Coconut oil is an important industrial oil extracted from the kernels or meat of mature coconuts harvested from the coconut palm (cocos nucifera). It has been referred to as the tree of life because of its many uses. Refined coconut oil is a triglyceride oil that is an important import source of saturated fatty acids commonly used in making personal care-ingredients. It contains the highest concentration of saturated fatty acids of any common vegetable oil—93 percent. These saturated fatty acids include caprylic (7 percent), decanoic (5 percent), lauric (47 percent), myristic (21 percent), palmitic (10 percent) and stearic (3% percent).
Coconut fatty acids used in making personal-care ingredients normally use a regular grade, containing all of the short- and long-chain saturated fatty acids, and a stripped grade, containing only lauric, myristic, palmitic and stearic fatty acids. Because of its high saturated fat content, coconut oil is also quite stable and can last up to six months at 24°C without spoiling.
Most grades of coconut oil are usually made from copra, dried coconut kernel, which is placed in a hydraulic press with added heat to extract the oil. This typically yields more than 60 percent oil by dry weight. Some coconut oil processors also use solvents such as hexane to increase their yield. They then refine the oil to remove certain free fatty acids that make the oil susceptible to oxidation. A thousand mature coconuts weighing approximately 1,440 kilograms yield around 70 liters of coconut oil1.
Organic virgin coconut oil is a white to slightly yellow solid with the melting point of 25°C. Other types used in personal care are refined, bleached and deodorized grades. Other commercially available forms include coconut milk and coconut water. Coconut milk is an oil-in-water emulsion made by grating the white inner flesh of the nut and mixing it with a small amount of water to suspend the fat present. Emulsifiers and stabilizers are added to promote good shelf-life. It can also be made by emulsifying the pure oil directly into water. Milks typically contain 20 to 22 percent oil (thick form) or 5 to 7 percent oil (thin form)2. Coconut milk also is reported to contain zeatin, a plant hormone claimed to be effective at treating aged skin.
Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young green coconuts and is comprised of 95 percent water, 4 percent carbohydrates and protein, and a total oil content under 1 percent.
Coconut oil has traditionally been used as a folkloric treatment for cancer, diabetes, diarrhea, dry skin and hair, and psoriasis. Coconut oil is also used as an antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agent for the treatment of dermal infections3. Numerous studies have demonstrated the antimicrobial properties of coconut oil, which are believed to be due to the presence of medium-chain triglycerides of lauric acid and capric acid. These glycerides can be hydrolyzed into the active monoglyceride or fatty-acid forms when taken internally or topically applied to the skin or scalp.
Previous studies have shown that lauric acid and capric acid were active against all gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and candida albicans. Compared to glyceride derivatives, the free-acid form of lauricoflauric acid had the highest bacteriostatic activity5. Another study using a 5 percent coconut oil carbomer gel demonstrated good in vitro antimicrobial activity against a broad variety of microorganisms6. Activity against propionibacterium acnes and candida albicans suggests coconut oil could be helpful in treating acne and dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis.
Historically, coconut oil has been used as a hair dressing in developing tropical countries. In a published study, coconut oil was shown to reduce hair damage when it is used as a pre-wash conditioner and improve the appearance of bleached, damaged hair7. It was also shown to outperform sunflower oil and mineral oil and was the only oil that reduced protein loss due to excessive brushing and combing8.
References
- Coconut Oil. c2016. San Francisco (CA):Wikipedia; [updated 2016 May 29]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_oil
- Coconut Milk. c2016. San Francisco (CA):Wikipedia; [updated 2016 May 29]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk
- 5 Best Uses of Coconut Oil for Hair. c2016. Nashville (TN): Dr. Axe; [accessed 2016 Jun 13]. http://draxe.com/coconut-oil-for-hair/
- Elmore LK, Nance G, Singleton S, Lorenz L. Treatment of Dermal Infections With Topical Coconut Oil. Natural Medicine Journal, May 2014; 6 (5)
- Kabara JJ, Swieczkowski DM, Conley AJ, Truant JP. Fatty acids and derivatives as antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 1972;2(1):23-28.
- Sheshala R, Ying LT, Hui LS, Barua A, Dua K. Development and Antimicrobial Potential of Topical Formulations Containing Cocos Nucifera Linn. Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry. 2013; 12(3): 253-64.
- Rele AS, Mohile RB Effect of Coconut Oil on Prevention of Hair Damage Part I. Journal of Cosmetic Science. Nov/Dec 1999;, 50: 327-339.
Rele AS, Mohile RB. Effect of Mineral Oil, Sunflower Oil, and Coconut Oil on prevention of Hair Damage. Journal of Cosmetic Science. Mar/Apr 2003; 54: 175-192.
Sponsored Products |
GlucoTain® Flex by Clariant – GlucoTain® Flex is a versatile solution offering freedom when formulating. With its medium creamy foam, it leaves a smooth, nourished after feel and provides excellent color protection. |
GlucoTain® Plus by Clariant – GlucoTain® Plus is a mild surfactant with a excellent cleansing and wetting ability. When used as a surfactant it is especially suitable for formulations featuring light and abundant foam such as refreshing, vitalizing showers, hand washes, men showers and 2-in-1 shower & hair products. |
The views, opinions and technical analyses presented here are those of the author or advertiser, and are not necessarily those of ULProspector.com or UL Solutions. The appearance of this content in the UL Prospector Knowledge Center does not constitute an endorsement by UL Solutions or its affiliates.
All content is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior authorization from UL Solutions or the content author.
The content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. While the editors of this site may verify the accuracy of its content from time to time, we assume no responsibility for errors made by the author, editorial staff or any other contributor.
UL Solutions does not make any representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness or completeness of the content. UL Solutions does not warrant the performance, effectiveness or applicability of sites listed or linked to in any content.
wonderful article !
Nice article..just one thing though: Coconut oil is rich in medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) not MCT (medium chain tryglyceride). The two are technically and biologically different. MCT is a finish product i.e. esterification of MCFA – only caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) normally with glycerin. MCT does not have lauric acid (C12). This mistake-wrong terminology started by the bloggers and gurus in natural industry. In fairness, they don’t have background in oil processing. However, this mistake has been overlooked and now also being used by technical people and oil professionals. I think it is the same concept as “just join in the crowd”. Same as “wrong becomes right when the wrong thing becomes popular”. This is not maligning but a sort of responsibility in our industry. Technical people with technical know how and and reliable companies should not follow this trend. We should be the source of right informaiton not joining them. MCFA is not MCT. BTW, thanks for the nice article. P.S. Medium chain fatty acids are compose of caprylic (C8), capric (C10) and lauric (C12). They are equally important.