Coconut Haven Philippines, Inc.

Understanding Virgin Coconut Oil: A miracle of nature

The world is now in a frenzy searching for a cure for COVID-19 and one of our country’s natural products has taken the limelight as a potential cure. The VCO or the VIRGIN COCONUT OIL!

VCO has been getting a lot of attention lately and people including the scientific societies have suddenly taken more interest on it too.

VCO is described as a superfood. Some call it as the “miracle” supplement to the treatment of numerous ailments and now hoping for the COVID-19 disease.

And true enough, a lot of us are pinning our hopes on it.

WHAT IS VCO or VIRGIN COCONUT OIL?

VCO is oil coming from coconut milk of newly grated mature and fresh coconut meat.

MATURE coconuts are about 12 months old upon harvest from the trees, are brown and splashable. FRESH Coconuts mean that they are processed within 3 days after harvest and are dehusked only just before they are grated for production to VCO.

VCO must be obtained by natural means, without the application of heat in the entire process resulting in no alteration of the oil.

VCO is raw oil with that coconutty sweet aroma and taste, and is water clear in color.

VCO is coconut oil in its unaltered state while the common coconut oil is called RBD. It is refined, bleached and deodorized and have undergone several mechanical and laboratory processes, yellowish in color, odorless and tasteless.

VCO has numerous health benefits and is high in demand both in the domestic and international markets. It is now classified as a nutraceutical product possessing both nutritional and medicinal properties.

VCO is non-cholesterol. It is composed of different types of fatty acids, mostly medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that makes it easy to digest and when ingested goes directly to the liver and immediately is converted into energy. It is not bad for the heart and will not cause hardening of the arteries. It is not hydrogenated oil and is zero trans-fat.
VCO is fit for human consumption in its natural state. It is more effective when 3 tablespoons is taken daily. It can be used as a food ingredient or for cooking. It can help improve the digestive system and help strengthen teeth and bones.
It is a popular base for non-food products such as aromatherapy oils, shampoos, creams, lotions, herbal soaps and a lot more of other hair and body products as it has moisturizing and smoothing effects, can treat dermal or skin infections and is an effective hair grower.

What makes VCO a healthy product is that fifty percent (50%) or more of its component is the medium-chain fatty acid called LAURIC ACID. Lauric acid's other natural source is mother's milk.
The monoglyceride form of Lauric Acid is called monolaurin or MCT. MCT has been established to have antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties. Most diseases are caused by bacteria, fungus and virus. Even Alzheimers, Dementia and Autism are now being helped by adding MCT to the diet of persons with these conditions. Scientists have found out that monolaurin fights bacteria, yeast, fungi, and lipid or fat coated viruses.

When VCO is ingested, the Monolaurin or MCT in it is formed in the human body and provides protection against infectious diseases. It is known that Monolaurin work against various diseases and VCO was used against the virus SARS in 2003.

Lauric acid has greater and more active antiviral activity and produce their killing or inactivating effects actively on lipid or fat coated viruses. It fluidizes the lipids or fats covering the virus and causes the disintegration of their microbial membrane. Lauric acid was also found to have the ability to interfere with virus assembly and maturation. It also can help boost persons' immune system and make them stronger to ward off the viruses in their bodies.

The COVID 19 virus is a lipid or fat enveloped coronavirus.

DOST in collaboration with other gov't agencies and the private institutions are now undertaking clinical trials to test VCO as a possible supplement in treating patients with the COVID-19 disease.

Our local researchers are thus working to determine if lauric acid and monolaurin in VCO can also work its magic on COVID 19.