9 Benefits Of Coconut Oil You Never Knew About
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If you’ve been adhering to a healthy cooking lifestyle, you’ve probably already encountered coconut oil. It makes a great frying element and it also gives baking a tasty tweak. But coconut oil isn’t only for cooking. There are many other uses you wouldn’t naturally think about. Coconut oil is very versatile and should be a staple in your pantry as well as your medicine cabinet. Here are nine benefits of coconut oil you probably never realized.
Coconut oil can help you lose weight
Coconut oil beats other oils like canola when it comes to weight loss. The reason is that coconut oil burns calories faster than other oils. Not only that, but the same coconut oil that burns fat also gives you a longer feeling of being full. Studies have shown you can lose weight an extra 5% faster by using coconut oil in your diet. That may not sound very fast in itself but every little bit helps.
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Coconut oil may help kill bacteria
The main acid in coconut oil is called lauric acid. This particular kind of acid is a natural killer of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It’s been shown in test-tube studies to kill off the staphylococcus aureus bacteria that causes staph infections and Candida albicans, which causes yeast infections. It’s also suggested that coconut oil can help prevent mouth infections when used as a mouthwash (although more evidence is needed).
Coconut oil helps build muscles
People who take protein shakes and other health supplements probably already know that coconut oil is a common ingredient. That’s because coconut oil has been shown to build muscle. But that doesn’t mean you should get all your coconut oil from supplements, because those are processed. You will want to add a tablespoon or two of real coconut oil into your protein mixes to get the best benefit of what coconut oil has to offer.
Related: 10 Things That Happen To Your Body When You Eat Protein Every Day
Coconut oil promotes heart health
Coconut oil’s biggest benefit is that it is high in saturated fats. This may not sound great, but here’s what that does: rather than protein-based fats in meat and dairy, coconut oil raises your HDL (good cholesterol). By doing this, coconut oil helps lower your risk of heart disease. So, if you’re already concerned about your heart health, you may want to switch to coconut oil in your diet.
Coconut oil helps with arthritis and inflammation
Another component of coconut oil is antioxidants. Studies have shown that virgin coconut oil, the purest kind, can reduce inflammation and also soothe arthritis symptoms. It also serves as an analgesic, reducing pain caused by inflammation. More studies need to be done, but the possibility of using coconut oil against such conditions looks promising.
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Coconut oil makes a great burn salve
If you need a quick burn salve and don’t have the aloe vera plant handy, you can use coconut oil instead and it’s just as effective. You can use it on a sunburn or you can use it on a kitchen burn; it works for both. Not only that, coconut oil smells better than aloe vera. You can even use it on a minor cut to help speed up the healing process.
Coconut oil is an all-purpose body cleanser
You can use coconut oil on the outside of your body, too. It works as a skin moisturizer, but you can also use it as a shaving cream for a really close, smooth shave. Swishing some around in your mouth can help guard against gum disease. You can also use it as a natural deodorant. Coconut oil is as versatile a product as you can imagine.
Related: 5 Ways To Unlock The Beauty Benefits Of Dead Sea Salt
Coconut oil may boost your memory
The same fatty acid that makes coconut oil good for you has also been shown to help your brain. Studies have shown that seniors who took the active compound in coconut oil, MCT, displayed better recall. This is a major breakthrough since it’s thought that coconut oil can help reduce the deterioration rate in Alzheimer’s patients.
Coconut oil may help prevent seizures in children
People following a low carb diet already know about ketones, which indicate your body is burning stored fat instead of carbohydrates. A ketogenic diet is low in carbs and high in fat, and is being used to help treat various conditions.
One of the conditions that may benefit from a ketogenic diet is epilepsy. In children with drug-resistant epilepsy, it’s absolutely vital to be on a high fat and low carb regimen. The MCTs in coconut oil get turned into ketones via the liver, making coconut oil a great part of a ketogenic diet. It’s good to know that in a world of many medical breakthroughs, sometimes the best solution still comes from nature.
