The Properties of Lauric Acid and Their Significance in Coconut Oil
Vegetable oils are very common items in one’s diet. People ingest vegetable oils in fried foods, salad dressings, and many processed foods. While we may not be conscious of it, the various vegetable oils have different effects on health. For example, while olive oil has a good reputation as a healthy oil, margarine and “partially hydrogenated vegetable oils” are unhealthy.
Vegetable oils are mixtures of compounds called “fatty acids” and it is the specific fatty acid composition that determines the health properties of the oil. Olive oil contains about 70% oleic acid, which is healthy, while margarine and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils contain trans-fats, which
are unhealthy.
Coconut oil is a vegetable oil which is consumed in over 90 countries in various forms. It can be consumed as cooking oil and as virgin coconut oil, but it is also consumed when one cooks with coconut (for example, as “gata”), drinks coconut shake, or eats the coconut meat.
The principal fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid, which makes up 45-65% of the oil. Thus, lauric acid can be considered to be responsible for much of the properties of coconut oil.
Lauric acid is a twelve carbon long saturated fatty acid and belongs to the category of “medium chain” fatty acids. Although it is saturated, it is unlike the long chain saturated fatty acids, like palmitic acid, which makes up lard and palm oil. Unfortunately, the distinction between medium chain fats and long chain fats, which is based on their metabolism, is often overlooked by the medical profession and the popular media.
This review paper focused on the properties of lauric acid, including its ability of provide metabolic energy, beneficial effects on weight loss, production of ketone bodies which may be beneficial against Alzheimer’s, and antimicrobial and antiviral effects.
The antimicrobial and antiviral effects of lauric acid and a specific derivative – monolaurin – are noteworthy. These compounds are believed to strengthen the immune system and to keep the skin healthy when used topically. Monolaurin is used in a number of food products as an emulsifier and natural antimicrobial constituent.
Coconut oil is known to have many beneficial properties and many of these properties can be attributed to lauric acid.
