|
You may think of coconut as fattening and unhealthy, yet coconut oil can actually be classified as a true super food. The reason is that it has a good combination of fatty acids along with medicinal properties. While we here in the states consider coconut oil as an exotic food, in the South Pacific people get a substantial amount of their calories from coconuts!
Now you may remember coconut from the eighties touted as unhealthy and fatty. Well this was when it was being used to load up horrible junk foods. Now a days, it is refined and sold as an oil much like olive oil is. Half of virgin coconut oil’s saturated fat is called lauric acid, which a medium-chain triglyceride. This triglyceride turns out to have a number of healthy properties, including the ability to improve levels of good HDL cholesterol. You see athletes using coconut oil since people can also more easily digest medium-chain triglycerides and convert them to energy. Even so, coconut oil is still loaded down in saturated fat, and must be used sparingly. Don’t overdo it, because too much of even the purest, most natural coconut oil could be problematic for heart health.
Coconut is easy to digest and some say it can help protect the body from insulin resistance. For people who have digestive issues, the fatty acids in coconuts contain antimicrobials that can have a soothing effect on well-known ailments from bacteria to candida. The insulin resistance can help reduce risks of type 2 diabetes also. The acids in coconut oil can help kill bacteria, viruses, fungi, and even help ward off infections. A bonus of coconut oil is that it can help to reduce hunger. This may be related to the way that fatty acids in it are metabolized, because the ketone bodies are known to have a hunger reducing effect. Try the oil as the occasional alternative to super healthy olive oil. Many people sweat by this oil and say coconut oil helps to reduce their hunger and ultimately is helpful with dieting.
Coconut oil is not just for consumption! It has plenty of beauty properties for use on skin and in skin care products. It’s many beauty perks include helping to keep connective tissue strong, preventing wrinkles and ameliorating skin sagging. You can find the oil at health food stores or markets such as Whole Foods and Sprouts. First try a little bit on your skin before using liberally to make sure the oil or coconut cream does not react poorly to your skin. Once you’ve determined that it works well with your skin, you can even apply the oil to your face to soften the appearance of fine lines or use it daily to give your skin a healthy glow!
