Coconut Oil Health Benefits
Coconut oil is among the most used edible oils in the world and not just for skincare and haircare. It is becoming an increasingly famous cooking oil with health benefits ranging from weight loss to having antioxidant properties. In this article, you will learn the benefits and multiple uses that will help you realize the importance of coconut oil in your daily life.
If you wish to avoid any artificial products in your food for healthy skin and hair care, coconut oil would be a great alternative. It’s not only beneficial for your health temporarily as coconut oil can lead to long-term health benefits. Let’s read on to know more!
Coconut Oil Health Benefits
Coconut oil is extracted from matured coconuts that can benefit anyone who needs a healthy replacement. Following are some of the health benefits of coconut oil:
You Can Lose Weight
Studies are supporting the claim that coconut oil can help burn body fat. Coconuts have a substance called medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that can aid in burning fat by replacing long-chain triglycerides that are found in canola and soybean oil. There is a specific study on MCTs done by the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminologythat shows coconut oil MCT increasing diet-induced thermogenesis in human beings. Therefore, if you wish to lose weight with a healthy diet, coconut oil would be an excellent addition to your daily meals.
You Can Reduce Memory Disorders
Scientists have been researching ways to reduce memory disorders using natural means to reduce the number of Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients. Some of their studies support the importance of coconut oil, and MCTs in specific, can help improve memory problems in older adults. In the 2018 study, researchers experimented on 44 Alzheimer’s patients divided into two groups.
One group followed a Mediterranean diet enriched with coconut oil, while the other didn’t. The result showed that women among the group who were on a diet showed improvement in semantic memory and temporal orientation. This was only true for females with a mild-moderate state.
You Can Control Appetite
Coconut oil can help you control hunger, as shown by an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study. In this research, scientists had fourteen men eat MCTs in their breakfast. The result showed that the participants who ate more MCTs consumed fewer calories at lunch than those who didn’t consume more. It also impacted the overall blood sugar levels of the participants. This study showed that MCT-rich products, like coconut oil, can improve your appetite control and affect weight.
Coconut Oil Uses
Now that you know coconut oil health benefits for your body, let’s find out some easy ways to use it in your daily diet. With these methods, you can improve your health starting today!
Coconut Oil Chocolates
Coconut oil chocolate bars are delightful! Homemade bars can replace coconut-flavored chocolates as they are super easy to make. All you need is coconut oil, cocoa powder, maple syrup or raw honey, and salt. You can mix the coconut oil in a pan with maple syrup for 1-2 minutes and add cocoa powder and salt. You can also add shredded coconut to the mix if you like. Freeze it in your favorite shape of the silicone mold and eat whenever you feel the chocolate craving!
Cooking with Coconut Oil
Thankfully, coconut oil does not harm the food when cooked at a high temperature! With a high smoke point of 350-400 degrees, you can safely cook any food in coconut oil! We recommend using virgin coconut oil for its pure and less refined texture. It also retains most of the natural properties of coconut. While coconut oil can provide health benefits, some people do not like the taste of their food. If you are one of those people, feel free to use expeller-pressed coconut oil for cooking.
Tea or Coffee with Coconut Oil
If you do not want your food to have that coconut fragrance or taste every day, you can use it in your coffee or tea. Drinking your daily beverage with a teaspoon of coconut oil can give you a healthy skin glow and keep your body in good form. You can try a healthy cocoa chai tea recipe with a chai tea bag, unsweetened cocoa powder, cream, and coconut oil. Add boiling water over the teabag and let it stay for 2-3 minutes. After removing the tea bag, add the other ingredients and enjoy a healthy tea recipe!
Coconut Oil Smoothies
Okay, this may sound appalling to some people, given the tendency of coconut oil to be so rich! However, you can enjoy a delicious coconut oil smoothie anytime if you make it right. Adding a smoothie to your diet is already a healthy option, but given the importance of coconut oil, you can make it a nutritious meal. You can add melted coconut oil to the smoothie of your choice and enjoy a lump-free smoothie with no overwhelming taste!
Coconut Oil with Nut Butter
For those who are big fans of almond butter or peanut butter but do not like it when the oil separates from the mixture, this coconut oil hack can help you eat some delicious nut butter! You can remove the separated oil from the jar and add melted coconut oil to the nut butter to enjoy a delicious, healthy snack!
Importance of Coconut Oil for Health
Coconut oil does not only provide healthy skin and hair benefits; it can be much more beneficial if you use it carefully. Incorporating coconut oil in your diet, you can benefit from its various health-related properties that can support weight loss and help you maintain a healthy body. If you start using it at a young age, you can reap coconut oil health benefits as you grow old.
However, be careful when using coconut oil in abundance. Although it is safe for most people, someone in your family may have an allergy to coconuts. We advise you to test whatever you plan to make with coconut oil first and check for signs of allergic reactions. If nothing happens, you and your family are safe to use it as much as you want!