Benefits of Coconut Oil
In today’s world of cholesterol medication and low-fat diets, many people believe that all fats should be avoided and that fats of any kind are only good for making you gain weight and clogging your arteries. While this is true for fast food grease and other unhealthy fats, your body needs healthy fats to survive! After all, our brains are 60% fat and every nerve in the body is coated in a myelin sheath, which is made mostly of fat. Not to mention, our hair, skin, and nails require healthy fat in order to retain moisture and a healthy glow! One of the best sources of healthy fat is coconut oil.
In addition, coconut oil contains a unique form of saturated fat that can help prevent heart disease, stroke, and hardening of the arteries. It can also help to improve digestion, strengthen the immune system, and protect against bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. It can even help with weight loss, as it reduces appetite and increases your body’s fat burning power!
Again, coconut oil DOES NOT:
- Increase cholesterol
- Promote platelet stickiness or blood clot formulation
- Contribute to atherosclerosis or heart disease
- Make you gain weight
Coconut oil DOES:
- Help prevent bacterial, fungal, and viral infections
- Support immune function
- Reduce risk of atherosclerosis and other similar illnesses
- Reduce risk of cancer and other degenerative illnesses
- Help prevent osteoporosis
- Help control diabetes
- Support healthy metabolic function
- Promote weight loss
- Provide an immediate source of energy
- Supply fewer calories than other fats
- Supply important nutrients necessary for good health
- Improve digestion and nutrient absorption
- Help keep skin soft and smooth (can be applied topically and used as moisturizer, as well as consumed internally)
- Help prevent premature aging and wrinkling of skin
- Help protect against skin cancer and other blemishes
How to incorporate coconut oil into your daily life:
- Use it as a cooking oil (use this instead of butter or ghee)
- Mix it into your coffee (like Bulletproof coffee)
- Use as a moisturizer for both face and body
- Add to smoothies or yogurt (it is best to melt it first so it doesn’t clump)
- Oil pulling (see Blog Post on Oil Pulling HERE)
- Drink coconut milk or use it in recipes (in place of regular cow’s milk)
For more recipes including coconut oil, visit Coconut Mama’s website HERE!
Info from Bruce Fife, ND
