7 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Coconut Oil

It is a common misconception that coconut oil is bad for you. People all over the world are experiencing the healthy benefits of using coconut oil. It is actually one of the healthiest oils you can consume. Here are the top seven reasons why you should use coconut oil as an alternative to other common cooking oils.

Article Source: EzineArticles

1. Coconut oil doesn't turn to fat in your body.

Unlike many other common oils, like soy (vegetable) and corn, coconut oil won't make you fat. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which are an easy fuel for the body to burn, without turning to fat. Most other cooking oils and fats contain long-chain triglycerides (LCT). LCT's are usually stored as fat. Since coconut oil is a MCT, it is more easily absorbed and converted to energy quicker.

People in the tropics have relied on coconuts as a traditional staple in their diet for centuries. They consume large amounts of coconut oil every day. Instead of getting fatter, it helps them stay healthy, lean and trim. When they switch from coconut oil to our modern oils, they develop obesity and the health problems that our modern society faces.

Some other people who have known this truth for a long time are people who are in the animal feed business. When livestock are fed vegetable oils, they put on weight and produce more fatty meat. When they are fed coconut oil, they become very lean.

2. Coconut oil increases your metabolism.

Not only does coconut oil convert to energy quicker in your body, it increases your metabolism, which promotes weight loss. Because it boosts your metabolism, it helps your body burn fat more effectively.

Coconut oil may triple your calorie burn. Since coconut oil is a MCT, it is converted to energy so quickly that it creates a lot of heat. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, MCT's burn three times more calories for six hours after a meal than LCT's.

The February 15, 2005 issue of Woman's World magazine stated that coconut oil is the "underground high-metabolism secret."

This is great news for people who have thyroid problems, since coconut oil improves sluggish thyroids by stimulating the production of extra thyroid hormones. Most other common oils, like vegetable (soy) and corn have been shown to inhibit thyroid function.

3. Coconut oil has omega 3 fatty acids.

Most cooking oils contain omega 6 fatty acids, something we get way too much of in the United States. Our omega 6 to omega 3 ratio should be 1:1 but it is more like 50:1. We need to drastically cut back our omega 6 oils and consume much more omega 3 oils to be healthy. And coconut oil is filled with these healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
4. Coconut oil gives you energy.

Because of the healthy omega 3 fatty acids and the fact that it increases the metabolism, most people that switch to coconut oil feel a burst of added energy in their daily life.

This is because coconut oil is nature's richest source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT's), which increase metabolic rates and lead to weight loss. MCT's promote thermogenesis, which increases the body's metabolism, producing energy.

Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia have found that adding coconut and coconut oil to their diet was helpful to them, too.

5. One of the best things you can use on your skin and hair is coconut oil.

Coconut oil one of the best things you can apply directly on your skin and hair. It gives temporary relief to skin problems like rashes. It aids in healing and restoring skin to a younger appearance. It has also been known to help with people who suffer from yeast infections in the skin, as well as many other skin problems.

Not only does is soften and smooth your skin, coconut oil has antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage. Coconut oil makes excellent massage oil too.

6. Coconut oil has healthy benefits that most other oils do not.

Evidence is mounting that coconut oil has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral effects when both consumed and used topically on the skin.

Most oils oxidize and turn rancid very quickly causing free radical damage in our bodies. Coconut oil is not easily oxidized and does not cause harmful free radical damage like polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Free radical damage is thought to be responsible for many ailments in our body from arthritis to increased susceptibility to cancers.

Coconut oil also helps our bodies absorb other nutrients more effectively, such as Vitamin E.

7. Coconut oil is one of the best oils you can use for cooking.

It has a higher smoke point than olive oil, which means it can take higher temperatures better. There are several healthy omega 3 oils we can choose to consume, such as flax and olive oil, but they don't do well under the high heat we use for cooking. Coconut oil can be used in higher cooking temperatures.

It is harder for coconut oil to go rancid, unlike other cooking oils, which are usually rancid long before you even bring them home. Rancid oils cause free radical damage in the body, which is a leading cause of cancer. Coconut oil is stable for over a year at room temperature.

Because of the misinformation we have been given for years, we have lost out on the healthy benefits that coconut oil has given the people of the tropics for centuries. But now it has been rediscovered! Coconut oil is so effective, it won't be long before we see coconut oil supplements promoted, but you can get the jump on the popular crowd and start consuming and cooking with coconut oil today!

