He tried coconut oil and it cleared up with just a few applications.
Some teens and adults find their acne actually worsens for a few days, which is actually the body getting rid of its impurities. Then it completely clears up. By continuing to apply the coconut oil, it helps prevent acne recurrences.
If you also have eczema it'll treat eczema too. And it's better than most eczema products on the market today. Often people find they have both eczema and acne.
You want to make sure you get the extra virgin type of coconut oil that is not refined, bleached or deodorized.
You can order it online. And whole food-type markets are now carrying more coconut oil, in pint and quart jars and especially the extra virgin coconut oil. Get the organic kind if you can.
Coconut oil has many benefits; it heals or cures many other skin conditions and skin disorders too, besides making the skin soft and smooth. I use it for everything including as a make-up remover and under my foundation.
My skin is always soft, silky, smooth, and free of rashes, bumps, blemishes, blisters, etc. It stops itching and flaking too.
Coconut oil is very inexpensive, therefore, a good, cheap home remedy. Keep it around to treat any other skin problem. It's actually healthy to eat too. It's a plant saturated fat, not an animal saturated fat.
I add two big tablespoons to my smoothies, to help my skin from the inside out, and have been doing so for many years.
Although we refer to it as coconut oil, it isn't actually oily until the temperature climbs above 77 degrees. It can be applied when it is oily or non-oily.
For an acne treatment, first apply the extra virgin coconut oil to a small test area. Try it on this test area for a few days.
Apply a thin layer of coconut oil and massage it deep into the skin. You can heat it if you like but you don't have to. Do this every morning. Depending on how severe the acne is, apply it three or four times a day or more and especially at bedtime.
Remember the complexion may get worse at first as the body gets rid of the impurities from the skin.
It's important to keep the area moist with coconut oil. You may have to soak a bandage with the oil and apply it loosely to your skin.
Also you can expose the area to direct sunlight for 20 minutes or so each day. You'll get your daily dose of vitamin D that way too.
Many have used coconut oil as a treatment to cure or heal their acne, including teens, adults and babies too.
It just takes motivation, a willingness to try it, and diligent application of coconut oil several times daily and at bedtime.
And you should be able to get rid of your acne, zits and pimples and their symptoms, providing you've removed the cause, so it doesn't reoccur. Continue using coconut oil and the benefits of good, clear skin, free of acne should be your reward.
For more information on coconut oil acne treatment and acne scar treatment, go to http://www.Best-Skin-Solutions.com Helen Hecker R.N.'s website specializing in acne, pimples and skin disorders with tips, advice and resources for adults, teens and babies, including information on best acne treatments
Coconut Oil Again Becomes Recognized
By Rita Lambros-Segur
Coconut oil, which had taken a backseat due to the aggressive campaign against saturated fats during the last 50 years or so, is now back in the limelight. This renewed interest in coconut oil has arisen because of the new revelations scientific research has made about its therapeutic properties and health benefits, busting some myths about the popularly used polyunsaturated vegetable oils.
We have been told all this while to abandon saturated fats like coconut oil, butter and margarine in favor of polyunsaturated fats like corn oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and the like. However, this has apparently turned out to be more of a mistaken belief or a marketing gimmick than plain truth.
And this is borne out by two key facts: (i) People who live in tropical islands consume coconut oil in a major way, yet do not seem to suffer from cardiovascular diseases attributed to saturated fats consumption; in fact, they appear to be enjoying better cardiovascular health than an average American. (ii) Most of the American population, which has been thriving predominantly on polyunsaturated oils for the past 50 years, has on the contrary shown only increase in conditions like obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cancers, and other age-related degenerative diseases.
What Makes Coconut Oil So Unique?
New scientific research indicates that coconut oil, though having 92% saturated fat content, is one of the healthiest oils. Being saturated makes it an extremely stable oil not susceptible to degeneration and rancidity, unlike the polyunsaturated vegetable oils, which readily get oxidized upon heating. Its health benefits stem mainly from its medium chain fatty acids, particularly lauric acid (the only other natural source of which is breast milk and to some extent butter).
Coconut oil has been shown to be associated with the following health benefits:
• It stimulates the thyroid gland and helps fight hypothyroidism, i.e., impaired thyroid function.
• It increases the metabolic rate due to improved thyroid activity and hence helps in weight loss and fight against obesity.
• Its stability factor lends it antioxidant properties, which help improve the cardiovascular health.
• It strengthens the immune system.
• It has anti-aging properties and lends youthful appearance and glow to the skin when consumed or applied topically. It also lends a healthy sheen to the hair when applied on the scalp.
• It has anticancer properties and has been found to protect against colon cancer.
• It has anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
These are some of the benefits of coconut oil. Apart from giving us this wonderful oil, the coconut fruit also gives us coconut water, coconut milk and coconut meat (the flesh), all of which come perfectly packaged by nature. And they all are extremely nourishing as well as delicious. Coconut water is the perfect natural health drink. The milk is generally used in curry preparations; the meat can be consumed as it is or used for making chutneys and sweet dishes.
If there is one food that can be considered as the new superfood of the 21st century, it's got to be coconut oil without doubt.
Learn more details on the benefits of coconut oil, milk and meat at: http://www.coconut-cures.com - Coconut Cures.
