lau·ric acid | \ ˈlȯr-ik- 
, ˈlär- \
, ˈlär- \Definition of lauric acid
: a crystalline fatty acid C12H24O2 found especially in coconut oil and used chiefly in making soaps and esters
Examples of lauric acid in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web Interestingly, lauric acid itself has also been purported to have health benefits.
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Vasanti Malik, sun-sentinel.com, "Is there a place for coconut oil in a healthy diet?," 19 Nov. 2019 However, large epidemiological studies have failed to report protective associations between lauric acid and cardiovascular disease.
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Vasanti Malik, sun-sentinel.com, "Is there a place for coconut oil in a healthy diet?," 19 Nov. 2019 However, the coconut oil found on most supermarket shelves contains mostly lauric acid, which is absorbed and metabolized more slowly than MCT.
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Vasanti Malik, sun-sentinel.com, "Is there a place for coconut oil in a healthy diet?," 19 Nov. 2019 The most common fat is lauric acid, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
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Yerin Kim, Seventeen, "Should You Use Coconut Oil for Your Acne?," 3 June 2019 Well, actually, this lauric acid only makes up 50 percent of the fats found in coconut oil.
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Yerin Kim, Seventeen, "Should You Use Coconut Oil for Your Acne?," 3 June 2019 Don’t Use It to Cure Your Zits Coconut oil has gotten major buzz in the last year as miracle zit fixer, thanks to the fact that its naturally high in lauric acid, an anti-microbial and anti-fungal fatty acid.
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Chloe Metzger, Marie Claire, "Before You Put Coconut Oil on Your Face, Read This," 7 June 2018 Theoretically, the properties in coconut oil should be beneficial to acne—vitamin E and linoleic acid soothe irritated skin, while lauric acid kills bacteria—but coconut oil hasn’t actually been shown to improve acne in any studies.
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Chloe Metzger, Marie Claire, "Before You Put Coconut Oil on Your Face, Read This," 7 June 2018 Still, people do miss their unhealthy fats and, in the latest rage, many have latched onto coconut oil in the mistaken belief that its main highly saturated fat, lauric acid, and other nutrients can enhance health rather than undermine it.
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Jane E. Brody, New York Times, "Good Fats, Bad Fats," 29 Jan. 2018
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lauric acid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for lauric acid
lauric acid
nounlau·ric acid | \ ˌlȯr-ik-, ˌlär- \
\Medical Definition of lauric acid
: a crystalline fatty acid C12H24O2 found especially in coconut oil and used in making soaps, esters, and lauryl alcohol
— called also dodecanoic acid
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Time Traveler for lauric acid
The first known use of lauric acid was in 1863
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