Health Benefits of Coconut Oil If you’re interested in healthy eating and maintaining a healthy weight, you have likely heard about the health benefits of coconut oil. Just like all diet rumors and trends, however, you don’t want to just believe the latest hype about different foods and how they can benefit you. All too often the ‘diet fad’ types of foods end up not being nearly as good for you as people think, and sometimes they are actually unhealthy. Fortunately, in the case of coconut oil, there are a lot of very powerful health benefits. Taking the time to learn about these proven health benefits will allow you to share your knowledge with others, and also make it more likely that you will keep consuming this healthy oil. The following health benefits of coconut oil have been studied by scientists and also shown to be true by endless anecdotal evidence.
Coconut Oil for Weight Loss
Many people still believe that consuming fat is what makes you gain weight, even though it is much more complicated than that. While coconut oil is very high in overall fat, it can help you to lose weight because it has lots of short and medium-chain fatty acids, which
have been shown to aid in weight loss. There have been
studies that looked specifically at the influence coconut oil has on abdominal fat in women, and the results were very positive. To put it simply, all the evidence suggests that consuming or cooking with coconut oil can help you to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
Coconut Oil may Improve Blood Cholesterol Levels
There have been a variety of
studies completed that show the high levels of saturated fats in coconut oil can help to improve your overall blood cholesterol levels. This means raising the HDL and having the LDL (bad) cholesterol is converted into a benign substance. Regularly adding this type of oil to your diet can help keep the cholesterol levels where they need to be, which can reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other related events.
Coconut Oil can Boost Your Immune System
Coconut oil contains a variety of antimicrobial lipids including lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid. These acids have been shown to have properties that function as antivirals, antibacterials, and antifungals. When enjoyed regularly these can serve as a natural way to help fight off a variety of diseases. While it won’t be as strong as a prescription antibiotic, for example, it can give your body the boost it needs to kill off a specific disease before it becomes strong enough to require other medicines.
Coconut Oil can Regulate Blood Sugar (Avoid Diabetes)
Another benefit of coconut oil is that it helps to regulate your blood sugar levels. It can also provide benefits regarding your body’s natural ability to secrete insulin (which is the hormone used to manage blood sugar). Diabetes is directly linked to spikes in blood sugar, so when consumed regularly, coconut oil can help reduce your risk of getting this disease. Even if you already have
diabetes, this oil can help to stabilize your blood sugar levels as part of your treatment.
Coconut Oil can benefit the Brain
If you’re looking to keep your mind sharp long into the future, consuming coconut oil may be a good practice for you. Studies indicate that bodies that are able to better use glucose for energy in the brain have a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s. The most promising
study was done in 2006 and found that consumption of foods with medium chain triglycerides (like coconut oil) have resulted in immediate improvement in brain function for patients that are suffering from some forms of Alzheimer’s. There have been other
studies that support these results as well.
Coconut Oil May Benefits HIV Treatment
While the research is still early, there has been some preliminary
research done that shows coconut oil may help to reduce the overall viral load for those who have HIV. This is because of the benefits to the immune system and the ability to reduce an overall viral susceptibility to many types of viruses.
How to Consume Coconut Oil
As you can see above, there are many health benefits of coconut oil. To get these benefits, however, you need to consume it on a regular basis and in sufficient quantities to get all the benefits. Fortunately, there are many effective options that you can use based on your particular preferences. Many people will, for example, simply take a tablespoon of coconut oil each morning. Others will replace cooking spray, butter and other oils with coconut oil when preparing food. Still others will stir the oil into tea or coffee. You can even get some benefits from coconut oil by using it directly on your skin or in your hair. Using the coconut oil as massage oil, for example, can help to moisturize the skin. Applying it to your hair may be able to provide improved protection according to some
studies. So whether you are eating coconut oil on its own, in your food or even applying it externally, you will enjoy many great health benefits.
