Coconut oil is one ingredient which can truly be called a superfood. It’s full of essential nutrients which can treat numerous diseases and significantly improve our overall health. Here are the main health benefits of this incredible oil:
1. It contains a unique combination of fatty acids
Coconut oil is rich in saturated fat which was scrutinized in the past. However, recent studies have shown that saturated fat isn’t harmful to our health – it is actually great for our heart. Even better, the saturated fat in the oil is nothing like the one you can find in cheese or steak.
Besides saturated fat, coconut oil also contains medium-chain triglycerides which the body metabolizes quickly and efficiently. They are delivered directly to the liver where they’re turned to ketones, powerful compounds which have therapeutic properties and have been considered a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Nations that consume a lot of coconut oil are significantly healthier than the rest of the world
According to studies, people who include coconut oil in their daily diet are significantly healthier than others and have a generally healthier cardiovascular system. Take the Tokelauans for example (a small nation in the South Pacific) – they get over 60% of their calories through coconut oil, and have no idea what heart disease is.
3. Coconut oil will boost your energy expenditure and help you lose weight
Although most people think that the main reason for obesity is consuming way too much calories, others know that the source of calories plays a major role as well. Different foods affect our bodies in different ways, and not all calories are created equal. The MCTs in coconut oil are the perfect calorie source – they will boost your energy expenditure and help you lose a lot of weight.
4 .Lauric acid – a powerful antibacterial compound
Coconut oil contains lauric acid, a powerful compound that can destroy any bacteria it comes in contact with. When combined with monolaurin (which the oil also contains), the unique mixture can destroy a variety of viruses, bacteria and fungi as well. According to studies, both compounds can kill the Candida Albicans yeast as well as the dangerous Staphylococcus Aureus bacterium.
5. Curbs your cravings
Coconut oil is the best snack which will curb your cravings and prevent you from overeating. This may be because of the different way the fatty acids are metabolized, or due to the ketones’ ability to curb cravings. One study examined how coconut oil affects the way our body spends calories.
The scientists fed 6 subjects with either medium or long-chain fatty acids, and the men who got the MCTs ate 256 calories less per day. Another study performed on more subjects showed the same, so it’s pretty safe to say that the oil can successfully keep cravings at bay.
