Coconut oil is one of the few foods that is now being classified as a ‘superfood’. Its unique combination of fatty acids are proving to have profound positive effects on health.
Here are the main benefits that might just convince you to include it next time on your shopping list.
Firstly the main problem with coconut oil that was always raised against it in the past was that it contained saturated fat - in fact, coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat known to man, with almost 90% of the fatty acids in it being saturated.
However, new data is showing that saturated fats are harmless. Many massive studies that include hundreds of thousands of people prove that the whole ‘artery-clogging’ idea was a myth.
Coconut oil can increase your energy expenditure, helping you burn more fat. It’s no secret that obesity is currently one of the biggest health problems in the world.
While some people think obesity is only a matter of calories, others believe that the sources of those calories are critical too.
The medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil have been shown to increase 24 hour energy expenditure by as much as 5%, potentially leading to significant weight loss over the long term.
Almost 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil is the 12-carbon Lauric Acid. This has been proven to kill harmful pathogens, potentially helping to prevent infections.
Coconut oil can kill your hunger, making you eat less without even trying. Again it is down to the fatty acids. They significantly reduce appetite, which as you can imagine has a positively affect body weight over the long term.
Speaking of body weight it also appears to be especially effective in reducing abdominal fat, which lodges in the abdominal cavity and around organs.
Coconut oil can improve blood cholesterol levels through their saturated fats, and obviously having lower cholesterol reduces risk of heart disease over the long term.
Something that is proving to be an important part of this, although only affecting a fairly small minority is that the MCTs in coconut oil can increase blood concentration of ketone bodies, which (for as of yet unknown reasons) can dramatically reduce the rate of seizures in children – even those who haven’t had any success with other types of drugs.
The Ketone bodies can also supply energy for the brain and researchers have speculated that ketones can provide an alternative energy source for these malfunctioning cells and reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s, as one of the common factors in Alzheimer’s patients, is that there appears to be a reduced ability to use glucose for energy in certain parts of the brain.
It also should be noted that the populations that incorporate them into their daily diet (due to them being easily accessible) are some of the longest living in the world.
Coconut oil can serve various purposes that have nothing to do with eating it. Many people are using it for cosmetic purposes and to improve the health and appearance of their skin and hair.
Studies on individuals with dry skin show that coconut oil can improve the moisture and lipid content of the skin.
Coconut oil can also be very protective against hair damage and one study shows effectiveness as sunscreen, blocking about 20% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Another application is using it like mouthwash in a process called oil pulling, which can kill some of the harmful bacteria in the mouth, improve dental health and reduce bad breath.