Coconut oil is a superfood that is extremely healthy and should be used by any health conscious person.
It has healthy fats that is great for improving brain function and weight loss.
Here are 10 Facts you never knew;
Healthy Fatty Acids
Coconut oil had been avoided in the past because of its saturated fats, it comprises of 90% saturated fats.
Research has now proved that these fats are health and can help unclog blocked arteries.
Coconut oil comprises of medium length fatty acids — Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), these can be metabolized in a variety of ways unlike long-chain fatty acids.
It is great for the treatment of brain disorders like Alzheimer’s and epilepsy as they are quickly converted to ketone bodies by the liver when consumed.
Healthy Nations Are Coconut Oil Eating Nations
It has been proven that places where coconut oil is part of their staple dietary routine, they tend to have less incidents of infections and serious health complications.
In the South Pacific the Tokelauans are known to consume this superfood and about 60% of their calories is got from coconut oil. They do not suffer from heart disease and enjoy very good health.
This also apply to the Kitavans who take very large amounts of coconut oil but are in tremendous health.
Fight Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi And Other Infections With Coconut Oil’s — Lauric Acid
About 50% of fatty acids in coconut oil has about 12-carbon Lauric Acid. When taken coconut oil also produces a monoglyceride called monolaurin.
These days’ compounds help to combat viruses, fungi, and bacteria.
The compounds are known to destroy the yeast Candida Albicans and Staphylococcus Aureus in humans.
Energy Boosting
Obesity is a health risk that affects millions around the world. High calories is believed to be responsible but there are people who consume very high calories and do not become obese, so calories alone is not solely responsible as our bodies and hormones are influenced in different ways and by different foods.
It is known that the medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil will raise energy levels. About 15-30 grams of MCT daily will boost energy by 5% on a 24 hour time line.
Curbs Seizures
Ketones are known to improve brain function and curb disorders. Coconut oil when consumed is converted to ketones by the liver and these ketones can help people with seizure problems like epilepsy.
Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Disease With Coconut Oil
Coconut oil will regulate the body’s cholesterol level and reduce the risk heart attack.
The saturated fats in coconut oil is not harmful to the body’s blood lipid profile.
They actually raise the HDL good cholesterol level and convert the LDL cholesterol into a sort of benign sub type.
In a study carried out on 40 women coconut oil reduced the LDL cholesterol and also elevated the HDL levels all at once unlike when compared to soybean oil.
It was also observed in rats that coconut oil boosts blood coagulation factors, raises HDL cholesterol and lowers total and LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides as well as improves the antioxidant levels.
This helps to prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular disease.
It Fights Cravings
Consuming coconut oil will give you the feeling of satiety and help you fight cravings that can lead you to overeat and eventually lead to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke and heart failure. A study conducted on 6 men of good health that consumed different quantities of medium and long chain triglycerides showed that those men that consumed MCTs had about 256 fewer calories daily.
In another study involving 14 men of good health that consumed mainly MCTs for breakfast, ate fewer calories for lunch. These studies did not have a long tenure for us to know the long term effects of coconut oil consumption to satiety, overeating and obesity concerns.
You Can Lose Belly Fats
As it is known that coconut oil will give a feeling of satiety and burn fat and this includes belly fat and reducing waist circumference.
In a study carried out on 40 women with extreme belly fat it was discovered that when about 30 ml (approximately 1 ounce) of coconut oil was consumed daily it resulted in a significant reduction in their waist circumference and BMI in just under 12 weeks.
In another study involving 20 obese men, consuming 30 ml (approximately 1 ounce) of coconut oil daily caused a reduction in their waist circumference by 2.86 cm (about 1.1 inches) in just under four weeks.
With consuming coconut oil as part of your dietary routine you can go a long way in significantly eliminating belly fat.
Brain Function Gets A Massive Boost
Ketones released by the liver from coconut oil is very useful for boosting brain function with energy and combating brain disorders like Alzheimer’s disease which is a common form of dementia that affects mainly the elderly as parts of the brain lose their natural ability to utilize glucose and convert it to energy.
In 2006, a research discovered that consuming medium chain triglycerides led to a sudden improvement in brain function in subjects with a milder form of the disease.
Effective As A Sunscreen
It has been proven that when applied topically coconut oil is an effective sunscreen protecting the skin from harmful UV rays. It is also known that coconut oil will help restore damaged hair and as well as give very smooth and supply skin tone when used as a moisturizer as it boosts the skins lipid content and moisture.
You can also use coconut oil as an effective mouthwash because of its antibacterial properties, it will get rid of mouth odour as well.