The health benefits of coconut oil are endless. It increases weight loss, boosts immunity, helps digestion, and even makes your hair and skin glow.
Coconut oil is a medium-chain triglyceride, also known as medium-chain fatty acid (MCT).
Humans consume medium-chain fatty acids in small quantities; the most abundant are the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is vital for brain development and function.
Coconut oil has been used to remedy various illnesses, including viral infections (such as the common cold), headaches, arthritis, acne, eczema, gingivitis, and even asthma.
Keep reading to learn more about the health benefits of Coconut oil:
1. May help reduce harmful abdominal fat
Abdominal fat is the most unhealthy type of fat and is linked to many chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and even early death.
Waist circumference is an easy way to determine how much abdominal fat you have.
A study with 40 women found that using two tablespoons of coconut oil per day over 12 weeks significantly decreased body mass index and waist circumference in women with abdominal obesity.
2. May encourage fat burning
Research has shown that adding fat-rich food like coconut oil to the diet can lead to greater stomach volume, which leads people to feel satiated more than with a low-fat meal.
Another four-week study of 20 people with obesity observed that taking two teaspoons (30 ml) of coconut oil a day significantly reduced waist circumference in men.
3. May boost brain function in Alzheimer’s disease
Coconut oil is a valuable treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and other diseases that affect the brain. Coconut oil is high in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), known for their benefits to brain health.
Coconut oil has been shown to improve cognitive function in Alzheimer’s patients, according to a study:
After intervention with coconut oil, improvements in episodic, temporal orientation, and semantic memory were observed.
Furthermore, the positive effect is more evident in women with mild-moderate states, although research also showed other improvements in males.
4. May raise HDL (good) cholesterol
There are several health benefits of eating coconut oil. It is rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which have been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol.
These improvements in cholesterol are essential because they may help prevent heart disease.
Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States.
Coconut oil can be a great addition to your diet, but you may not know exactly how it affects your cholesterol.
The biggest reason coconut oil can raise HDL (good) cholesterol is that it contains medium-chain triglycerides, which are very easy for the body to break down.
In one study, coconut oil was found to raise HDL (good) cholesterol. In addition, the same study also found that coconut oil lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
5. It contains hair care properties
Coconut oil is a natural nutrient that can help your hair grow, making it shiny and healthy.
It can also reduce the protein loss of your hair, which can lead to unhealthy qualities such as dryness and brittleness.
Coconut oil is a great natural product for hair care. It is rich in antioxidants and nutrients, which are great for your hair, skin, and scalp health.
Furthermore, coconut oil can be used as a deep conditioner or mask to add extra moisture to your hair.
It is also an excellent styling agent that can help you get that perfect wavy look without using any chemicals.
6. Aid fighting Candida
Candida is a yeast that lives in the body and is usually found in the digestive system. It can cause inflammation of the skin, hair, nails, and other parts of your body.
Coconut oil is an excellent natural remedy for candida. People can use it to fight candida and help the body heal and get rid of the symptoms.
Coconut oil helps fight candida because it contains lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid. These fatty acids have antimicrobial properties that kill the yeast cells as well as inhibit their growth.
Coconut oil also has antimicrobial properties which prevent new yeast cells from developing.
6. It helps prevent liver disease
Coconut oil is a nutritional product that contains saturated fats, and it’s been proven to be a good option for those trying to prevent liver disease.
A recent study showed that people who consumed coconut oil daily had much better liver enzymes than those who did not.
Coconut oil is also rich in Medium Chain Triglycerides, which have also been shown to protect the liver.
With so many different products out there, it’s not always easy to determine what will work best for you.
For some people, virgin coconut oil may be the perfect addition to their diet to maintain a proper level of liver enzymes.
7. May improve asthma symptoms
Coconut oil helps reduce asthma symptoms by acting as a natural bronchodilator.
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways of the lungs and can cause wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, and difficulty breathing.
There are many treatment options for asthma, including medication, inhalers, or nebulizers.
Some people use virgin coconut oil to help with their symptoms because it provides relief from the discomfort that they experience during the day.
It does this by acting as a natural bronchodilator, which helps relax the muscles in your throat and lungs so that you can take easier breaths.
8. It can treat inflammation and arthritis
Inflammation is a common cause of pain and discomfort for many people.
Coconut oil is one of the most common natural remedies for inflammation and pain. It’s also a very good way to boost your immune system because it contains beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that fights off disease.
Coconut oil helps treat inflammation and arthritis because it contains a fatty acid called lauric acid with anti-inflammatory properties.
It also holds a high MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) content, which is a type of fat found in virgin coconut oil that effectively fights inflammation.
9. Protects bone from osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the bones. It can lead to many severe complications including fractures, and dislocations.
Coconut oil has been shown to contain antioxidant properties which eliminate the free radicals and can be used as a treatment for osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women.
These free radicals are produced by osteoclasts and play a significant role in the degeneration of bones.
Osteoclasts are cells that help your bones grow and regenerate by providing them with the nutrients they need for healthy bones.
10. It may be suitable for people with diabetes
Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids, which are metabolized differently than the long-chain fatty acids found in other oils.
The liver converts medium-chain fatty acids into energy rather than being stored as fat. The body uses these fats for fuel, and they do not require any insulin to be used or stored.
For that reason, virgin coconut oil is very beneficial to those who have diabetes.
11. Antioxidant and antibacterial properties
Coconut oil is a natural, healthy, and versatile food that has antioxidant and antibacterial properties. It is rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals.
Coconut oil is also antimicrobial, which means it can kill some bacteria that may cause illness. It is high in lauric acid, which is very beneficial to the immune system.
12. Promotes heart health
Coconut oil is rich in saturated fats. These saturated fats are healthy and work differently from animal foods like butter, cream, cheese, and meat.
Studies have shown that coconut oil may lower your risk of heart disease by increasing the healthy cholesterol in your body.
Coconut oil is great for your heart because it raises the level of HDL cholesterol, which is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
