Today I want to talk to you about coconut oil, and the health benefits of coconut oil!
Coconut oil has a TON of health benefits, from improving digestion and the immune system, to skin care and making your hair shiny.
Some of the healthiest populations in the world eat a LOT of coconut oil.
A great example of this is the Tokelauans in the South Pacific. They eat over 60% of their calories from coconuts, and the population is in excellent health with no evidence of heart disease!
Let’s talk about what makes up the coconut, and why it’s so good for you!
More than 90% of coconut oil is made up of saturated fat—but don’t worry!
Doctors have actually found that the 3 types of saturated fat in coconut oil, lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid (known as MCT, or medium-chin triglycerides), are super helpful in dealing with viruses and diseases, can convert coconut oil into a powerful antimicrobial agent, and are rich in antimicrobial and anti fungal properties!
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil:
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil #1: Skin Care:
Coconut oil is a great moisturizer! It’s loaded with vitamin E, which is a protective antioxidant. It can also help stop the damage to healthy fats and tissues in our bodies and slow down the aging process!
One study found that coconut oil can protect hair from UV damage, and block 20% of the sun’s rays.
Some people use coconut oil like a mouthwash in a process called oil pulling, which can reduce bad breath, improve dental health and kills some of the harmful bacteria in the mouth.
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil #2: Weight Loss:
Coconut oil can increase your energy expenditure, helping you burn more fat! While coconut oil is high in calories, it’s important to note that not all calories are made equal. 100 calories from sugar will NOT have the same effect that 100 calories of coconut oil does.
Remember those fatty acids in coconut oil? The MCTs found in coconut oil can increase energy expenditure compared to the same amount of calories from longer chain fats.
One study even found that 15-30 grams of MCTs per day increased 24 energy expenditure by 5%—which totals 120 calories per day. That’s 10 pounds per year! I’ll take it!!
Another study found that women who consumed 2 tablespoons of coconut oil daily for 12 weeks had lowered amounts of abdominal fat—the kind of fat that is hard to lose and contributes to the most heart problems.
Another health benefit of coconut oil? It can reduce hunger, making you eat less without even trying! This may be due to the way the fatty acids are metabolized.
One study in 14 healthy men discovered that those who ate the most MCT oils at breakfast ate significantly fewer calories at lunch!
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil #3: Improved Cholesterol:
Another health benefit of coconut oil? You’ll improve your cholesterol!
The lauric acid in coconut oil has shown to increase the good HDL cholesterol in the blood, which helps improve cholesterol ratio levels.
Coconut oil also lower cholesterol by promoting its conversion to pregnenolone, which is a molecule that is a precursor to many of the hormones our body needs.
Furthermore, coconut oil can restore normal thyroid function! When the thyroid isn’t functioning at an optimal level, it can contribute to higher levels of bad cholesterol.
Health Benefit of Coconut Oil #4: Helps Alzheimers Patients:
In a study conducted in 2006, consumption of MCT oils led to immediate improvement in brain function in patients with milder forms of Alzheimers.
Essentially, the fatty acids in coconut oil can increase blood levels of ketone bodies, which can supply energy for the brain cells of Alzheimers patients, relieving symptoms.
So how should you use coconut oil? You can use it to sauté vegetables, add it to smoothies, or I even love it in my oatmeal! It also works great in baked goods like banana bread.
I recommend purchasing organic, extra virgin coconut oil. I like this one.
As you can see, there are many benefits of coconut oil! I highly recommend cooking with coconut oil, as it has a high smoke point, especially compared to olive oil.
Did this help you? If so, I would really appreciate it if you comment below and share on Facebook!
Rachel Ngom’s Blog
Email:Clientcare@fitwithrachel.com
“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” Tony Robbins
