𝓣𝓗𝓔 𝓢𝓐𝓥𝓘𝓝𝓖 𝓟𝓛𝓐𝓒𝓔

Coconut oil is high in healthy saturated fats that have different effects than most other fats in your diet.

These fats can boost fat burning and provide your body and brain with quick energy. They also raise the good HDL cholesterol in your blood, which is linked to reduced heart disease risk.

When you eat these types of fats, they go straight to your liver, where they are used as a source of quick energy or turned into ketones.

Ketones can have powerful benefits for the brain and are being studied as treatment for epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and other conditions.

Coconut is an exotic food in the Western world, It is  consumed primarily by health conscious people.  In some parts of the world, coconut (of course filled with coconut oil) is a dietary staple which has been enjoyed for many generations.

One such population is the Tokelauans,in the South Pacific. They gained over 60% of their calories from coconuts. When studied, they were found to be in excellent health, with very low rates of heart disease

Obesity is one of the biggest health problems in the world today.

Not only is obesity a matter of calories but the sources of those calories are important too.

It is a fact that different foods affect our bodies and hormones in different ways.

The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil can increase the number of calories you burn compared to the same amount of calories from longer chain fats.

One study found that 15-30 grams of MCTs per day increased 24 hour energy expenditure by 5%, totalling about 120 calories per day.

The 12-carbon lauric acid makes up about 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil.

When lauric acid is digested, it forms a substance called monolaurin.

Both lauric acid and monolaurin can kill harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi.

For example, these substances have been shown to help kill the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (a very dangerous pathogen) and the yeast Candida albicans, a common source of yeast infections in humans.

One interesting feature of the fatty acids in coconut oil is that they can reduce your hunger.

This may be related to the way the fats are metabolized, because ketones can have an appetite reducing effect.

In one study, varying amounts of medium and long chain triglycerides were fed to 6 healthy men.

The men eating the most MCTs ate on average 256 fewer calories per day, .

A so-called ketogenic (very low carb, very high fat) diet is currently being studied to treat various disorders.

The best known therapeutic application of this diet is treating drug-resistant epilepsy in children.

This diet involves eating very few carbohydrates and large amounts of fat, leading to greatly increased concentrations of ketones in the blood.

For some reason, the diet dramatically reduces the rate of seizures in epileptic children, even those who haven’t had success with multiple different types of drugs.

Because the fatty acids in coconut oil get shipped to the liver and turned into ketones, they are often used in epileptic patients to induce ketosis while allowing for a bit more carbs in the diet

Coconut oil contains natural saturated fats that increase the good HDL cholesterol in your body. They may also help turn the bad LDL cholesterol into a less harmful form.

By increasing HDL, many experts believe that coconut oil could be good for heart health compared to many other fats.

In one study in 40 women, coconut oil reduced total and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL compared to soybean oil (15).

Another study in 116 patients showed that a dietary program that included coconut oil raised levels of the good HDL cholesterol (16).

SUMMARY:A few studies have shown that coconut oil can raise blood levels of HDL cholesterol, which is linked to improved metabolic health and a lower risk of heart disease.

Coconut oil has many uses 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 content of the skin. It can also reduce symptoms of eczema (17, 18).

Coconut oil can also be protective against hair damage and one study shows effectiveness as a weak sunscreen, blocking about 20% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays (19, 20)

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 (21, 22, 23).

SUMMARY:Coconut oil can also be applied topically, with studies showing it to be effective as a skin moisturizer and protecting against hair damage.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia worldwide and occurs primarily in elderly individuals.

In Alzheimer’s patients, there appears to be a reduced ability to use glucose for energy in certain parts of the brain.

Researchers have speculated that ketones can provide an alternative energy source for these malfunctioning brain cells and reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s (24).

In one 2006 study, consumption of medium chain triglycerides led to improvement in brain function in patients with milder forms of Alzheimer’s (25).

However, keep in mind that research is still early and there is no evidence to suggest that coconut oil itself helps with Alzheimer’s disease.

SUMMARY:Preliminary studies suggest that medium-chain triglycerides can increase blood levels of ketones, supplying energy for the brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients and relieving symptoms.

Given that coconut oil can reduce appetite and increase fat burning, it makes sense that it can also help you lose weight.

Coconut oil appears to be especially effective at reducing belly fat, which lodges in the abdominal cavity and around organs (4).

This is the most dangerous fat of all and is highly associated with many chronic Western diseases.

Waist circumference is easily measured and is a great marker for the amount of fat in the abdominal cavity.

In a study of 40 women with abdominal obesity, supplementing with 30 mL (2 tablespoons) of coconut oil per day led to a significant reduction in both BMI and waist circumference over a period of 12 weeks (15).

Another study in 20 obese males noted a reduction in waist circumference of 1.1 inches (2.86 cm) after 4 weeks of 30 mL (2 tablespoons) of coconut oil per day (26).

Coconut oil is still high in calories so you shouldn’t add a ton of it to your diet. But replacing some of your other cooking fats with coconut oil could have a small weight loss benefit.

If you want to buy coconut oil, then there is an excellent selection on Amazon with thousands of customer reviews that are fun to browse through.

It is also available in most health food stores.

In order to get the impressive health benefits outlined in the article, then make sure to choose organic, virgin coconut oil — not the refined stuff.

This is really just the tip of the iceberg. People are using coconut oil for all sorts of things with great results.

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