Coconuts are an amazing fruit. Besides tasting delicious, the oil they provide offers amazing health benefits largely due to their fatty acids called Medium chain-triglycerides, or MCTs. MCTs help the body in different ways. Read about the 15 ways coconut oil can help you.
1. Helps Boost Energy
The fatty acids in coconut oil have an amazing chemical structure that allow the body to absorb them whole. This makes them more easily digestible and allows them to become a source of direct energy. Coconut oil helps boost energy and endurance, and is often used by athletes.
2. Enhances Skin
Coconut oil improves antioxidant levels and can slow aging. This was published in the medical publication, Food and Function. Coconut oil is an effective moisturizer for all types of skin that can delay the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin, combat psoriasis, eczema and other skin infections.
3. Detoxifies The Liver
The study in Food and Function also found that coconut oil may support detoxification of the liver. The oil reduces stress on the liver by lowering oxidative stress, and the fatty acids break down easily which lowers the workload on the liver, our workhorse of an organ.
4. Stabilizes Blood Sugar
Because of its special fatty acids (MCTs), coconut oil can steady blood sugar levels because the body can break down MCTs easily and use them as energy. Coconut oil also improves insulin secretion and helps to effectively use glucose in the blood, helping prevent diabetes.
5. Helps Control Weight
The fat in coconut oil does not cause instant weight gain, and in fact it may even promote weight loss. A study out of Japan showed that over a 12-week period, subjects who got medium-chain triglycerides (the fatty acids in coconut oil) lost about two pounds more than those who did not. Not only that, coconut oil increases the body’s metabolic rate by removing stress on the pancreas.
6. Promotes Heart Health
Half of cocunut oil is lauric acid. This acid kills bacteria, fungi and helps stave off infections. It also prevents various heart problems like high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
7. Lowers Cholesterol Levels
The saturated fat in coconut oil does the opposite of other fats of its kind. Instead of contributing to cholesterol buildup in your body, this fatty acid may actually help to lower blood cholesterol levels. Studies showed that MTCs (the fatty acids in coconut oil) helped reduce the chances of plaque buildup in arteries and lowered blood cholesterol levels in place of corn oil.
8. Strengthens Immune System
The antimicrobial lipids in coconut oil work with the lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid to strengthen the immune system by fighting bacteria and viruses. You can start taking one teaspoon a day straight up or stir it in your coffee or cereal. Taking too much coconut oil, at least when you first start, can be too much on your systems, so strong is this natural oil.
9. Aids Digestion
When used in cooking, coconut oil helps to improve digestion. The saturated fats help with absorbing vitamins, minerals and amino acids. They also have antimicrobial properties which aid in dealing with bacteria, fungi, and parasites that can cause indigestion. That’s good news for this guy.
10. Helps Kindneys
Coconut oil boosts metabolism, and this is good for the kidneys, especially damaged kidneys. Healthy kidneys regulate how much sodium, potassium and fluid are retained in the body or excreted. As kidneys begin to fail, the balance begins to shift. Coconut oil boosts metabolism. This helps the kidneys by removing some of their workload. Coconut oil also helps dissolve kidney stones and helps prevent gall bladder diseases.
11. Strengthens Bones
Coconut oil improves your body’s ability to absorb important minerals, including calcium and magnesium, which are two vital nutrients for bone development and strength. This could be especially useful to women who are prone to osteoporosis, or to anyone who regularly poses like this.
12. Strengthens Teeth
Since coconut oil helps the body absorb calcium, it’s good for your teeth, too. Calcium keeps teeth strong and stops tooth decay. Research shows that coconut oil even reduces the formation of plaque on the teeth. Simply massage the oil into your gums for 10 minutes a day for three weeks.
13. Beautifies Hair
Rub coconut oil in your hair to keep your hair looking healthy. The oil prevents protein loss, stimulates hair growth, prevents dandruff (and lice!) and moisturizes dry hair. It also makes hair feel soft and look shiny, and it prevents split ends.
14. Heals Wounds
Put some coconut oil on a wound, and it will protect it from dust and airborn bacteria. Put it on a bruise, and it will speed up the healing process. If you get too much sun, coconut oil can help soothe inflamed skin, reduce redness and rehydrate your skin. Are you ready to slap a big “C” on a jar of coconut oil and drape a cape around this superhero fruit oil?
15. Fights Candida
Candida albicans is a type of fungus in your body that sometimes grows out of control. An outbreak leads to infections that can be deadly. The caprylic acid in coconut oil attacks candida at the cellular level, reducing the infection and, if used regularly, even preventing the infection from returning. Just another example of how coconut oil helps our bodies.
[Featured image credit: www.dailynexus.com]