Is Coconut Oil REALLY Healthy?

Healthy Cooking Oils – The Ultimate Guide

You have many options when it comes to selecting fats and oils for cooking.

But it’s not just a matter of choosing oils that are healthy, but also whether they stay healthyafter having been cooked with.

The Stability of Cooking Oils

When you’re cooking at a high heat, you want to use oils that are stable and don’t oxidize or gorancid easily.

When oils undergo oxidation, they react with oxygen to form free radicals and harmful compounds that you definitely don’t want to be consuming.

The most important factor in determining an oil’s resistance to oxidation and rancidification, both at high and low heat, is the relative degree of saturation of the fatty acids in it.

Saturated fats have only single bonds in the fatty acid molecules, monounsaturated fats have one double bond and polyunsaturated fats have two or more.

It is these double bonds that are chemically reactive and sensitive to heat.

Saturated fats and monounsaturated fats are pretty resistant to heating, but oils that are high in polyunsaturated fats should be avoided for cooking (1).

Alright, now let’s discuss each type of cooking fat specifically.

The Winner: Coconut Oil

When it comes to high heat cooking, coconut oil is your best choice.

Over 90% of the fatty acids in it are saturated, which makes it very resistant to heat.

This oil is semi-solid at room temperature and it can last for months and years without going rancid.

Coconut oil also has powerful health benefits. It is particularly rich in a fatty acid called Lauric Acid, which can improve cholesterol and help kill bacteria and other pathogens (2, 3, 4).

The fats in coconut oil can also boost metabolism slightly and increase feelings of fullness compared to other fats. It is the only cooking oil that made it to my list of superfoods (5, 6, 7).

Fatty Acid Breakdown:

• Saturated: 92%.
• Monounsaturated: 6%.
• Polyunsaturated: 1.6%.

Make sure to choose virgin coconut oil. It’s organic, it tastes good and it has powerful health benefits.

The saturated fats used to be considered unhealthy, but new studies prove that they are totally harmless. Saturated fats are a safe source of energy for humans (8, 9, 10).

Butter

Butter was also demonized in the past due to its saturated fat content.

But there really is no reason to fear real butter. It’s the processed margarine that is the truly awful stuff (11).

Real butter is good for you and actually fairly nutritious.

It contains Vitamins A, E and K2. It is also rich in the fatty acids Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and Butyrate, both of which have powerful health benefits.

CLA may lower body fat percentage in humans and butyrate can fight inflammation, improve gut health and has been shown to make rats completely resistant to becoming obese (12, 13, 14, 15, 16).

Fatty Acid Breakdown:

• Saturated: 68%.
• Monounsaturated: 28%.
• Polyunsaturated: 4%.

There is one caveat for cooking with butter. Regular butter does contain tiny amounts of sugars and proteins and for this reason it tends to get burned during high heat cooking like frying.

If you want to avoid that, you can make clarified butter, or ghee. That way, you remove the lactose and proteins, leaving you with pure butterfat.

Here’s a great tutorial on how to clarify your own butter.

Make sure to choose butter from grass-fed cows. This butter contains more Vitamin K2, CLA and other nutrients, compared to butter from grain-fed cows.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is well known for its heart healthy effects and is believed to be a key reason for the health benefits of the mediterranean diet.

Some studies show that olive oil can improve biomarkers of health.

It can raise HDL (the good) cholesterol and lower the amount of oxidized LDL cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream (17, 18).

Fatty Acid Breakdown:

• Saturated: 14%.
• Monounsaturated: 75%.
• Polyunsaturated: 11%.

Studies on olive oil show that despite having fatty acids with double bonds, you can still use it for cooking as it is fairly resistant to the heat (19).

Make sure to choose quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It has much more nutrients and antioxidants than the refined type. Plus it tastes much better.

Keep your olive oil in a cool, dry, dark place, to prevent it from going rancid.

Animal Fats – Lard, Tallow, Bacon Drippings

The fatty acid content of animals tends to vary depending on what the animals eat.

If they eat a lot of grains, the fats will contain quite a bit of polyunsaturated fats.

If the animals are pastured raised or grass-fed, there will be more saturated and monounsaturated fats in them.

Therefore, animal fats from animals that are naturally raised are excellent options for cooking.

