Imagine a natural product with so many diverse uses for your body and wellbeing, that it’s equally at home in the kitchen or bathroom.
Coconut Oil Health Benefits
Coconut oil is a natural product which has been used in tropical countries for many centuries .
It is a saturated fat which means that it has been given bad press over the years but let’s look closer into this and into the work of Dr Weston Price in the 1930’s. In his famous book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, he outlines his travels around the world studying the effects of diet on different cultures.
Dr Price found that South Pacific Islanders whose diets were high in coconut oil were healthy and trim and heart disease was virtually non-existent. All saturated fats are not the same and coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids (MCFA’s). When they are consumed, they digest very rapidly without needing pancreatic digestive enzymes or bile and are immediately absorbed into the liver where they are transformed into energy and not fat. This makes coconut oil highly effective at providing instant nourishment for our cells. In his book Coconut Cures, Dr Bruce Fife explains that ‘ It is the MCFA’s in coconut oil that make it different from other oils and which give it its remarkable nutritional and medicinal properties’.
Coconut oil also contains 50% lauric acid (the main component of mother’s milk) which the body converts into monolaurin. This is a compound that disrupts the membranes of organisms such as fungus, bacteria and viruses and destroys them. It also blocks the harmful effects of many dangerous chemicals. Coconut oil also enhances the absorption of minerals such as magnesium and calcium, fat soluble vitamins, some of the B vitamins and some amino acids.
When buying coconut oil, chose a high-quality unrefined coconut oil – this will either be labelled virgin or extra-virgin coconut oil.
There are many conditions that can be helped by coconut oil, here are some of the main ones:-
Coconut oil for Diabetes
The problem with getting energy from simple carbohydrates, is that they create an insulin spike in your bloodstream. Getting energy from coconut oil, however is a totally different process. The MCFA’s in the coconut oil are sent directly to your liver where they can be used as energy. Hence, there is no stress placed on the pancreas to create insulin which makes coconut oil a great fuel source for anyone with insulin related issues.
Coconut oil helps to controls hunger and cravings and the MCFA’s promote thermogenesis and lead to increased metabolic rate. Adding coconut oil to a meal slows down the absorption of sugar from the meal into the blood stream and helps to balance blood sugar levels. Studies have shown diabetes is rare in societies where people get many of their calories from saturated fats such as coconut oil. Coconut oil has also been shown to help improve circulation ( for more information have a look at the video below by Dr Bruce Fife)
Coconut oil for Weight Loss
Coconut oil is a fat that helps you lose fat! This is due to the MCFA’s which increase your metabolic rate.. In the 1940s, farmers found out about this effect by accident when they tried using inexpensive coconut oil to fatten up their livestock. It didn’t work! Instead, coconut oil made the animals thin and active! Studies have shown that the increase in metabolism can last for up to 24 hours after consuming a meal with coconut oil.
Additionally, research has demonstrated that, due to this metabolic effect, coconut oil increases the activity of the thyroid. This may help some people who have a sluggish thyroid and are totally unable to lose weight at all.
Coconut oil for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia
Coconut oil can help in a number of ways. Due to its antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, it can destroy organisms such as Candida that may be interfering with the body’s strength and contributing to the condition. As the the MCFA’s in coconut oil are used by the body to produce energy rather than body fat, it produces a surge in energy. This can be very helpful in both these conditions where energy levels are very low. It can also help to stablise thyroid function which can be a factor in CFS and Fibromyalgia and it contains anti-inflammatory properties which can also help to relieve persistent inflammation.
Coconut oil for Digestion
The overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria in the digestive tract can be the root cause of many diseases and this is where coconut oil can really help. The MCFA’s in coconut oil kill disease-causing bacteria but leave friendly bacteria unharmed. It can really help to heal inflammation in the digestive tract so can help with chronic conditions such as IBS, Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis.
Coconut oil for Alzheimer’s
Studies have shown that Alzheimers can be prevented and reversed with coconut oil. Alzheimer’s is also known as type 3 diabetes – a diabetes of the brain which has become insulin resistant and can’t absorb glucose for energy. This is where coconut oil can help – the MCFA’s in the coconut oil are digested by the liver which creates ketones which are absorbed by the brain and act as a super fuel even providing much more energy than glucose. ( for more information have a look at the video below by Dr Bruce Fife)
Coconut oil for Skin
Coconut oil is ideal for your skin. Your skin ages by oxidation and coconut oil acts as an antioxidant. Your skin cells can use the MCFA’s as food for nourishing your skin and protecting you from free radicals. Using coconut oil on your face can help restore more youthful-looking skin and help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. You can also use it around the eye area to reduce the appearance of dark circles and eye bags. It can also be used during pregnancy to help prevent stretch marks. As its a totally natural product, you won’t be exposed to many of the chemicals which are a part of many shop bought skin creams. Skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis can also be greatly improved with the use of coconut oil.
Coconut oil for Hair
The lauric acid in coconut oil gives the oil its protective properties. It binds hair proteins and helps protect hair strands from breakage. It also keeps the hair strong and moisturised. The anti bacterial and anti fungal qualities of lauric acid have the ability to protect against dandruff and head lice.
Many people have discovered that when they apply coconut oil to the scalp, it promotes healthy hair growth. This is due to the many nutrients in coconut oil which not only help the hair to grow , but also help it to grow thicker, softer and shinier.
Coconut oil for Teeth and Gums
Oil Pulling
The ancient Ayurvedic practice of oil pulling has been around for centuries and is now making a comeback.
In his book Oil Pulling Therapy (Detoxifying and Healing the body thorough oral cleansing), Dr Bruce Fife explains how the oil acts like a cleanser. It pulls bacteria from the teeth and gums leaving them whiter and helping to heal deep seated gum pockets. Oil pulling has a very powerful detoxifying effect. Our mouths are home to billions of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other parasites and their toxins. Candida and Streptococcus are common residents in our mouths. It is these types of germs and their toxic waste products that cause gum disease and tooth decay and contribute to many other health problems including arthritis and heart disease.
Our immune system is constantly fighting these troublemakers. If our immune system becomes overloaded or burdened by excessive stress, poor diet, environmental toxins and such, these organisms can spread throughout the body causing secondary infections and chronic inflammation, leading to any number of health problems.
Coconut oil for Cooking
Coconut oil is great for cooking purposes as it is far more stable than many oils.
When heating oils up, it is important to use oils that are stable and don’t oxidise as the oxidation process forms free radicals which cause many health problems. The greater the number of bonds in the fatty acid molecules, the more chemically reactive and sensitive to heat they are.
Saturated fats have only single bonds, monounsaturated fats have one double bond and polyunsaturated fats have two or more. So oils high in saturated fats such as coconut oil are a great choice for cooking.
For snack recipes using coconut oil click here.
Learn more about coconut oil at Coconutresearchcenter.org
Click here to read inspirational success stories from people whose health has been transformed by coconut oil.
No comments yet.