The Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Nutrition is a constantly changing science. The medical community used to consider fats like coconut oil to be unhealthy and contribute to heart disease. We now know that this isn't true. In fact, coconut oil is actually a heart-healthy food that can keep your body running smoother in a few different ways. We are still learning about the uses of coconut oil, but most of the information out there is leading towards the benefits it can provide. Here are some reasons to add coconut oil to your diet.

Coconut Oil Contains a Unique Combination of Fatty Acids known as Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs).These fatty acids can help our bodies in lots of different ways.

1. Heart Disease- It contains about 50% lauric acid, which helps in actively preventing various heart problems like high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.
2. Hair- By rubbing coconut oil into your scalp it can help prevent dandruff and keep your scalp and hair in great condition.
3. Skin- It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skin and it is known to help soothe the skin in the treatment of various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema.
4. Weight Loss-Coconut Oil Can Increase Your Energy Expenditure, Helping You Burn more Fat.
5. Anti-Viral and Anti-Fungal-The Lauric Acid in Coconut Oil can assist in killing certain bacteria, viruses and fungi.
6. Reduces Hunger- The MCTs have been shown to increase ketone bodies which in turn can help reduce your appetite.
7. Digestion-Coconut oil helps to improve the digestive system and thus prevents various stomach and digestion-related problems.

Coconut oil is simple it use, just replace butter or vegetable oils with coconut oil in your recipes. Remember, you don't need to completely switch to coconut oil, because then you will lose the other benefits of more traditional oils and dairy products.