You can buy ready-made lard or tallow from the store, or you can save the drippings from meat to use at a later time. Bacon drippings are especially tasty.

Palm Oil

Palm oil is derived from the fruit of oil palms.

It consists mostly of saturated and monounsaturated fats, with small amounts of polyunsaturates.

This makes palm oil a good choice for cooking.

Red Palm Oil (the unrefined variety) is best. It is also rich in Vitamins E, Coenzyme Q10 and other nutrients.

However, some concerns have been raised about the sustainability of harvesting palm oil, apparently growing these trees means less environment available for Orangutans, which are an endangered species.

Avocado Oil

The composition of avocado oil is similar to olive oil. It is primarily monounsaturated, with some saturated and polyunsaturated mixed in.

It can be used for many of the same purposes as olive oil. You can cook with it, or use it cold.

Fish Oil

Fish oil is very rich in the animal form of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are DHA and EPA. A tablespoon of fish oil can satisfy your daily need for these very important fatty acids.

The best fish oil is cod fish liver oil, because it is also rich in Vitamin D3, which a large part of the world is deficient in.

However, due to its high concentration of polyunsaturated fats, fish oil shouldnever be used for cooking. It’s best used as a supplement, one tablespoon per day. Keep in a cool, dry and dark place.

Flax Oil

Flax oil contains lots of the plant form of Omega-3, Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA).

Many people use this oil to supplement with Omega-3 fats.

However, unless you’re vegan, then I do recommend that you use fish oil instead.

Evidence shows that the human body doesn’t efficiently convert ALA to the active forms, EPA and DHA, of which fish oil has plenty (20).

Due to the large amount of polyunsaturated fats, flax seed oil should NOT be used for cooking.

Canola Oil

Canola oil is derived from rapeseeds, but the euric acid (a toxic, bitter substance) has been removed from it.

The fatty acid breakdown of canola oil is actually fairly good, with most of the fatty acids monounsaturated, then containing Omega-6 and Omega-3 in a 2:1 ratio, which is perfect.

However, canola oil needs to go through very harshprocessing methods before it is turned into the final product.

Check out this video to see how canola oil is made. It is very disgusting and involves the toxic solvent hexane (among others) – I personally don’t think these oils are suitable for human consumption.

Nut Oils and Peanut Oil

There are many nut oils available and some of them taste awesome.

However, they are very rich in polyunsaturated fats, which make them a poor choice for cooking.

They can be used as parts of recipes, but do not fry or do any high heat cooking with them.

The same applies to peanut oil. Peanuts technically aren’t nuts (they’re legumes) but the composition of the oil is similar.

There is one exception, however, and that is macadamia nut oil, which is mostly monounsaturated (like olive oil). It is pricey, but I hear it tastes awesome.

If you want, you can use macadamia oil for low- or medium-heat cooking.

Seed- and Vegetable Oils

Industrial seed and vegetable oils are highly processed, refined products that are way too rich in Omega-6 fatty acids.

Not only should you not cook with them, you should probably avoid them altogether.

These oils have been wrongly considered “heart-healthy” by the media and many nutrition professionals in the past few decades.

However, new data links these oils with many serious diseases, including heart disease and cancer (21, 22, 23).

Avoid all of them:

• Soybean Oil
• Corn Oil
• Cottonseed Oil
• Canola Oil
• Rapeseed Oil
• Sunflower Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Grapeseed Oil
• Safflower Oil
• Rice Bran Oil

One study also looked at common vegetable oils on food shelves in the U.S. market and discovered that they contain between 0.56 to 4.2% trans fats, which are highly toxic (24).

It’s important to read labels. If you find any of these oils on a packaged food that you are about to eat, then it’s best to purchase something else.

How to Take Care of Your Cooking Oils

To make sure that your fats and oils don’t go rancid, it is important to keep a few things in mind.

Don’t buy large batches at a time. Buy smaller ones, that way you will most likely use them before they get the chance to damage.

When it comes to unsaturated fats like olive, palm, avocado oil and some others, it is important to keep them in an environment where they are less likely to oxidize and go rancid.

The main drivers behind oxidative damage of cooking oils are heat, oxygen and light.

Therefore, keep them in a cool, dry, dark place and make sure to screw the lid on as soon as you’re done using them.

http://authoritynutrition.com/healthy-cooking-oils/

Is Coconut A Super Food?

