Coconut oil is not only delicious and adds a great element to your food, but did you know it’s also considered a superfood? Here are ten health benefits of using coconut oil in everyday cooking.
1. Fatty Acids. Recently, researchers have discovered saturated fats - which make up about 90% of the fat found in coconut oil - are not nearly as bad for you as once thought. In fact, medium chain triglycerides, the type of saturated fat found in coconut oil, are actually extremely good for your body.
2. Civilizations Thrive o Coconut. Many cultures around the world live on a diet comprised mostly of coconut, and they are among the healthiest people in the world.
3. Helps Burn Fat. The saturated fats in coconuts have been shown to increase energy consumption by as much as 5%, which helps to burn off fat.
4. Can Kill Harmful Organisms. The fatty acids have been shown to break down pathogens, decreasing the risk of infections.
5. Can Reduce Your Hunger. The fatty acids can also help you feel fuller, so you eat less, in turn helping you to lose weight.
6. Can Reduce Seizures. A ketonic diet, one low in carbs and high in fatty acids, has been shown to help reduce epileptic seizures. The fatty acids in coconuts are transferred to the liver, which in turn metabolizes them into ketogens.
7. Improve Cholesterol Levels. Coconut oil has been shown to increase the amount of good cholesterol while simultaneously decreasing the bad kind.
8. Protects Hair, Moisturizes Skin, Acts As Sunscreen. Coconut oil isn’t just for cooking with! Applying it to your hair helps protect it from damage, while applying it to your skin moisturizes your skin and acts as a low level sunscreen.
9. Boost Brain Function. Studies show that the ketones created by coconut oil have increased energy to brain cells, helping in the treatment of Alzheimer’s.
10. Helps Lose Fat. Coconut oil has been shown to significantly decrease the amount of abdominal body fat, which is not only the hardest fat to lose, but also the most dangerous, as it forms around the body’s internal organs. And the best part is, the studies conducted didn’t even include any exercise, just the addition of coconut oil into your daily food regimen!
