Could eating Coconut Oil be helping me tan, not burn?

[BetsyPage]

I am puzzling over this. A few times in the past month or so, I've been outdoors under conditions that would have normally led to a mild to moderate sunburn for me. Most recently, on Friday we went to the Y to swim, and I expected to stay inside but we ended up outside... for about 30 minutes in the noon hour, without sunscreen. I would normally get a mild sunburn from that! But it didn't happen... and I asked dh about it, and he said that no, I wasn't burned, just a bit tan. On another day I was outside at a lake for several hours, and initially got a bit red even though I had sunscreen on. I remember thinking oh no, I'm burned- I had gotten a terrible sunburn at the same lake the same time last year. But nope, it quickly turned to a tan.

That got me to thinking. I've been eating 1-3 TBS of coconut oil a day. I have read things about coconut oil, that it is good for your skin. Could this be a factor in me being less prone to burning?

Thoughts?

(btw I still plan to wear sunscreen, though I am somewhat consciously trying to do skin exposures for 10-15 minutes each day for me and the girls... but I just don't want us to burn, we are all fair.)

[Metasequoia]

Yes! Coconut oil can also be used as a sunscreen. I definitely believe that a diet high in healthy fats can affect our response to the sun. Are you also reducing your omega 6 intake & increasing your omega 3? That's supposed to be a factor also.

[LCB]

wow! that is fascinating! I'm very, very fair and burn to a crisp in no time. I wonder if I should start the CO. I just haven't been able to get it down. How do you ladies do it?

[Juvysen]

fascinating!

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by LCB

wow! that is fascinating! I'm very, very fair and burn to a crisp in no time. I wonder if I should start the CO. I just haven't been able to get it down. How do you ladies do it?

I go through about 5 gallons in a yr! I cook with it all the time, bake with it & use it for popcorn. We like everything saturated in butter & coconut oil, so no trouble with using it.

Fresh veggies are SO delicious when sauteed in coconut oil with a bit of butter or ghee & a sprinkle of sea salt. The subtle sweetness of the CO + the saltiness makes a delicious flavor. I like using broccoli florets, cauliflower, carrots, snow peas, onions, summer squash & peppers - but you could use anything.

Another way is to shred carrots, celeriac root & rutabagas & saute them in CO & butter (of ghee) with a sprinkle of salt - SO good, especially with runny egg yolks.

For popcorn, I'll use 1/2-3/4 c. of CO + 1/4 c. of butter & a cup or 1.5 c. of kernels. I simmer the CO/butter in a large pot, add the kernels, put the lid on & wait until it's almost done popping & turn off the heat. Then I add loads of sea salt. Soooooo delicious! The high amount of fat helps take the edge off the carbs too.

For baking - well, I have my own made up recipes, but for instance, I make chocolate muffins using ground pumpkin seeds, ground (shredded) coconut, arrowroot, etc - I use 12 oz of coconut oil to make 30 muffins. That's 1.5 cups - quite a bit. They set really well & definitely have a satiating affect.

[Metasequoia]

Eat Fat, Lose Fat has a lot of coconut oil recipes.

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

I go through about 5 gallons in a yr! I cook with it all the time, bake with it & use it for popcorn. We like everything saturated in butter & coconut oil, so no trouble with using it.

Do you buy it in bulk? If so, where?

[Junegoddess]

I started tanning instead of burning as soon as I switched from vegetable oils to healthy oils (including CO, but not 3 T a day). I also use CO as a moisturizer, and it seems to not only prevent burning (unless I am outside a ridiculous amount of time) but also keeps mosquitoes away. The skeeters here feast on the rest of my family, but not me. I can only think it's the CO. Or, maybe I'm just not delicious.

I've read that higher levels of A and D in your diet (which would be better absorbed with good fats, like the CO) can also prevent burning. Vegetable oils, due to their PUFA content, make the skin more likely to burn.

I do take high amounts of fish oil... which I think is partly poly-unsaturated, but maybe the omega 3s make up for it?

I absolutely hate sunscreen and just refuse to wear it. I made a conscious effort, starting in January (I'm way down south) to get some sun every day that I can, so I have a base tan to protect me from burning.

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by Juvysen

Do you buy it in bulk? If so, where?

I bought mine at Mountain Rose Herbs - unrefined, organic. It was an awesome price when I bought it - less than $150, including shipping back then. I need to order more in the next few weeks, so I'll be looking around.

[WantRice]

Wow. So interesting. I've been wondering why I seem to be tanning instead of burning this year. I too have increased the amount of good animal fats in my diet. Very cool.

[rockycrop]

I hadn't really thought about it, but I haven't burned since I started eating coconut oil either. DD and I are outside all the time, we are both getting a nice tan! Good insight.

