The wonders of Coconut oil
Coconut oil has been gaining ground as a super food or a
miracle food.
Probably because it offers diverse health benefits and for
the fact that it
is one of the richest sources of saturated fat, even more so
than butter.
The oil has many antioxidants, antimicrobial, antibacterial
and antifungal
properties. It also helps in the absorption of other minerals.
Coconut oil is one the few foods that foster health and
beauty from inside
out.
Here are 7 amazing benefits of coconut oil..
1. Boosts Immune System
Coconut oil is made up of healthy fats that make it excellent
for immunity.
These are antibacterial and antimicrobial commonly known
as lauric acid,
caprylic acid and capric acid. These are well known for
fighting and
preventing many virus and bacteria-causing diseases like
herpes, influenza,
candida, athletes foot, even cold and flu.
Coconut oil also helps in absorption of certain minerals
which strengthens
the immune system generally.
2. Controls Blood Sugar
Coconut oil is one oil that diabetics can eat without fear and
even enjoy
other benefits from. How? Unlike most saturated fats,
coconut oil is a
medium-chain fatty acid(MCFA) which is more easily
metabolized. MCFAs take
only 4 processes to get digested and absorbed compared
long-chain fatty
acid that takes about 26 steps. These MCFAs are not
usually stored in the
body as they are easily absorbed by cells to use as energy
immediately.
coconut oil also help control blood sugar by improving the
secretion of
insulin and more so promotes the effective utilization of
blood glucose.
Coconut oil plays a key role in preventing as well as
treating diabetes.
3. Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
As surprising as it may seem, coconut oil has been used
traditionally for
many years as a powerful weapon against heart disease.
Scientists and
researchers have recently proved that eating coconut oil
can reduce your
chances of suffering a heart attack.
The saturated fats in coconut oil not only increase the
healthy cholesterol
(known as HDL) in your body but also help convert LDL
'bad' cholesterol
into good cholesterol. By increasing the HDLs in the body, it
promotes
heart health and lowers risk of heart disease.
4 weight loss
Eating coconut oil (fat) to burn fat may sound pretty absurd
but the fatty
acids in coconut oil has powerful effects on metabolism.
These fatty acid
(MCFA) have proven to increase how much fat you burn
especially belly fat.
Eating coconut oil increases the amount of calories burnt by
5% over 24
hours leading to weight loss over a long term. Fatty acids
in coconut oil
significantly reduces appetite and has a positive effect on
body weight.
Taking 2 tablespoons of coconut oil before workout would
increase
effectiveness of your workout.
However, consuming too much will give you extra calories
and could
indirectly contribute to the very problem you may be trying
to address.
5. Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.
Coconut oil is a natural remedy for certain brain disorders
like
Alzheimer's and even epilepsy. The digestion of MCFAs by
the liver creates
ketones which are readily accessible to the brain without
the need of
insulin to process glucose into energy. As the brain of
Alzheimer's
patients has lost its ability to create its own insulin, the
ketones from
the coconut oil could create an alternative source to power
brain cells and
repair brain function.
Coconut oil also improves memory and brain function
especially in older
people.
6. Improves digestion and reduces ulcer.
Fatty acids in coconut oil eradicates harmful bacteria and
promotes growth
of the good bacteria in the digestive tract. Coconut oil also
plays a key
role in healing and soothing inflammed tissues along the
digestive tract
and could be used as a light laxative if suffering from
constipation. By
continuing to consume coconut oil, the digestive tract will
resume
stability and well-being
7. Hair and skin care
Coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer for keeping the skin
smooth and
hydrated all day. Plus it has this creamy feel and smell, it is
a great
alternative for baby lotion. Due to its antibacterial and
antifungal
properties, it is very good for treating acne and baby rash. It
is best to
use at night after bath if you have to worry about oily skin.
Coconut oil also adds moisture and shine to dry and
damaged hair. When used
as hot oil treatment, it will condition your strands as well as
stimulate
the hair follicles and promote faster hair growth.
Idowu Oyindamola is a medical student and writer at yourhealthdone.blogspot.com