Coconut oil is commonly known for benefitting hair and skin but it also has other health benefits. Also included among the benefits are stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. All of this is attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid, caprylic acid, myristic acid, vitamin E, vitamin K, iron, fatty acids and more!
Let’s explore if coconut oil is beneficial to weight loss. It is said that coconut oil is helpful in reducing weight since it contains short and medium chain fatty acids. Since it promotes a healthy function of the thyroid and is easy on the digestive system it helps in weight loss. Coconut oil is also said to increase metabolism due to relieving stress from the pancreases which burn more energy and in turn helps reduce the weight of those with excess pounds. It has been noted that those who live in tropical areas who use coconut oil daily for cooking are usually not overweight. And here I thought it was just because they had to be bikini ready all year long. Coconut oil also contains fewer calories than other oils and the fat converts to energy easier. Athletes say it boosts energy and endurance therefore aiding in performance. Does this mean that consuming coconut oil before a competitive event would be considered an unfair advantage? Try it and find out!
I have used coconut oil in cooking and for hair and have been very pleased with the results. I do not like the taste of coconut so I was hesitant to use it. However, it does not have an aftertaste or strong taste that would prevent you from using it if you did not like a coconut flavor. The solid form and moisturizing properties make it wonderful for my daughter’s long curly dry hair also!