Gone are the days when the use of coconut oil is limited to beauty products or massage lotions. Coconut oil has received a lot of positive press lately and deserves to be incorporated into your daily diet. Lets check out the evidence behind the popular product and what properties make some health experts consider it a ‘super food’.
What is coconut oil comprised of?
To understand the benefits of this oil, we first must understood its biological composition. Coconut oil is built primarily of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These fats metabolize much differently than long-chain triglycerides,which are found in abundance in meat and dairy products. Unlike long chain triglycerides, medium chain triglycerides do not have a negative effect on cholesterol and help lower the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease.
1. Fighting Infections
– one of the main components of coconut oil is Lauric acid, which can be converted into monolaurin. Monolaurin is helfpul in dealing with viruses and bacteria, including herpes, influenza, CMV and even HIV. Capric acid and caprylic acid , components of coconut oil, also have antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties.
2. Hair and Skin care
-Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrients for your hair, keeping hair healthy and shiny. It is effective in reducing protein loss and helps keeps hair free of dandruff. In terms of skin health, coconut oil can be used to prevent dryness and flakiness of skin. Skin issues such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema have been treated with coconut oil.
3. Weight loss
– the short and medium chain fatty acids help aid in metabolism, resulting in weight loss. Furthermore, coconut oil increases the body’s metabolic rate by removing stress on the pancreas, thereby burning more energy and helping obese and overweight people lose the weight.
4. Cognitive Function
-coconut oil has some properties that may aid in recall ability. An article published in The Journal of Neurobiology of Aging suggested that the medium chain fatty acids of coconut oil improve the memory problems in older patients. Since these fatty acids are absorbed easily in the body, brain cells can use this source of energy more effectively.
If you are thinking of incorporating coconut oil in your life, be sure to use extra virgin coconut oil to provide your body with the best. Refined or processed coconut oil can be chemically processed or bleached, which interferes with the healthy, natural chemical composition!
