These days, you can’t browse the Internet, social media or grocery stores without running to coconut oil. Although coconut oil’s benefits are proven in more than 1,500 studies, it still remains the most controversial product sold on the market.
One absolutely untrue fact that most people believe in is that coconut oil is high in saturated fats which can cause heart disease. Another mistake is that many people avoid consuming its calories even though these calories are not the same.
However, coconut oil benefits go beyond many people realize. This sweet-smelling tropical oil tends to balance blood sugar and insulin levels, stimulate weight loss and prevent different health conditions.
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil can provide some of these health benefits:
1. Stabilizes Insulin and Blood Sugar Level
When you hear blood sugar, the first thing that would probably come to your mind is diabetes. This is because this serious disease is characterized by high blood sugar levels.
Fortunately, coconut oil can help you balance the blood sugar and insulin levels. However, it does not control blood sugar and insulin directly, but it helps the glucose enter the cells thus reducing the insulin levels in the blood.
That’s why diabetics should consume food high in other carbohydrates but low in fat and refined sugar. Also, people should tend to consume more balanced meals rich in high-quality fats such as coconut oil.
Additionally, coconut oil slows digestion and lowers the glycemic index of the meal in order to provide a steady energy for the body and stabilize blood sugar levels.
Coconut oil is rich with medium-chain fatty acids, which have long-chain fatty acids such as PUFAs, unlike soybean, corn and canola oils.
The long-chain fatty acids can worsen the insulin resistance and diabetes since they reduce the ability of cells to absorb blood sugar.
2. Promotes Weight Loss
Because of its ability to stabilize blood sugar, it is no wonder that coconut oil can help you lose weight. One tablespoon of coconut oil contains about 120 calories, but these calories are not the same as others.
One important characteristic of coconut oil is thermogenesis. This means that it increases energy, so the more you consume, the more calories you burn.
So, when losing weight exercise more but you do not need to consume fewer calories but consume calories which boost the metabolism and do not suppress it. In this way, your body will be nourished and able to burn fat.
3. Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease
According to many studies, populations who consume coconut oil in their diet are among the healthiest in the world. Mainly, this is due to the potent health properties that promote heart health.
Unlike other polyunsaturated fatty acid oils, coconut oil does not oxidize when subjected to oxygen, heat or light. So, it does not cause arterial damage as the oxidative stress.
If you have a family history of some heart disease, this oil will significantly improve your heart health.
Additional Benefits of Coconut Oil
Due to the potent anti-inflammatory properties, it can reduce the formation of free radicals and prevent oxidative stress and damage. Also, it contains potent:
- Anti-oxidant qualities – prevents any damage by free radicals
- Anti-inflammatory qualities – reduces inflammation and repairs tissue
- Anti-microbial qualities – eliminate harmful microbes and prevents infection
- Anti-bacterial qualities – inhibits bacteria which cause infections, ulcers and gum disease
- Anti-fungal qualities – fights yeast and fungus that lead to infections
- Anti-viral properties– removes parasites, lice, tapeworms, fights viruses which cause influenza, hepatitis, herpes, measles, AIDS and many others.
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