Can this humble, hairy fruit prevent heart disease and Alzheimer's?

A growing band of supporters - including scientists - are singing the healing and restorative praises of coconut.

They cite research and evidence to back their arguments and claim this humble, hairy fruit contains properties that can prevent, or even cure, a wide range of ailments from heart disease to Alzheimer's.

They haven't convinced everyone: the Heart Foundation strongly disputes their claims and says coconut oil in particular is an unhealthy saturated fat and should be avoided. But retired CSIRO scientist and honorary research fellow at the University of Queensland, Mike Foale, says the Heart Foundation has got it wrong. Foale has been studying the coconut palm for more than four decades and believes coconut is asuperfood.

"There is both scientific and abundant anecdotal evidence of great health benefits, including increased energy, weight loss, natural antibiotic activity, cholesterol reduction and insulin stabilisation," Foale says.

While the popularity of bottled coconut water could be described as a fad, Foale is a devotee of the oil. "Coconut oil is a staple for millions of tropical coastal people worldwide and those people do not suffer from heart disease while on their traditional diet," he says.

The case for coconut

"Coconut oil is the healthiest oil on earth," says Dr Bruce Fife, who runs the Coconut Research Center in the US. While he doesn't dispute that the oil, extracted from the meat of mature coconuts, is mostly made up of saturated fat, Fife says scientific evidence shows it is a healthier version.

"Coconut oil is unique because it is composed predominately of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)," he says. "The size of the fatty acid is extremely important because physiological effects of medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are distinctly different from the long-chain fatty acids more commonly found in our diet.

"It's the MCTs in coconut oil that make it different from all other fats and, for the most part, gives it its unique character and healing properties. Few foods nowadays contain MCT. By adding coconut oil to your diet you can literally eat your way to better health."

He cites a long list of ways coconut oil has been found to benefit human bodies. He says it:

• Protects against heart disease by increasing good cholesterol and lowering the ratio of bad and good cholesterol.
• Helps treat malnutrition because it is easy to digest and absorb.
• Kills disease-causing bacteria, fungi, yeasts and viruses because of the antimicrobial effects of its fatty acids.
• Helps diabetics by slowing sugar release into the bloodstream.
• Prevents strokes and brain disorders such as Alzheimer's andParkinson's.
• Boosts metabolism and increases energy because it is more likely to be burned as fuel than stored as body fat.

However, these claims are hotly contested by major organisations such as the Heart Foundation and the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA). Fife dismisses such bodies' lack of support for coconut oil as "prejudiced and outdated".

"Saturated fats do not cause or even promote heart disease," he says, citing a 2010 research survey that looked at 21 different studies. "There was no evidence saturated fats were harmful."

The case against

While protection against heart disease is one of the claimed benefits of coconut oil, the Heart Foundation ironically strongly recommends avoiding it.

"Coconut oil, milk and cream are all high in unhealthy saturated fat, which raises bad cholesterol levels, clogs the arteries and increases the risk of heart disease," says Barbara Eden, the Heart Foundation's senior manager of food supply.

"Our recommendations are based on good-quality scientific evidence and don't recommend eating foods high in saturated fat. There are many healthier oils that don't raise cholesterol levels or increase the risk of heart disease."

DAA spokeswoman Tania Ferraretto agrees and says the evidence of any health benefits from coconut oil is inconclusive.

She believes it is a dietary fad and consumers should beware of any product that makes broad-sweeping health claims.

"It has a high saturated fat content – 85 to 90 per cent – which should be avoided," Ferraretto says. "A product like coconut oil is not ever going to provide a miracle cure. If you want to be healthy, eat a healthy diet and exercise."

Perhaps the last word should go to the findings of a 2010 research conference that concluded the effect of a particular food on heart disease should not be judged solely by how much saturated fat it contains, because different saturated fatty acids may have different cardiovascular effects.

More research is needed, but in the meantime, there's one thing we can all agree on: coconut products taste great.

Coconut oil prevents tooth decay

Coconut oil fights bacteria responsible for tooth decay and could be a healthy, non-chemical additive in toothpaste and mouthwash, Irish research suggests. Scientists found that when the oil was treated with digestive enzymes it became a powerful killer of mouth bugs that can lead to dental caries.

How much coconut oil?

