The 'Health Guardian' Hidden in Coconut Oil
Lauric acid, also known as dodecanoic acid, is a saturated fatty acid with 12 carbon atoms. At room temperature, it is a white needle shaped crystal with a slight aroma of bay oil. Insoluble in water, soluble in organic solvents such as methanol, ether, chloroform, and slightly soluble in acetone and petroleum ether. Although named lauric acid, it only accounts for 1-3% of the content in bay oil. At present, it has been found that vegetable oils with high content of lauric acid include 45-52% coconut oil, 44-52% oil palm seed oil, 43-44% babassu seed oil, etc. Although lauric acid is a saturated fatty acid, its risk of cardiovascular disease is lower than other saturated fatty acids.
The greatest function of lauric acid is its antimicrobial ability, which can enhance immunity. Many people have found that after consuming lauric acid, its antiviral ability is greatly improved, such as influenza, fever, herpes, etc. Lauric acid can also alleviate antibiotic resistance, reduce the risk of heart disease, and so on. For young women, one of the major benefits of lauric acid is skincare. Studies have found that its skincare effects are much better than some well-known cosmetics.
