Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.)


Botanical characteristics

  • Botanical family: Arecaceae (palm trees)
  • Country of origin: India, Philippines
  • Distilled part: coconut pulp
  • Latin name: Cocos nucifera L.

Comedogenicity index: 4 (very comedogenic)

Properties

  • Nutritive
  • Perfuming
  • Repellent
  • Hair strengthening
  • Soothing, moisturising
  • Antioxidant
  • Antibacterial

Precautions

HOW TO USE

Cutaneous

Oral

AUTHORISED USERS

 Adults and adolescents

 Children under 6 years

 Pregnant and breastfeeding women

 Infants under 3 years old

STORAGE

Store preferably in a cool place, away from light and heat.

Nutritional benefits

In addition to its exquisite, sweet and exotic flavour, coconut oil has very interesting nutritional properties.

Composed of almost 65% medium-chain saturated fatty acids, this oil is a fabulous source of energy.

Thanks to their structure, medium-chain triglycerides are rapidly metabolised in the liver, making them more readily available to the body for energy.

This is why they are so popular with athletes, but also with people who want to stay in shape, because their rapid metabolism prevents them from being stored.

This is why it is sometimes referred to as a weight loss oil.

This oil is also beneficial in the context of certain pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease or diabetes.

By producing more ketone bodies than long-chain triglycerides, it helps to protect the brain and improve glucose tolerance.

Finally, lauric acid is known for its antiseptic properties, which is why it is sometimes used to treat certain infections (digestive, skin, oral).

In terms of use, virgin coconut oil has a very high smoke point of 177°C and is composed of stable saturated fatty acids, which makes it suitable for use as an edible oil.

The smoke point is the temperature at which an oil emits smoke, decomposes and denatures its fatty acids, thereby losing certain properties.

However, because of its high content of saturated fatty acids (87%), considered to be "bad fats", it's best to consume it in a balanced way, varying it with other types of oil.

In fact, saturated fats consumed in excess tend to promote the synthesis of bad cholesterol, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

So enjoy the good taste of coconut oil in your diet from time to time, but don't overdo it!

How to use: To add flavour to your coconut dishes, add a few drops of vegetable oil to your stir-fries, woks, exotic dishes, smoothies, salad dressings, pastries...

And for the biggest fans or the more vegan, you can replace the butter with a nut of coconut oil!

Indications