Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

While cooking oils like olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, rice bran oil are considered as healthier options, coconut oil has its own benefits.

Coconut oil is exceptionally rich in lauric acid, a rare saturated fat that helps to improve the composition of blood lipids. It is a rich source of antioxidants such as tocopherols, tocotrienols, phytosterols, flavonoids, and polyphenols. Being very rich in Medium-Chain-Triglycerides (MCTs), it may encourage fat burning, have antimicrobial effects, help reduce hunger, the MCTs in coconut oil provide a quick supply of energy - In fact, MCTs have been long used in sports nutrition products for athletes who need a source of energy their body can absorb and use fast. MCTs in coconut oil can also increase blood ketone concentrations, which may help reduce seizure frequency.

Besides these health benefits coconut oil may help moisturize your skin and improve skin barrier function, may help strengthen your hair by increasing flexibility and reducing the breakage of hair strands, may be a cost-effective way to improve oral health due to its lauric acid content. Since coconut oil is rich in MCTs, it may potentially help with symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Coconut Oil and Human Growth Hormone (HGH):

Besides its many health benefits, coconut oil is also known for its ability to cause an HGH surge within 30 to 90 minutes of consumption. This is why it's often recommended to have foods made with this oil for a rapid increase in HGH levels.

Coconut Oil and Heart Health: 

In recent years, coconut oil has been touted as beneficial for heart health. That’s because some evidence suggests it may lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

However, evidence on the effects of coconut oil on blood cholesterol levels is conflicting. A 2020 study found that coconut oil may actually significantly increase LDL (bad) cholesterol levels — which increases the risk of heart disease.

Therefore, it is best to consume coconut oil in moderation to reap its health benefits.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Six Key Food Groups that Are Healthy for Your Heart

Researchers investigated the impact of different food groups on cardiovascular health. They found that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole-fat dairy, and fish were linked to lower cardiovascular risk. Further studies are needed to understand how much each component contributes to overall risk reduction. Unhealthy diets are a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In particular, higher amounts of processed meats, refined grains, and sugar-sweetened beverages are known to increase cardiovascular risk.  Concurrently, diets such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Mediterranean and Healthy Eating Index (HEI) are linked to lower CVD risk. These diets all include increased consumption of: Fruit Vegetables Legumes Nuts Fish However, recent studies, have shown that some foods—such as whole-fat dairy—previously thought to increase CVD risk may have neutral or beneficial effects. However, many of these new findings have yet to be incorpora
Read more

Nutrients that Prevent Telomere Shortening

Image
Telomerase is an enzyme that helps maintain telomeres , the protective tips of chromosomes. As we age, our telomeres naturally shorten, contributing to the aging process. Telomerase supplements are designed to promote the lengthening of telomeres, which may help prevent some age-related diseases and improve overall health. What are telomeres?  Telomeres are stretches of DNA at the end of chromosomes that protect the end from deterioration. They shorten each time a cell divides, and when they get too short, cells can no longer divide and die off or become cancerous. Telomere length is a good biological marker of aging, and shorter telomeres usually indicate greater age and a higher likelihood of age-related pathologies. As telomeres provide protection for the genetic material inside DNA, shorter telomeres provide less protection. The shorter the telomere, the more likely a subject is to suffer from disease or age-related illnesses.  What is telomerase?  Telomerase is an enzyme t
Read more