For many years we as a dieting culture were obsessed with eradicating fat from our diet. Recently we have become increasingly more educated to its absolute essentialness to our health. Unlike carbohydrate which can be produced by the body if necessary, we must obtain essential fatty acids from our diet. Despite being in a saturated form, one of the best forms of fat is COCONUT OIL. Unlike animal fats which are made up of long chain triglycerides, coconut oil is made up of 60% medium chain triglycerides. This structure eases absorption into the body. 50% of the triglycerides found in coconut oil come from Lauric acid, which is also found in human breast milk therefore arguably one of the most natural sources of nutrients available to us. Studies suggests that women who are breast feeding may benefit from supplementing with coconut oil.
Coconut oil has been shown to contribute towards weight loss/management:
- By balancing blood sugar levels, thereby stabilising insulin production, which would be beneficial especially to diabetics.
- It has been shown to increase blood flow around the body enhancing the metabolic rate and energy levels.
- People who ate coconut oil were found to consume far fewer calories than those not on a high fat diet.
- Perfect for people supplementing a ketogenic diet as unlike other healthy fat sources such as nuts, coconut oil does not contain any carbohydrate
- Essential hormonal production in the body
- Opposed to other fats which contain 9 calories per gram, coconut oil only contains 8.3 calories per gram.
Other benefits of coconut oil include its ability to protect against heart disease, prevent aging of the skin through oxidisation aided by its easy absorption by the cells, and to deter bacterial infections such as mouth ulcers and dandruff.
I use coconut oil in my cooking as it has an incredibly high smoke point. This includes frying (yes sometimes), roasting and even at times blending it into my protein shake, yummmm!!! It also tastes fantastic in porridge and coffee.
Coconut oil is easy to store and has a long shelf life. It can be used as an alternative medicine, cosmetic product, assistance to weight management and much more.
My personal choice has to be Lucy Bees coconut oil. Why? Because its:
- Raw
- Extra Virgin – Unrefined
- Organic
- Cold Pressed
- Fair Trade
- No Cholesterol
- No Lactose
- No Gluten
We are no medical professionals, the information above is only based on our experience and opinions. Please seek professional medical advice before implicating any dietary changes!!! Coconut oil all the way!
