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I have been taking virgin coconut oil or VCO (specifically coconut oil that is 100% MCT or medium chain triglycerides) for several years now. VCO was introduced to us by our naturopath doctor. It is a great source of energy, full of antioxidants, and is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral as well.  After a bath, I apply VCO all over my body instead of lotion and apply some to my hair to make it soft. Coconut oil also lessens the itching I experience on my hands when I have episodes of eczema.

Currently, VCO is undergoing clinical trials to test its support properties for those infected with COVID-19. I had been following accounts by Dr. Fabian “Toby” Dayrit of Ateneo de Manila through his webinars on coconut oil. As early as April 2020, when 69 residents of a barangay in Cebu City were infected with COVID, a Cebu doctor gave them VCO and within 2 weeks, 45 of the 69 tested negative, and the other 24 did not develop worse symptoms. This incident was followed by another one, also in Cebu. The warden of the Cebu provincial jail contacted the Cebu doctor to contain a COVID-19 outbreak. 7 jail workers tested negative within a week; another 3 tested negative in 8 days.

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute under the Department of Science and Technology led a study that sought to evaluate the beneficial effects of virgin coconut oil (VCO) among suspect and probable cases of COVID-19. The study involved 57 patients at two isolation facilities in Santa Rosa, Laguna. For 28 days, 29 patients were given standardized meals mixed with VCO, while the other 28 became the control group and received no VCO doses. As early as day 2, there are already 5 patients with decreasing signs and symptoms of COVID-19. By day 18, all of the patients at the VCO group experienced no more symptoms.

The diminishing signs and symptoms of COVID-19 in the VCO group was supported by the decreasing levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker used to monitor inflammation or infections.

VCO is indeed very promising!

Also read: Coconut oil — “pure poison” or one of the healthiest oils on the planet?

However, it is not always convenient to take VCO when you are mobile. I remember forgetting to take my VCO when I would go out of the house for blogger events or when I do errands. Luckily, a local company has solved that dilemma by coming up with VCO in a capsule!

Here are some things about Growrich VCO capsules that stand out for me:

1. It comes in a hard gel rather than a soft gel. Dr. Jayveelyn Lalusis, CEO of Growrich Manufacturing Inc. said that means less plasticizers than in soft gels.
2. It is easy to carry around. You can just put a few capsules in your bag so even if you forget to take it at home, you can easily take it anywhere with just a glass of water.
3. Since the VCO is contained in the capsule, it is not exposed to air (leading to rancidity) and it also prevents contamination.
4. People who live in cold climates need not worry about the VCO hardening or freezing.
5. It is FDA-approved. That means Growrich VCO capsules have undergone stringent examination.

I also learned that what makes Growrich VCO a premium product is the fact that it is taken only from the first press of fresh coconut meat. That means you get the best parts of the coconut. First-pressed products yield less per kilo compared to processes with multiple presses.

Because of its antioxidant properties, Growrich VCO officials claim that their VCO capsules can help build and maintain the immune system, boost energy and vitality, improve the body’s ability to absorb important minerals, promote weight loss, keep blood sugar in check, aid in treating bacterial/fungal/viral infections, reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cancer, lower cholesterol, help improve poor skin texture and reduce falling hair, prevent constipation, promote lauric acid in breastfeeding mothers and help in the proper distribution of nutrients.

The recommended dosage for GROWRICH Virgin Coconut Oil Capsules is 1-2 a day, to be taken with meals. These are available at Mercury Drug, Watsons and Southstar Drugstore for Php11.50 per capsule. You may also get them from Shopee (just search “Growrich Virgin Coconut Oil”).

The coconut is living up to its reputation as the “tree of life”. So many products and by-products come out of this miracle plant. We here in the Philippines are very lucky that coconuts abound in our country and that we have easy access to VCO. This may play a very important role now that we are in a pandemic. Start taking your VCO today.