Virgin Coconut Oil & Sun Protection

One of the most interesting facts about people who live in tropical climates in asia, where the people are constantly exposed to the rays of the sun year round, is that skin cancer is almost unheard of in these places.

In the US, people are constantly warned about the dangers of exposure to the sun, and yet the sun helps our bodies produce much needed nutrients for our skin, such as Vitamin D, which has been shown to prevent cancer.

Once again we see that coconut oil is probably one of the main reasons people in tropical climates can spend so much time in the sun and not suffer from skin cancer. 

Coconut oil has wonderful antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage. Also, when coconut oil is consumed and used topically on our skin, it helps our bodies absorb other nutrients more effectively as well, such as Vitamin E, another powerful antioxidant nutrient that protects the skin.

It should be noted that when reports like this are made, invariably some will try using Virgin Coconut Oil exclusively as a sunscreen and go out and get burned! Some have even reported that sometimes the coconut oil works wonderfully as a sunscreen, while at other times they seem to get burned. It seems that the oils you put into your body are just as important as what you put onto your body in regards to sun protection. 

It has been found that if one eats foods loaded with polyunsaturated oils, generally they will burn more in the sun. It is theorized that when one eats foods cooked in polyunsaturated vegetable oils, often with trans fatty acids, that one is putting oxidized lipids into their skin tissue that are causing free radical damage, and more susceptible to burning in the sun. 

So if you just got done eating some french fries from a fast food restaurant, you may be more susceptible to sun burn!