Coconut oil is a unique “superfood” that has many proven benefits to help you live a healthy life. So why should I consume coconut oil? Here are 5 reason why to include this food into your diet. There are a few different options when selecting coconut oil. There is unrefined (virgin or pure) and refined, your best sticking with unrefined since it retains more of the healthy fats and its not processed as refined.
5 reasons why I should consume coconut oil
Coconut oil is Brain Food!
- The brain is quite the hungry little organ, it is made up of mostly fat. Coconut oil is made of saturated fat, the consumption of saturated fats from the coconut oil can increase cholesterol. Which is a good, because your brain thrives off of that! Coconut oil’s fat feeds the brain as a backup energy source. There are long-chain triglycerides (LCT) and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), both of these molecules can be broken down into a backup energy source. However, LCT are harder to breakdown and easily become fat, where MCT breaks down easier that can be used for energy for the brain. The brain’s main source of energy comes from glucose, when it runs of that energy source it relies on ketones. The liver breaks down fats and turns them into ketones, MCT are fats easily broken down that can provide instant energy!
- The consumption of coconut oil’s MCTs easily broken down fats help fight a lot of different neurological disorders. Many different diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, stroke, glaucoma, down syndrome, ALS, memory loss, depression and many more.
Coconut oil has Cosmetic Purposes
- Besides from eating coconut oil it can also be applied to your skin or hair. The oily substance is a great moisturizer that can be applied to dry skin. It can also an effective sunscreen blocker, notice how some sunscreens smell like coconut? Coincidence? Coconut oil can also be applied to the hair that is very protective that can prevent hair damage. There are even some studies that it can used as mouth wash to help fight off bacteria and bad breath.
Coconut oil promotes Weight Loss
- As mentioned before MCTs are easily broken down by the liver that are turned into ketones. Since MCTs are broken down faster than LCTs, the body is burning more energy using MCTs compared to LCTs. LCTs are commonly found in vegetable oils where MCTs are only found in coconut oil and breast milk. Burning more energy means burning more fat, make sense?
Coconut oil helps Heart Disease
- Consuming coconut in the western world can be considered to be an exotic food. In other parts of the world such as the south pacific islands its an every day staple. These pacific islanders have excellent health and no heart disease. Coconuts sounds more appealing right?
Coconut oil Kill off viruses, bacteria and fungi
- Half of the fatty acids found in coconut oil is made up of Lauric acid. When the oil is digested it forms a monoglyceride called monolaurin. Lauric acid and monolaurin can fight and kill virsuses, bacteria and fungi.
There you have it, coconut oil can provide brain food, cosmetic purposes, aid in weight loss, fight off heart disease and kill other viruses, bacterias and fungi.
