Is Sesame Oil Antifungal?

If you´re looking for a natural remedy for yeast infection, some edible oils have got excellent antifungal qualities and they may be very effective. However, there’s little evidence that sesame oil is a good natural antifungal remedy.

Other oils, such as coconut oil and olive oil are backed by many different studies which looked at how effective they were against oral yeast infection, skin yeast infection and vaginal yeast infection.

I found one study from 2010 that specifically focused on how effective different oils are against Candida. It found that sesame oil along with neem oil and jojoba oil are ineffective, while eucalyptus and peppermint oils are the most effective.

On the other hand, a more recent study from 2014 found that sesame oil does have antifungal properties, but it depends on the roast level. High-roasted sesame oil is the most effective, but how can you determine the roast level in a store-bought sesame oil?

What’s a Better Alternative?

If you want to use a cooking oil that will help you fight Candida, olive oil or coconut oil are an excellent choice. Olive oil seems more versatile as its taste is less intense, but both can be used as cooking oils.

If you’d like to use an oil on your skin to treat a yeast infection, you can use it in the following ways:

• Mix coconut oil with a few drops of eucalyptus or tea tree oil and apply it on the affected area as often as you need.

• Use ozonated olive oil on the affected area. Ozonated olive oil adheres to your skin better than normal olive oil so it’s healing effect is more lasting.

If you’d like to use an antifungal oil for vaginal yeast infection, you can make coconut oil suppositories:

• Mix 5 tablespoons of coconut oil with a few drops of tea tree or lavender oil and pour it into a suppository tray

• Leave the tray in the fridge until the suppositories become solid

• Insert one suppository a day before going to bed for seven consecutive days.

• Use a pantyliner in case the suppository leaks

Conclusion

Although some people claim that sesame oil can be used as a natural antifungal, this claim is not supported by science. It’s best to pick antifungal oils that have been shown again and again to have potent antifungal qualities and use them the way you want.

What I love about using edible oils as a natural remedy is that they’re very safe and they offer an array of health benefits, apart from being antifungal. As long as you’re not allergic to them, you can use them as often as you want!

Have you ever used any natural remedies for yeast infection? What’s your favorite one? Please share your tips and questions in the comment section below.