The coconut deserves our attention. Firstly, this exotic fruit is excellent for your health: despite a fairly high calorie bill (around 365 Kcal per 100 g), coconut is rich in “good” fatty acids, fiber and minerals (iron, phosphorus, magnesium). …).
Secondly, products derived from coconut constitute good alternatives to our everyday products: coconut milk advantageously replaces cow’s milk for those who are lactose intolerant, while coconut water is better than syrup for silhouette… while remaining tasty!
A coconut soap against mosquitoes
According to a study by the Agricultural Research Service (in the United States), coconut could have another benefit, much less obvious: the fatty acids from this fruit have the power to… repel mosquitoes .
To confirm their theory, American researchers extracted lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid from several coconuts and then made a paste by mixing these substances with starch. They then tested the product on a herd of cows. Verdict? This coconut-based “natural repellent” protected cattle for 96 hours against mosquitoes, biting flies and ticks.
A new study, carried out by Virginia Tech University (also in the United States) confirms this astonishing property: the researchers brought together 4 volunteers to whom they had 4 commercially sold soaps tested. Surprise: the participant who used a soap made from coconut oil was (relatively) spared by mosquitoes. Here is a natural mosquito repellent tip to try next summer…
Source : Cell
