Coconut oil has long established itself as an indispensable tool in skin and hair care. Its beneficial effect is recognized by all cosmetologists. Suffice it to say that it is used in Ayurveda - Indian medicinal medicine. One of the main components of this miracle cure is lauric acid, which gives it most of the healing properties.
Scope of lauric acid
Lauric acid got its name from laurel oil, which includes. It is also found in palm kernel and coconut oil, as well as in milk and lamb fat. In a small amount, palm and camelina oil also includes lauric acid. The use of this substance is very wide. It is used in the manufacture of animal feed, food, candles and even car tires. In cosmetics, the product is valued for its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, as it negatively affects fungi, bacteria, yeast and other pathogenic organisms. Lauric acid is the main component in breast milk that strengthens the baby's immunity. In cleansers, it promotes abundant foaming and is often part of liquid soap.
Pharmaceutical Application
Due to its property of stimulating the antibacterial effect of antibiotics in the intestine, this substance is a part of drugs for the treatment of acute intestinal diseases. It also has a pronounced immuno-strengthening effect, especially in interaction with bacterial antigens.
Lauric acid is part of many drugs that help fight diabetes, high blood pressure, HIV and even cancer. Monolaurin is available as a safe dietary supplement by many pharmaceutical companies. Studies have shown that this substance can, among other things, be used as a mild antidepressant.
Lauric acid in cosmetology
In skin care products, lauric or dodecanoic acid can often be found. Its Latin name is lauric acid. Due to its natural origin (it is produced by the sebaceous glands of a person), its effect is calmly perceived by the skin. The product has a drying effect. Moreover, recent studies by American scientists have shown that lauric acid can help combat a common problem like acne. The delivery of drugs with a high content of this substance directly to the bacteria several times increases the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents. In addition, the likelihood of side effects, due to the proximity of the composition of the pH of the skin, is minimized.
Lauric acid also has a rejuvenating, firming effect, helps to slow down the aging process of the skin. It makes it smooth and velvety, gives a healthy glow and well-groomed appearance.
Beneficial features
Coconut oil is the main source from which lauric acid enters our body. The properties of the substance are such that even a small amount of this product has a positive effect on the ratio of “good” and “bad” cholesterol in the blood, and this, as you know, is the main condition for the healthy functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Lauric acid belongs to the group of triglycerides, which are converted into energy without residue, contributing to an increase in muscle endurance. Many people who are overweight consume coconut oil, as it is easily digested and helps burn fat. Thanks to the regenerative property, it helps the speedy healing of wounds and cracks in the skin.
Lauric acid in cooking
The best way to cook fish steak is to fry it in coconut oil. Many nutritionists recommend using this fat all the time for cooking, as it helps to reduce the time taken to process the products, and therefore to preserve their beneficial properties. From a bar of chocolate, which includes coconut oil, you will receive antioxidants that are important for health, and the next time you go to the cinema and take a bucket of obedience, know that it is also prepared with this oil.
Often, picking up another unknown jar of cream or baby food, we carefully frown with brows, trying to decipher the composition of this product. Fragmentary and contradictory information subtracted from the World Wide Web begins to flash in our head. Frighteningly unfamiliar Latin characters can provoke us to bring the jar back to the shelf. All kinds of acids, denoted by the word acid, cause a special distrust. However, despite its clearly chemical name, lauric acid does not have any harmful effect on the skin or on the internal organs of a person. Feel free to use products with its content.