The Coconut Research Center's Dr Bruce Fife recommends one to three tablespoons of coconut oil a day for health maintenance. It can be used for frying and baking or it can be added to foods such as popcorn instead of butter.

http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/nutrition+tips/is+coconut+a+superfoodr,19899

How to take daily dose of coconut oil

DIY: Coconut Oil Hair Treatment for Dry/Damaged Hair

Top 10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Source: http://authoritynutrition.com/

Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a “superfood.”

Its unique combination of fatty acids can have profound positive effects on health.

This includes fat loss, better brain function and various other amazing benefits.

Here are the top 10 health benefits of coconut oil that have been experimentally confirmed in human studies.

1. Coconut Oil Contains a Unique Combination of Fatty Acids With Powerful Medicinal Properties

Coconut oil has been demonized in the past because it contains saturated fat. In fact, coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat known to man, with almost 90% of the fatty acids in it being saturated (1).

However, new data is showing that saturated fats are harmless. Many massive studies that include hundreds of thousands of people prove that the whole “artery-clogging” idea was a myth (2).

Additionally, coconut oil doesn’t contain your average run-of-the-mill saturated fats like you would find in cheese or steak.

No, they contain so-called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) – which are fatty acids of a medium length.

Most of the fatty acids in the diet are so-called long-chain fatty acids, but the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are metabolized differently.

They go straight to the liver from the digestive tract, where they are used as a quick source energy or turned into so-called ketone bodies, which can have therapeutic effects on brain disorders like epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.

Bottom Line: Coconut oil contains a lot of medium chain triglycerides, which are metabolized differently and can have therapeutic effects on several brain disorders.

2. Populations That Eat a LOT of Coconut Are Among The Healthiest People on The Planet

Coconut is kind of an “exotic” food in the Western world, primarily consumed by health conscious people.

However, in some parts of the world, coconut is a dietary staple that people have thrived on for many generations.

The best example of such a population is theTokelauans, which live in the South Pacific.

They eat over 60% of their calories from coconuts and are the biggest consumers of saturated fat in the world.

These people are in excellent health, with no evidence of heart disease (3).

Another example of a population that eats a lot of coconut and remains in excellent health is the Kitavans (4).

Bottom Line: Plenty of populations around the world have thrived for multiple generations eating massive amounts of coconut.

3. Coconut Oil Can Increase Your Energy Expenditure, Helping You Burn More Fat

Obesity is currently one of the biggest health problems in the world.

While some people think obesity is only a matter of calories, others (myself included) believe that the sources of those calories are critical too.

It is a fact that different foods affect our bodies and hormones in different ways. In this regard, a calorie is NOT a calorie.

The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil can increase energy expenditure compared to the same amount of calories from longer chain fats (5, 6).

One study found that 15-30 grams of MCTs per day increased 24 hour energy expenditure by 5%, totalling about 120 calories per day (7).

Bottom Line: The medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil have been shown to increase 24 hour energy expenditure by as much as 5%, potentially leading to significant weight loss over the long term.

4. The Lauric Acid in Coconut Oil Can Kill Bacteria, Viruses and Fungi, Helping to Stave Off Infections

Almost 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil is the 12-carbon Lauric Acid.

When coconut oil is enzymatically digested, it also forms a monoglyceride called monolaurin.

Both lauric acid and monolaurin can kill harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi (8).

For example, these substances have been shown to kill the bacteria Staphylococcus Aureus (a very dangerous pathogen) and the yeast Candida Albicans, a common source of yeast infections in humans (9, 10).

Bottom Line: The fatty acids and breakdown products in coconut oil can kill harmful pathogens, potentially helping to prevent infections.

5. Coconut Oil Can Kill Your Hunger, Making You Eat Less Without Even Trying

One interesting feature of coconut oil is that it can reduce your hunger.

This may be related to the way the fatty acids in it are metabolized, because ketone bodies can have an appetite reducing effect (11).

In one study, varying amounts of medium and long chain triglycerides were fed to 6 healthy men.

The men eating the most MCTs ate 256 fewer calories per day, on average (12).

Another study in 14 healthy men discovered that those who ate the most MCTs at breakfast ate significantly fewer calories at lunch (13).

These studies were small and only done for a short period of time. If this effect were to persist over the long term, it could have a dramatic influence on body weight over a period of several years.

