In addition, it may also inhibit the growth of microorganisms that are harmful to plants 6. Lauric acid in coconut oil may have antimicrobial properties against a variety of harmful microorganisms. One interesting feature of MCTs is that they may help reduce food intake 8 , 9. This may be related to how the body breaks them down. A proportion of MCTs you eat are broken down in a process that produces molecules called ketones 1.
You may be familiar with ketones in the context of ketogenic diets , which are quite popular these days. For this reason, their bodies tend to use ketones for fuel. In fact, one study reports that coconut oil is less filling than MCT oil MCTs may help reduce food intake by decreasing hunger. People have long used keto diets, which are very low in carbs and high in fats, to treat various disorders, including drug-resistant epilepsy. They have been shown to help reduce how often seizures happen 12 , Researchers believe that the lack of available glucose to fuel brain cells is a possible explanation for the reduction in seizure frequency in people with epilepsy on ketogenic diets Reducing your carb intake reduces the glucose in your blood, and increasing your fat intake leads to significantly increased concentrations of ketones.
Your brain can use ketones as an energy source instead of glucose 1. Recently, people have found they can effectively treat epilepsy by following modified keto diets that include MCTs and a more generous carb allowance to induce ketosis 12 , Research shows that the MCTs in coconut oil get transported to your liver and turned into ketones MCTs in coconut oil can increase blood ketone concentrations, which may help reduce seizure frequency.
Coconut oil has many uses that have little to do with eating. Many people use it for cosmetic purposes to improve the health and appearance of their skin. Studies show that coconut oil can boost the moisture content of dry skin.
It may also improve the function of the skin, helping prevent excessive water loss and protecting you from external factors, such as infectious agents, chemicals, and allergens 16 , 17 , 18 , In fact, a recent study determined that applying 6—8 drops of virgin coconut oil on your hands and leaving it overnight may be an effective way to prevent dry skin caused by frequent use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers It may also reduce the severity of mild to moderate symptoms of atopic dermatitis , a chronic skin disease characterized by skin inflammation and defects in skin barrier function 18 , 21 , Coconut oil can also protect against hair damage.
For instance, one study determined that, since coconut oil deeply penetrates hair strands, it makes them more flexible and increases their strength to prevent them from breaking under tension Similarly, another study found that coconut oil nourishes hair strands and reduces breakage, which further strengthens the hair Pacific islanders following indigenous diets ate lots of coconut without any apparent harm to their health.
However, their good health probably reflected their healthy lifestyles rather than coconut oil per se. Although the benefits of coconut oil remain controversial, there is no evidence that a moderate intake of coconut oil is harmful. These benefits have been attributed to its high content of lauric acid, a unique saturated fat that is otherwise rare in food. In conclusion, eating coconut oil appears safe and may even improve your health. But as with all cooking oils, make sure to use it in moderation.
A detailed guide to healthy cooking oils. There are several things to keep in mind, including how stable these oils are when they're heated. People often consider deep-fried foods unhealthy, but it depends partially on the type of oil used. Find out which options are healthy and why. Coconut oil is a tropical fat that is claimed to have various benefits for health. Here are 13 human studies on coconut oil and its health effects.
You might know that coconut oil is good for you, but you may not know how much to take or how to eat it.
This article has the answers. This article explains everything you need to know about coconut oil and hair: why you might want to try it, how to use it, and more. Coconut oil is a type of fat that has many health benefits. This article looks at the evidence to determine whether coconut oil is also good for your…. Extra virgin olive oil is loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats and has been shown to offer numerous health benefits.
Participants took 1 tablespoon of coconut oil twice daily for 8 weeks. However, results have varied. One small study in found the opposite. In research, dietary MCT increased bad cholesterol in 17 healthy young men. The scientists did not study any other indicators of heart health. A study found no clear evidence that coconut oil either benefits or harms cholesterol levels. So far, the results remain inconclusive, and more studies are needed.
Learn more about how to reduce cholesterol. Findings from a animal study suggested that MCTs, present in coconut oil, may help preserve insulin sensitivity.
The review also listed the specific beneficial health effects of MCT oil, not coconut oil, in 29 studies. However, other investigations have not found the same results. This study on mini pigs, however, looked at an excess calorie, high fat diet that also included hydrogenated fats and high fructose.
Which foods help manage blood sugar levels? Find out here. Virgin coconut oil may have antioxidant properties. In a rodent study , it appeared to reduce stress resulting from exercise and chronic cold.
Researchers believe that virgin coconut oil could be useful in treating some kinds of depression. Many plant based foods provide antioxidants. Learn more here. Some people apply coconut oil to their hair to increase shine and protect it from damage. It may penetrate the scalp better than mineral oils. However, one study of people with similar hair types found no difference in hair condition between those who used coconut oil and those who did not. Applying a coconut extract to human skin may enhance its protective barrier functions and have an anti-inflammatory effect, says a study.
Some foods may help boost skin health. Get some tips here. This dietary choice should be made in the context of an overall healthy dietary pattern, and within the recommended limits for saturated fat intake. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
My suspicion is coconut oil is great in places where nutritional poverty causes people to die early like India because it provides calories. Horses for course. It may well stop you starving in parts of India, but it will probably kill you off early in places where less people starve to death..
An earlier article on the illusory benefits of coconut oil had respondents saying it was clearly wrong because the life expectancy in Goa and Kerala, where a lot of coconut oil was consumed , at between 70 and 74, was higher than for may other parts of India, and therefore Americans should consume it by the backload.
Such commentators failed to mention that US life expectancy at the time was significantly HIGHER than in Kerala or Goa, and that in the coconut oil avoiders of Scandinavia, Singapore and Australia, for example, it was a full 10 to fifteen years longer still! Coconut oil fadists are condemned by their own figures.
They indicate that it is a great product to consume in quantity if you want to die early! When I made the switch to following a paleo diet using only avocado and coconut oils, my good cholesterol went up 25 pts and my bad w,ent down.
My dr asked what I did and I told him. I use coconut oil daily in my coffee and for baking and cooking. I would imagine the overall change in your diet had more of an impact on your cholesterol levels than which oils you used.
Increasing fiber, decreasing refined sugars and losing weight all positively impact cholesterol levels. Yet you talk using coffee, baking and other cooking! All with just avocados??? Finding lots of information online is indeed helpful in my diet program.
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