First thing that comes to mind when people see coconut oil is that dreaded word.....FAT! So what do we naturally do? We stay away from this product, like we've been taught to do. Don't eat fat if you don't want to get fat...right? Wrong!
Cooking with this wonderful saturated fat will actually support heart health and body composition, while enhancing the taste of your dish (if you like the taste of coconut). Sounds crazy right, a saturated fat that helps you lose fat and doesn't clog your arteries!?
Well, coconut oil helps shed the pounds because its biochemical make up promotes thyroid and enzyme(s) health. This oil also has the ability to ramp up your metabolism and take unneeded stress off of the pancreas. This burns more energy, in-turn, helping you lose weight.
Coconut oil is also a heart protector! It is able to do so because around 50% of coconut oil is composed of lauric acid. This acid aids in preventing high BP and cholesterol, to name a couple heavy hitters. Another cool trait is that the saturated fats, unlike the ones found in veggie oils, seem to help the heart and also keep the arteries healthy!
Now that we've covered two major benefits of coconut oil that I think everyone is interested in, lets take a look at some more positives.
- Promotes immunity
- Improves digestion
- Reduces stress levels
- Has been used for natural care of diabetes, HIV and cancer
- Increases bone strength
- Natural antibacterial
- Promotes skin and hair health
- Reduces inflammation in joints and muscles
Well there you have it! There are even more benefits to consuming coconut oil, but these ones that I felt were major highlights. Coconut oil has become somewhat mainstream over recent years so you shouldn't have much trouble finding it! It is a little expensive but a little bit goes a long way, so give it a try!
- Brig Van Etten CSCS-
How does this compare to Flax/Fish/Olive oil? Would this be a replacement or an add on? Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteHey! Well I wouldn't really put Coconut oil in the same category as Flaxseed or Fish oil, those are known mainly for their great omega 3 content! I would stick with Fish oil because it is absorbed better then Flaxseed oil. There is most certainly a place for both Olive oil and Coconut oil! I like to use Coconut for cooking and baking and Olive oil for dressings. They are both very similar so do not exclude one or the other!
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