Benefits Of Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is widely marketed as a superfood. The unique combination of fatty acids in coconut oil may have positive effects on your health, such as boosting fat loss, heart health, and brain function.
Many manufacturers have begun to use coconut oil in packaged products, and many people use it for cooking. Many products, such as fried foods, sweets, shampoos, coffee, smoothies, contain coconut oil.
Coconut Oil Nutrition Facts
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, these are the nutrition facts for a 1 tablespoon serving of coconut oil.
- Calories 121
- Protein 0 grams (g)
- Fat 13.5 g
- Saturated fat 11.2 g
- Carbohydrates 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Sugar 0 g
That’s very similar to other oils. For instance, a tablespoon of olive oil has 119 calories and 13.5 g of fat
1. Shiny hair
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.
2. It helps you lose weight
The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) can help you lose weight when they replace long-chain triglycerides (like those from soybean and canola oil) in your diet.MCT in coconut oil can increase diet-induced thermogenesis in humans by as much as 6%.
The study found MCTs to increase 24-hour energy expenditure in humans by as much as 5%. Now, burning an extra 100-120 calories per day might not sound like much, but over a year, it amounts to at least 36,000 calories.
3. Boost heart health
Coconut is an uncommon food in the Western world, with health-conscious people being the main consumers. However, in some parts of the world, coconut — which is loaded with coconut oil — is a dietary staple that people have thrived on for generations.
For example, a 1981 study noted that the population of Tokelau, an island chain in the South Pacific, obtained over 60% of their calories from coconuts. Researchers reported not only good overall health but also very low rates of heart disease.
4. Improve Your Dental Health
Coconut oil can be a powerful weapon against bacteria, including Streptococcus Mutans, the bacteria in your mouth that causes dental plaque, tooth decay, and gum disease.
In one study, swishing with coconut oil for 10 minutes — known as oil pulling — reduced these bacteria as effectively as rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash.
5 Improve Brain Function
The MCTs in coconut oil are broken down by your liver and turned into ketones, which can act as an alternative energy source for your brain. Several studies have found MCTs to have impressive benefits for brain disorders, including epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.
Some researchers recommend using coconut oil as a source of MCTs to increase the production of ketones.
6. It kills bacteria
Around half of the fatty acids in coconut oil are lauric acid. Lauric acid is particularly good at killing bacteria, viruses, and fungi; therefore, it’s great in helping you stave off infections when used externally.
7. Reduce Belly Fat
Coconut oil may help reduce belly fat — also known as visceral fat — which is linked to increased health risks, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In one study, obese men lost 1 inch (2.54 cm) from their waist fat by adding 2 tablespoons (1 ounce or 30 ml) of coconut oil to their diet.
Another study looked at women on calorie-restricted diets. Those who took 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of coconut oil per day had a decrease in waist size, while the soybean-oil group noticed a slight increase
8. Reduce hunger
One interesting feature of MCTs is that they may reduce hunger. This may be related to the way your body metabolizes fats, because ketones can reduce a person’s appetite.
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9 . Protect Your Hair From Damage
Coconut oil can help keep your hair healthy.One study compared the effects of coconut oil, mineral oil, and sunflower oil on hair.
Only coconut oil significantly reduced protein loss from hair when applied before or after shampooing. This result occurred with damaged as well as healthy hair.
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