While coconuts and coconut oil have been essential food staples for centuries, western civilization only just recently began exploring coconut oil for its health benefits. For example, some studies show that coconut oil can improve the moisture content of the skin. Thanks to coconut oil, people have been able to reduce symptoms of eczema and psoriasis with a simple, daily application of a coconut oil lotion or cream. (More on that later).
And that’s just one benefit. As scientists continue to study and experiment with coconut oil, more benefits are revealed. Currently, not only is coconut oil being used as a dietary additive and cooking oil, but the market for coconut oil as a topical remedy and skin aide is soaring. From dry skin relief to retaining healthy, youthful, and glowing skin to addressing severe skin conditions, coconut oil is helping millions of people improve their skin health.
But what about coconut oil makes it beneficial? Why is coconut oil good for you?
Coconut Oil – Nature’s Favorite Fat (And Yes, it’s the Good Kind of Fat)
We know coconut oil has lots of benefits. But why? What about coconut oil makes it useful for our health? According to an article on Healthline1, “Coconut oil is high in healthy saturated fats that have different effects than most other fats in your diet. These fats can boost fat burning and provide your body and brain with quick energy. They also raise the good HDL cholesterol in your blood, which is linked to reduced heart disease risk.”
And while coconut oil might be a relatively new health discovery in Western civilization, there is plenty of historical precedent from other parts of the world where coconuts have been boosting health for centuries. Again quoting Healthline, “In some parts of the world, coconut (loaded with coconut oil) is a dietary staple that people have thrived on for many generations. The best example of such a population is the Tokelauans, which live in the South Pacific. They used to eat over 60% of their calories from coconuts. When studied, they were found to be in excellent health, with very low rates of heart disease.”
So not only has coconut oil been in use for countless generations, but the research continues to indicate that this substance is highly beneficial for internal health and external, skin-related health.
Five Benefits of Coconut Oil
Entire dissertations have been written on the benefits of coconut oil. But for the sake of brevity, here are five quick benefits of this fantastic, all-natural health aide.
- In one study,2 coconut oil was found to be beneficial in reducing symptoms of dermatitis. Coconut oil was found to increase skin moisture retention, helping prevent dryness and itchiness.
- And in this study,3 coconut oil was found to help control and reduce symptoms of xerosis, a common skin condition. Xerosis is a dermal condition which includes itchy, dry, rough, scaly skin symptoms. The use of coconut oil products was able to reduce such symptoms.
- Another benefit of coconut oil is in its oral application. Called “oil pulling,” the use of coconut oil in the mouth has the advantages of killing harmful bacteria and improving dental health. Check out this study in the Indian Journal of Dental Research4 for more information.
- Some research also suggests that coconut oil benefits the hair and nails. People who use coconut oil for their skin will sometimes rub coconut oil products into their scalp and onto their nails. Hair and nails that have been treated with organic coconut oil maintain a shiny, lustrous appearance. One research article even says that coconut oil is the best natural nutrient5 for healthy hair.
- Another study6 cites coconut oil as having the ability to create a barrier on the skin. Such a barrier protects the skin from external forces, such as dry air, dusty conditions, etc. This barrier also prevents moisture from leaving the skin, keeping the skin adequately hydrated. Furthermore, coconut oil has an anti-inflammatory effect, according to the same study.
Keep in mind that the use of coconut oil as an organic face moisturizer and general skincare supplement is relatively new. We don’t know everything there is to know about the benefits of this fascinating, natural substance. What else can organic coconut oil do? Or maybe a better question to ask is, what can’t it do?
Organic Coconut Oil and the Avera Organics Face & Body Cream
If you’ve been looking for a face moisturizer that has added health benefits, we recommend trying out our Avera Organics Face & Body Cream. This face cream is a combination of several essential ingredients. We included a medley of nutrients into one skincare product, a cream which makes for an excellent eczema cream and an all-organic face moisturizer.
While our Face & Body Cream is supplemented with organic coconut oil, that is by far not the only essential ingredient. Each jar also contains:
- Organic Aloe
- Organic Sunflower Oil
- Organic Jojoba Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Shea Butter
- Tamaru Oil
- Beeswax
- Kukui Nut Oil
- Organic Green Tea
- Borage Oil
- Macadamia Nut Oil
- Vitamin B5
- Vitamin E
- Organic Passionflower
- Flax Seed Oil
- Organic Calendula
- Wild Geranium
Are you interested in a natural face moisturizer that also acts as a healing, soothing, dry skin-relieving body cream? Order your first jar of Face & Body Cream today. And if you have any questions, feel free to contact us!
Sources:
1 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil#section1
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24320105
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15724344
4 http://www.ijdr.in/article.asp?issn=0970-9290;year=2009;volume=20;issue=1;spage=47;epage=51;aulast=Asokan
5 https://xpnworld.com/en/8-benefits-of-organic-coconut-oil/
6 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28564614