There are over 1,500 studies proving coconut oil to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Coconut oil benefits and uses go beyond what most people realize. Coconut Oil is made by pressing the fat from white “meat” inside the giant nut. About 84 percent of its calories come from saturated fat.
Use coconut oil in the same way that you may use olive oil, such as in marinades, salad dressings, or when sauteing vegetables or pan-frying meat. Or, use it in place of butter when baking or making desserts such as icing or ice cream treats. It is even good for your skin and hair. Warm a small amount of beeswax and mix with some coconut oil to create your own skin salve or use as a conditioner for the hair. If it is massaged into the scalp, it can help with the regrowth of damaged hair as well as prevent dryness and flaking of the skin.
Research has finally uncovered the secrets to this amazing fruit; namely healthy fats called medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), these unique fats include:
· Lauric acid
· Capric acid
· Caprylic acid
1. Promotes Weight loss
Because of the energy creating abilities of coconut oil, it is no wonder that it is beneficial in losing weight. It helps to burn fat, decrease appetite and it studies it was especially helpful in losing belly fat! Coconut’s ability to help you shed fat.
2. Building Muscle and Burn Fat
MCFAs aren’t just good for burning fat; they are also great for building muscle. The MCFAs found in coconut are also used in popular muscle building products like Muscle Milk™.
The vast majority of heavily produced supplements however, use processed forms of MCFAs. By eating actual coconuts, however, you get the “real deal.” I recommend adding 3 tbsp of coconut oil to a muscle building shake daily.
3. Promote Healthy Hair
If you have dandruff or dry hair coconut oil has the perfect fatty acids to help improve these conditions. You can make homemade coconut lavender shampoo to improve your hair and use straight coconut oil as an all natural hair conditioner.
To get rid of dandruff and to thicken hair massage 1 tbsp coconut oil mixed with 10 drops of rosemary essential oil into your scalp for 3 minutes. Then shower 30 minutes later.
4. Yeast Infections And Candida
A study published in the journal of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy found the capric acid and lauric acid in coconut oil were an effective natural treatment for candida albicans and yeast infections.
To effectively kill candida and treat yeast infections remove processed sugar and refined grains from your diet and consume plenty of healthy fats. Take 1 tbsp of coconut oil 3x daily as a supplement.
5. Anti-aging
According to research published in the medical journal Food and Function, coconut oil improves antioxidant levels and can slow aging. Coconut oil works by reducing stress on the liver and by lowering oxidative stress.
Also, they found that coconut oil may support detoxification because of how it works with the liver. To naturally slow aging take 1 tbsp of coconut oil with anti-oxidant rich berries for breakfast. You can also apply it directly to skin for additional benefits and smoothing.
6. Balance Harmone
Using coconut oil benefits your hormones as well! Coconut oil may help naturally balance hormones because it’s a great source of saturated fat including lauric acid. Studies have found that coconut oil may be an excellent fat to consume during menopause and also may have positives effects on estrogen levels.
7. Proven Alzheimer’s Disease Natural Treatment
The digestion of MCFA’s by the liver creates ketones which are a readily accessible energy by the brain. Ketones supply energy to the brain without the need of insulin to process glucose into energy.
Recent research has shown that the brain actually creates it’s own insulin to process glucose and power brain cells. As the brain of an Alzheimer’s patient has lost the ability to create it’s own insulin, the ketones from coconut oil could create an alternate source of energy to help repair brain function.
8. Prevents High Blood Pressure And Heart Disease
Coconut oil is high in natural saturated fats. Saturated fats not only increase the healthy cholesterol (known as HDL) in your body, but also help to convert the LDL “bad” cholesterol into good cholesterols.
By Increasing the HDL’s in the body, it helps promote heart health, and lower the risk of heart disease.
9. Cures UTI and Kidney Infection & Protects the Liver
Coconut oil has been known to clear up and heal urinary (UTI) and kidney infections. The MCFA’s in the oil work as a natural antibiotic by disrupting the lipid coating on bacteria and killing them. Also there is a study showing that coconut oil directly protected the liver from damage.
Coconut water also helps hydrate and support the healing process. Doctors have even injected the coconut water to clear up kidney stones. Coconut is a super powerful food!
10. Reduces Arthritis and Inflammation
In a study in India, the high levels of antioxidants present in virgin coconut oil reduced inflammation and healing arthritis more effectively than leading medications.
In another recent study, coconut oil that was harvested with only medium heat was found to suppress inflammatory cells. It worked as both an analgesic and anti-inflammatory.
11. Cancer Treatment And Prevention
Coconut oil has two qualities that help it fight cancer. One, because of the ketones produced in it’s digestion. Tumor cells are not able to access the energy in ketones and are glucose dependent. It is believed that a ketogenic diet could be a possible component of helping cancer patients recover.
Two, as the MCFA’s digest the lipid walls of bacteria, they also can kill the helicobacter pylori bacteria that has been known as increasing the risk of stomach cancer. Even in studies where cancer is chemically induced, the introduction of coconut oil prevents cancer from developing!
12. Immune System Boost
Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is known to reduce candida, fight bacteria, and create a hostile environment for viruses. Many diseases today are causes by the overgrowth of bad bacteria, funguses, viruses and parasites in the body.
