Sajila Nudrat | Health Editor
Featured Image: Despite what you may have heard, coconut oil is not all it’s cracked up to be. | Courtesy of Pixabay
Whether it be kale, quinoa or coconut oil, new health fads seem to spring up overnight. It’s as if one person plants a seed, it blooms, and suddenly, everyone starts raving about how beautiful the plant was and that they were the first to discover it’s magnificence.
Nowadays, it looks as if coconut oil is the miracle cure everyone has been waiting on, but does it really have any ‘magical’ properties? Whether they are using it on their skin, applying it in their hair or cooking their food with it, it appears as if most people have found some kind of use for the oil.
Many people apply the oil in their hair and have noticed visible changes. Stacey Herrera, a third-year philosophy student says she uses the product in such a way. “It makes my hair softer and shinier, I see no downsides to it, and my hair is sleeker.” When asked about why she started using the oil, Herrera says she heard good things about it. While that may be true about its application to hair, the jury is still out on whether it should be applied to other aspects of life.
Coconut oil is also popular when it comes to skincare. Some people use the oil to wipe off makeup, or remove dirt from their skin. While it may look as if it gives their skin a shinier appearance, coconut oil can actually cause acne breakouts. Coconut oil is comedogenic, meaning it causes blackheads and whiteheads in lab tests. While some skin types may be able to fight back, others may not be so lucky. Different skin types, react to various products in different ways.
Lastly, as for those using coconut oil in food, according to a Harvard professor, that’s downright poisonous. Experts say that the oil is high in saturated fat and is actually one of the worst things an individual can eat. The high proportion of the saturated fat found in coconut oil is known to raise cholesterol levels as well as the risk of cardiovascular disease.
There are a number of myths associated with coconut oil consumption. Coconut oil does not in fact burn belly fat, nor does it help an individual lose weight. It is not antibacterial, or heart healthy, and it has not proven to be good for cognition, or help diabetes.
The point is, before believing what any one website claims, the scientific community should be regarded first.
It’s important for a person to be informed of what they are putting on or in their bodies. Not every product that is claimed to be a superfood is actually what a vast majority of the population believes it to be.
Blind belief is not an excuse, and people are responsible for ensuring their own safety by doing an adequate amount of inquiry and research before giving in to popular fads. Although coconut oil does seem to be good for hair, and it can suit certain skin types, as a food supplement, it just doesn’t hold up.