[BetsyPage]

Yes- in addition to the CO, I've also greatly reduced my consumption of industrial oils... I do have some limited intake b/c I can't always fix my own food and will occassionally eat a salad that has store-bought dressing or eat *blush* CFA chicken nuggests... but 90-95% of meals I eat don't have industrial oils I'd estimate. I'm also taking 3 tsp fermented cod liver oil each day.

Glad to hear I'm not crazy for making this connection, lol!

[BetsyPage]

I've read that higher levels of A and D in your diet (which would be better absorbed with good fats, like the CO) can also prevent burning. Vegetable oils, due to their PUFA content, make the skin more likely to burn.

I am estimating/hoping that my A & D intake are quite high... eat eggs fried in butter this morning, put butter on any veggies, and also like I said the CLO.

This is so cool! In my years of terrible sunburns (since childhood) I always ate veg oils, margarine, never butter...

[mellifluousmama]

We also have not had burning since we switched to healthy natural fats years ago. I also wanted to add that coconut oil used topically (on your skin) will also help extend your time in the sun.

A couple of article links about it:

http://oreganicthrifty.blogspot.com/...with-real.html

http://www.coconutdiet.com/skin_health.htm (scroll down to sun protection)

[BetsyPage]

Originally Posted by mellifluousmama

We also have not had burning since we switched to healthy natural fats years ago. I also wanted to add that coconut oil used topically (on your skin) will also help extend your time in the sun.

A couple of article links about it:

http://oreganicthrifty.blogspot.com/...with-real.html

http://www.coconutdiet.com/skin_health.htm (scroll down to sun protection)

Great articles!!!

I am just continually amazed, like jaw-on-the-floor amazed, by all the positive changes I'm experiencing from changing my diet to include healthy fats, limit/reduce grains/sugar and industrial oils, and adding in good TF stuff... weight-loss, energy, mood, regulation of appetite, and now this skin stuff! I think I'm going to try it on my girls' scalps, they both get scaley skin patches (cradle cap) at times. Now I'm trying to think how to get them to eat it, mostly I've been eating it myself.

[nicole.schwartz]

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

I bought mine at Mountain Rose Herbs - unrefined, organic. It was an awesome price when I bought it - less than $150, including shipping back then. I need to order more in the next few weeks, so I'll be looking around.

I'm looking as well. I just bought some at KWF's on sale for $7.00 for 24 oz....but I'd like to do a buying club or coop for a much larger quantity. Let me know if you find some place.

[PaulaJoAnne]

Good doses of high vitamin cod liver oil do the same thing.
I am so gald that others are catching on to this. Most people think I am crazy when I mention this side affect to these good oils!
Your risk of skin cancer drps right off as soon as you can combine lost of good sunshine with no burns, without the use of artificial preventions.

SO!!!! Challenge to everyone! Spread the word!
If you blog, write a big post about it. Email, whatever it takes.
Detail everything relevant to this.
And lets see if this can become a sticky!

[PaulaJoAnne]

Originally Posted by BetsyPage

Great articles!!!

I am just continually amazed, like jaw-on-the-floor amazed, by all the positive changes I'm experiencing from changing my diet to include healthy fats, limit/reduce grains/sugar and industrial oils, and adding in good TF stuff... weight-loss, energy, mood, regulation of appetite, and now this skin stuff! I think I'm going to try it on my girls' scalps, they both get scaley skin patches (cradle cap) at times. Now I'm trying to think how to get them to eat it, mostly I've been eating it myself.

Here is a good recipe for getting your girls to eat it.

[sedalbj]

I have to ask this, does it have to be unrefined? I am just not a coconut flavor fan unless it is shredded in a cookie or mounds bar. We have refined and unrefined but i almost always use the refined if i am cooking. if i put it on my skin will it be almost like ingesting unrefined? i don't mind the smell, just the taste. i am fair and hate sunscreen, very very rarely wear it.

also, what about EV olive oil? that is what we usually use for everything, all low temp cooking, pancakes, dressings, whatever. or we use butter which is grass fed raw. it is good to know our butter is helping!

[AJP]

I also definitely don't burn as easily after switching to good fats and getting rid of refined, high-PUFA veg. oils (about 7 years ago). I used to burn relatively easily, I'm rather fair skinned, but now I don't burn easily at all, and tan well. It takes over an hour in mid-day sun on skin with no base tan before I get burned, and even then it heals quickly (I try not to let it happen, but tend to lose track of time when I'm gardening or something, in the spring before I have much tan). It's not just CO, I don't eat much of that anymore, I think it's all kinds of saturated fats from quality sources (not sure about monounsaturated) and fat-soluble vitamins that can help skin be more resilient.