You can replace grains and sugar in your diet with coconut oil as your natural fuel source when you’re sick. Sugar feeds the growth of bad bacteria. Instead take 1 TBSP of coconut oil 3x daily when sick and consume plenty of vegetables and bone broth as well.
13. Improves Memory and Brain Function
In a 2004 study published in the journal of Neurobiology of Aging, they found that the MCFA’s found in coconut oil improved the memory problems in their older subjects.
Across all the patients there was a marked improvement in their recall ability after taking this fatty acid. As the MCFA’s are absorbed easily in the body and can be accessed in the brain without the use of insulin, they are able to fuel brain cells more efficiently.
14. Improves Endurance And Energy
Coconut oil is easy to digest, but also produces a longer sustained energy and increases your metabolism. When taking a quality non-processed coconut oil, you can get the most benefit as it’s MCFA’s are sent directly to the liver to be converted into energy!
Today, many triathletes will use coconut oil as their source of fuels during training and races for long distance events. You can make a homemade energy fuel by mixing coconut oil, raw honey and chia seeds together. Simply put together 1 TBSP of each and consume 30 minutes prior to exercise.
15. Improves Digestion, Reduces Stomach Ulcers & Ulcerative Colitis
Coconut also improves digestion as it helps the body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, calcium, and magnesium.
If coconut oil is taken at the same time as omega-3 fatty acids, it can make them twice as effective, as they are readily available to be digested and used by the body.
Coconut oil can help improve bacteria and gut health by destroying bad bacteria and candida. Candida imbalance especially can decrease stomach acid which causes inflammation and poor digestion.
16. Reduces Symptoms of Gallbladder Disease & Pancreatitis
The MCFA’s of coconut oil do not need the pancreatic enzymes to be broken down, so taking coconut oil eases the strain on the pancreas.
Additionally, this super fat is so easy to digest that it has been known to improve the symptoms of gallbladder disease as well. Replace other long-chain fats with coconut oil to improve gallbladder and total body health.
17. Improves Skin Issues
Coconut oil is wonderful as a face cleanser, moisturizer and sun screen, but also it can treat many skin disorders. The fatty acids (Caprylic and Lauric) in coconut oil reduce inflammation internally and externally and moisturize making them a great solution for all types of skin conditions.
It protects the skin and has many antioxidants that make it ideal for healing the skin. In addition the antimicrobial properties balance out the candida or fungal sources that can cause many skin conditions.
18. Prevents Tooth Decay And Gum Disease
Oil pulling with coconut oil has been used for centuries as a way to cleanse the mouth of bacteria and help heal periodontal disease. Coconut oil is one of the most effective oils for oil pulling due to it’s high concentration of antibacterial MCFA’s.
By swishing the oil in your mouth the oil denatures the bacteria and sticks to it. Removing oral bacteria greatly reduces your risk of periodontal disease. If you want to heal your gums and repair your teeth, I recommend coconut oil pulling 3x a week for 20 minutes a day.
19. Prevents Osteoporosis
Oxidative stress and free radicals are the two biggest culprits of osteoporosis. Since coconut oil has such high levels of antioxidants which help fight free radicals, it is a leading natural treatment for osteoporosis.
Another of the amazing coconut oil benefits is that it increases calcium absorption in the gut. Research with osteoporosis has found that coconut oil not only increases bone volume and structure in subjects, but also decreased bone loss due to osteoporosis.
20. Help Fight Type II Diabetes
When cells refuse to respond to insulin and no longer take in glucose for energy, then they are considered insulin resistant. The pancreas then pumps out more insulin to compensate and creates an overproduction cycle. Insulin resistance is the precursor to Type II diabetes.
The MCFA’s in coconut oil helps balance the insulin reactions in the cells and promote healthy digestive process. They take off the strain on the pancreas and give the body a consistent energy source that is not dependent on glucose reactions which can prevent insulin resistance and Type II diabetes.
How Much Coconut To Consume
A therapeutic dosage is 3 to 4 tablespoons a day to provide enough lauric acid to build the immune system. That is a lot! So if you are interested in losing weight that may be too much.
Nutrients In Coconut Oil
· Choline is one of the most abundant nutrients (0.3 mg per 100 g of oil).
· Vitamin E (0.9 mg per 100 g of oil) and vitamin K (0.5 mcg per 100 g of oil). Both vitamins are important for cardiovascular health.
· Contains a small amount of iron (0.04 mg per 100 g of oil)
· Is nature’s richest source of lauric acid which protects your heart by reducing total cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol.
· Has a small amount of vitamins and minerals.
How To Store Coconut Oil
Unlike most unsaturated oils, coconut oil doesn’t need to be refrigerated. It’s high saturated content is resistant to oxidation!
If you’re like me and you purchase coconut oil by the gallon you may want to transfer some of your coconut oil to a glass jar or smaller container to keep with your kitchen supplies. I don’t have a lot of counter space so this tip helps keep my counters free of clutter.
Special Note
Coconut oil is a fat; 1 tablespoon contains 120 calories so do not eat too much. Include just enough to get the health benefits without the extra gained fat on your body.