Coconut oil is one of those foods that get a lot of attention and spark many discussions.
While some health experts call it a superfood with a special combination of fatty acids that promote well-being, others have gone so far as to mark the “poison” coconut oil.
Yeah, like so many heated discussions, the truth is in the middle someplace.
It’s true that populations that eat a lot of food appear to have a lower heart disease rate than those that don’t.
However, it is also true that coconut oil contains around 80 percent saturated fat, with 50 percent saturated fat higher than even red meat.
In the diet too much saturated fat contributes to health issues like heart disease
It is really the coconut oil medium-chain triglycerides that have the health benefits.
If you understand how these work in the body, you will determine if a daily diet of coconut oil is right for you.
If you eat coconut oil every day, we will break down the positive and the not-so-good stuff that can happen to your body.
Increased Fat Burning
In coconut oil the medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are credited with increasing the amount of calories you can consume.
One study found that consumption of 15-30 grams of MCTs per day increases energy expenditure (calorie burning) by 5%.
Any extra burn will help when you are trying to shed pounds. And that’s the secret to getting the most out of a high MCT diet – it has to be achieved in combination with a reduction in carbs and even better, an exercise routine.
Protection Against Harmful Microorganisms
Approximately 50 per cent of the coconut oil fatty acids are lauric acids. Once digested, the lauric acid converts into a monolaurine compound.
Research suggests that both lauric acid and monolaurine can destroy harmful pathogenic organisms, including viruses, fungi and bacteria.
Candida albicans, the cause of yeast infections, and Staphylococcus aureus, a potentially fatal pathogen, both have been shown to be resistant to lauric acid and monolaurine in studies.
Reduced Hunger & Cravings
One fascinating aspect of the coconut oil fatty acids is that they can also help you lose weight. Digested MCTs are isolated from other types of fats.
They go straight to the liver and are either used as ready energy, or converted into ketones.
Ketones are a form of acid produced from fat in the liver which can be used as energy. Eating more coconut oil could turn into weight loss, in combination with other efforts.
What’s more, coconut oil will help reduce hunger. Research show that people who eat the most MCTs in the morning eat less total calories all day long.
Improved HDL Cholesterol Level
Too much saturated fat is not healthy, but all saturated fats are not equal. Some studies have shown the kind in coconut oil to increase the amount of HDL, or “healthy” cholesterol in the body, whereas at the same time altering the LDL or “poor” cholesterol to a less harmful type.
Therefore, many experts agree that coconut oil is still healthy for heart health, despite being made up mainly of saturated fat.
Fewer Seizures
The so-called ketogenic “keto” diet is very broad right now, and depends on a high intake of fat to produce ketones in the bloodstream.
The keto diet can result in weight loss, but is also being used to treat different disorders. Another example is epilepsy.
Research indicates that eating a high-fat / low-carb diet can reduce the occurrence of seizures in children with epilepsy, even though several other medications have failed to help.
Indeed, the fatty acids in coconut oil are often used to cause ketosis in patients of all ages with epilepsy.
Improved Skin and Dental Health
Any need to eat coconut oil to be helpful. It also has an variety of cosmetic and topical applications.
For a natural moisturizer it can be massaged into the skin much like a lotion. A couple of studies have also found that coconut oil can soothe eczema symptoms.
And though you can’t throw out your usual sunscreen, coconut oil usually blocks about 20 per cent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Many people in their mouths also drink coconut oil to kill bacteria and enhance breathing.
On the Other Hand, Maybe the Opposite
The reason there’s so much controversy about the coconut oil’s health value is because all of the assumptions made about it come from one report.
A woman named Marie-Pierre St-Onge did the research on the benefits of medium-chain triglycerides.
Coconut oil does contain more MCTs than other fat sources, but St-Onge’s analysis was performed using a model oil containing 100 percent MCTs. Regular coconut oil only contains about 13-15%.
And while some studies have shown that coconut oil can have beneficial effects on low levels of cholesterol, other studies have failed to distinguish a difference between coconut oil activity and any other saturated fat.
That led to the American Heart Association issuing a alert against the consumption.
