Did you know? Coconut oil has many amazing health benefits…
- Promotes weight loss by increasing metabolism
- Improves blood cholesterol levels
- Kills bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other pathogens
- Converts easily into ketones, helping you get into fat-burning mode faster
- Improves brain function in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients
- Works great as a full body lotion, reducing wrinkles and protecting the body from sun damage
- Along with many more benefits…
What’s in Coconut Oil?
Saturated fatty acids
Coconut oil is comprised of 90% saturated fats. But wait… saturated fat is going to give me a heart attack, right?
As stated in other blog posts, there’s no evidence to suggest this.
Check out this post for an epic debunking of the saturated fat myth, there’s just not enough time to get into that topic and talk about how awesome coconut oil is in one blog post.
The majority of the saturated fats in coconut oil are medium chain triglycerides, which go straight to the liver for quick digestion, giving you quick energy without taxing the digestive system.
Lauric acid, a medium chain triglyceride that’s also found in breast milk, comprises 40% of the total saturated fatty acid profile. It kills:
- viruses
- bacteria
- yeast
- parasites
- and other pathogens
The other saturated fats in coconut oil are:
- Capric acid which increases HDL or “good” cholesterol relative to LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
- Caprylic acid which converts quickly into ketones, allowing you to get into ketosis faster.
- Myristic acid which is used for the stabilization of various proteins, including proteins that comprise your immune system.
- Palmitic acid which has antioxidant and anti-atherosclerotic properties when eaten with other saturated fats.
Unsaturated fatty acids
Coconut oil contains trace amounts of:
- linoleic acid: a polyunsaturated fatty acid which is essential in the human diet.
- oleic acid: a monounsaturated fatty acid that has been shown to improve fasting blood glucose, insulin sensitivity, and blood circulation.
Vitamins and Minerals
Coconut oil contains trace amounts of:
- vitamin E
- vitamin K
- iron
Polyphenols
Polyphenols are chemicals in plants that have beneficial properties in the human body and other living organisms.
Have you heard of an antioxidant? Polyphenols are the most abundant antioxidants in the human diet.
Phenolic acid is a polyphenol that acts as antioxidant, preventing cellular damage due to free radical oxidation. It’s easily absorbed through the walls of your intestinal tract.
Some of the Many Benefits of Coconut Oil
Boosts Your Metabolism and Promotes Rapid Fat Loss
Coconut oil helps to speed the basal metabolic rate in the body, helping you to lose weight faster than you could without it.
It’s extremely helpful for people who have sluggish metabolisms due to hormonal imbalances such as hypothyroidism.
These people often have a lower body temperature than they should, eating coconut oil can help to get their metabolism functioning normally again.
Amazing for Skin & Hair Care
Coconut oil works wonderfully as a moisturizer. It keeps your skin feeling moist and looking young. And unlike most lotions you’ll buy in the grocery store, there are no side effects!
The lauric acid in coconut oil has antibacterial/antimicrobial properties, so you’re covering your body with a protective coating every time you use it on your skin!
For the women: Coconut oil works great as a eye makeup remover! If you’ve got a yeast infection in a less than ideal place, coconut oil can help to kill off some of it when applied daily.
For the men: Coconut oil is an awesome shaving soap, giving you a smooth shave without all the toxic chemicals.
Coconut oil helps keep your hair moist and shiny while preventing dandruff and lice. It also helps in treating skin problems such as:
- psoriasis
- dermatitis
- eczema
- and other skin infections
Easy to Digest When You Can’t Digest Other Fats
Coconut oil is a great oil for people who are having difficulty digesting fats because no bile or pancreatic enzymes are needed to digest it.
Instead, medium chain triglycerides are sent straight to the liver for digestion, providing you with quick energy without taxing your digestive system.
Kills Bacteria, Yeast, Parasites & Other Pathogens, including Candida
The lauric acid in coconut oil is extremely good at killing bacteria, yeast, viruses, parasites, and other pathogens that inhabit your body.
For example, you can use coconut oil to help to kill the bacteria, candida albicans, and relieve inflammation caused by it.
If you’re going to use coconut oil to kill pathogens like candida, it’s important to take it slow.
Start with 1 tsp, 3 times per day, and if you have no side effects from when the yeast die off, up it to 1 tbsp, 3 times per day.
Once you are able to handle that, see if you can do 1 tbsp, 3 times per day.
You’ll know if you’ve eaten too much coconut oil because you’ll get loose, greasy, stools.
As with any major changes to your diet, be sure to work with a doctor to ensure you’re doing this in the safest possible way.
It’s Great for Cooking at High Temperatures
Unlike many other oils, coconut oil has a stable chemical structure that doesn’t break down easily at high temperatures; because of this, it takes quite some time to go rancid.
A gallon of coconut oil will last up to year after you open it, and probably even longer.
Coconut oil also adds an amazing sweet taste to the foods you cook it in, which is something you just don’t get with other oils.
A Great Addition to Vegetable Smoothies
Looking for a way to add calories to your smoothies without making it harder to digest? Coconut oil is a great option.
Not only will you get added calories, it will add a sweet and nutty taste to your smoothies.
Coconut Oil Improves Diabetes
Studies have shown that diets high in medium chain triglycerides can help improve glucose tolerance and reduce body fat accumulation compared to diets high in long chain triglycerides.
Rat studies also show that, medium chain triglycerides preserve insulin action and insulin resistance, indicating that it could help type 2 diabetics as well.
Where to Get the Highest Quality Coconut Oil Available
Here are the top brands I’ve found for coconut oil:
You’ll save the most money if you buy it by the gallon.
Potential Risks from Consuming Coconut Oil
Some people have allergic reactions to coconut and cannot eat coconut oil.
Symptoms might not always be present immediately, so introduce coconut oil into your diet slowly.
After having it in your diet for 3 months, take it out and replace it with another fat like butter while continuing to eat your usual diet so you can see if you feel any different without it.
Scientific Studies Showing the Benefits of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is associated with a beneficial lipid profile in pre-menopausal women in the Philippines.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21669587
Antistress and antioxidant effects of virgin coconut oil in vivo
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4247320/
Coconut oil predicts a beneficial lipid profile in pre-menopausal women in the Philippines
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3146349/
Coconut oil attenuates the effects of amyloid-? on cortical neurons in vitro.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24150106
The Skinny on Fats: Weston A. Price Foundation
http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/the-skinny-on-fats/
