Study reveals coconut oil is a better insect repellent compared to DEET, a harmful chemical ingredient

( Natural News ) A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture study revealed that compounds in coconut oil could ward off insects better than DEET, the main ingredient in insect repellent products. In the study, which was published in the journal Scientific Reports , scientists from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service identified coconut oil fatty acids which showed significant repellent properties , especially against disease vectors like mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, and bed bugs. The fatty acids that were derived from coconut oil include lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid, as well as their corresponding methyl esters. DEET, the common name for diethyltoluamide, is the most common active ingredient in insect-repellent sprays, lotions, sticks, roll-ons, and other consumer products. In the U.S., over a third of the population regularly uses DEET-containing products – ranging anywhere from five to 99 percent – according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . It is touted as one of the most effective ways to prevent vector-borne diseases, which are caused by parasites, viruses, and bacteria transmitted by insects – mosquitoes, sandflies, and lice – and snails. Vector-borne diseases account for around 17 percent of all infectious diseases reported worldwide. Every year, over 700,000 deaths are caused by vector diseases, with malaria causing more than half of these cases. Initially developed in the 1940s by the U.S. Army to protect soldiers in bug-infested areas, DEET was introduced to the public in the late-1950s and is now a key ingredient in over 120 products. However, recent studies about the potential health risks of synthetic repellents and pesticides like DEET raised awareness to more potent and longer lasting natural alternatives. 100% organic essential oil sets now available for your home and personal care, including Rosemary, Oregano, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Clary Sage and more, all 100% organic […]

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