Bottom Line: The fatty acids in coconut oil can significantly reduce appetite, which may positively affect body weight over the long term.

6. The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil Are Turned into Ketones, Which Can Reduce Seizures

A so-called ketogenic (very low carb, very high fat) diet is currrently being studied to treat various disorders.

The best known therapeutic application of this diet is treating drug-resistant epilepsy in children (14).

This diet involves eating very little carbohydrates and large amounts of fat, leading to greatly increased concentrations ofketone bodies in the blood.

For some reason, this diet can dramatically reduce the rate of seizures in epileptic children, even those who haven’t had success with multiple different types of drugs.

Because the MCTs in coconut oil get shipped to the liver and turned into ketone bodies, they are often used in epileptic patients to induce ketosis while allowing for a bit more carbs in the diet (15, 16).

Bottom Line: The MCTs in coconut oil can increase blood concentration of ketone bodies, which can help reduce seizures in epileptic children.

7. Coconut Oil Can Improve Blood Cholesterol Levels and May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

Coconut oil is loaded with saturated fats, which actually do not harm the blood lipid profile like previously thought.

Saturated fats raise HDL (the good) cholesterol and change the LDL cholesterol to a benign subtype (17, 18).

In one study in 40 women, coconut oil reduced Total and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL compared to soybean oil (19).

There are also rat studies showing that coconut oil reduces triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol, increases HDL and improves blood coagulation factors and antioxidant status (20, 21).

This improvement in cardiovascular risk factors should theoretically lead to a reduced risk of heart disease over the long term.

Bottom Line: Studies in both humans and rats show that coconut oil improves important risk factors like Total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, which may translate to a reduced risk of heart disease.

8. Coconut Oil Can Protect Hair Against Damage, Moisturize Skin and Function as Sunscreen

Coconut oil can serve various purposes that have nothing to do with eating it.

Many people are using it for cosmetic purposes and to improve the health and appearance of their skin and hair.

Studies on individuals with dry skin show that coconut oil can improve the moisture and lipid content of the skin (22).

Coconut oil can also be very protective against hair damage and one study shows effectiveness as sunscreen, blocking about 20% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays (23, 24)

Another application is using it like mouthwash in a process called oil pulling, which can kill some of the harmful bacteria in the mouth, improve dental health and reduce bad breath (25, 26, 27).

Bottom Line: Coconut oil can be applied topically as well, studies showing it to be effective as a skin moisturizer and protecting against hair damage. It can also be used as a mild form of sunscreen and as mouthwash.

9. The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil Can Boost Brain Function in Alzheimer’s Patients

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia worldwide and occurs primarily in elderly individuals.

In Alzheimer’s patients, there appears to be a reduced ability to use glucose for energy in certain parts of the brain.

Ketone bodies can supply energy for the brain and researchers have speculated that ketones can provide an alternative energy source for these malfunctioning cells and reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s (28).

In one 2006 study, consumption of medium chain triglycerides lead to an immediate improvement in brain function in patients with milder forms of Alzheimer’s (29).

Other studies support these findings and medium chain triglycerides are being intensively studied as potential therapeutic agents in Alzheimer’s disease (30, 31).

Bottom Line: Studies show that the fatty acids in coconut oil can increase blood levels of ketone bodies, supplying energy for the brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients and relieving symptoms.

10. Coconut Oil Can Help You Lose Fat, Especially The Dangerous Fat in Your Abdominal Cavity

Given that coconut oil can reduce appetite and increase fat burning, it makes sense that it can also help youlose weight.

Coconut oil appears to be especially effective in reducing abdominal fat, which lodges in the abdominal cavity and around organs.

This is the most dangerous fat of all and is highly associated with many Western diseases.

Waist circumference is easily measured and is a great marker for the amount of fat in the abdominal cavity.

A study in 40 women with abdominal obesity, supplementing with 30 mL (1 ounce) ofcoconut oil per day lead to a significant reduction in both BMI and waist circumference in a period of 12 weeks (19).

Another study in 20 obese males noted a reduction in waist circumference of 2.86 cm (1.1 inches) after 4 weeks of 30 mL (1 ounce) of coconut oil per day (32).

This number may not seem too impressive on the surface, but be aware that these people aren’t adding exercise or restricting calories. They’re losing significant amounts of abdominal fat simply by adding coconut oil to their diet.