Tuesday, September 4, 2007
How Coconut Oil Benefits Your Health: And Why Nobody Told You!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007 | 
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Recently a friend of mine ranted and raved about the benefits of Coconut oil. This is was something new for me, except for a few passing references here and there, that I came across now and then. So I decided to dig deeper for some information on benefits of coconut oil and came out with some gems.The coconut oil was used extensively as cooking oil in USA, and also as an ingredient in various food products. During World War II Japan occupied Philippines and other North Eastern countries for long years. This cut off the supply of coconut oil to USA. During this period a whole new industry was born around poly un-saturated vegetable oils, which, due to want of availability of good substitutes gained in popularity.
It also served the interests of this industry to condemn the use of other saturated oils like butter oil and coconut oil. Then came the soybean industry, which also denounced saturated oils for increasing blood cholesterol leading to heart related problems.
Since heart problems were on the rise during that period, coconut oil and other saturated oils became the villains.
But, some recent studies find otherwise and show how coconut oil is beneficial for heart and for our health as a whole.
A study was made of the people in pacific regions and it was found that the people there are healthier and lean despite the presence of large fat content in their food!
All the oils are made up of fatty acid molecules. These fatty acids are of three types: short-chain fatty acids(SCFA), medium-chain fatty acids(MCFA) and long-chain fatty acids(LCFA). Our metabolism responds differently to different types of fatty acids.
The majority of the fat consumed by us is made of LCFA. The fats found in meat, milk, or other vegetable oils, all contain LCFA. On the other hand refined coconut oil is made up of MCFA. MCFA lowers the risk of heart diseases and this is what makes coconut oil so beneficial for health.
Poly unsaturated fats are largely responsible for heart attacks in the country. These are used in all the fast food, pastries and other favorite foods of this generation. These oils come in the way of normal functioning of the Thyroid gland and hinder the secretion of hormone in the blood stream.
Coconut oil contains perishable fats, which benefit your health. Coconut oil also benefits the normal functioning of blood platelets, while poly-unsaturated fats make platelets stickier.
Go through the list that I have compiled, of how coconut oil benefits your health. Then make up your own mind.
Coconut Oil Is Good For Your Heart. As I have talked above, Coconut oil benefits heart as it has been shown to help metabolize cholesterol faster, reducing overall levels. A study was done in a culture where coconut oil was used on a regular basis. When these people were moved to a different area and their coconut oil intake dropped, their cholesterol levels got much higher. Thyroid hormone is required for processing and eliminating cholesterol. Any deficiency in the hormone leads to the increase of cholesterol.
Coconut Oil fights Hypothyroidism: Coconut oil stimulates the thyroid gland and helps it in functioning properly. It stimulates the metabolism thereby increasing the energy level of the body.
Coconut Oil Keeps You Young. When the thyroid works properly, it uses cholesterol to make chemicals that are vital for preventing disease and help in slowing the aging.
Coconut Oil helps you lose weight. One more benefit of the coconut oil. As I already mentioned, coconut oil helps improve thyroid functioning. Improper functioning of the thyroid is a major cause of obesity. Cultures that use more coconut oil have less incidence of obesity.
Coconut Oil can prevent cancer. Increased thyroid function has also been shown to reduce the incidence of cancer. Studies have shown the occurrence of cancer to be lower, and in some cases nonexistent in areas that rely on saturated oils. They have also shown that the number of cancer cases increases with the addition of unsaturated oils to the diet.
It can prevent infections. Coconut oil has been found to contain 40% lauric acid. This is a fatty acid that is found in breast milk. The body converts it into a substance that fights bacterial, viral, and protozoal infection in infants. When your body has these chemicals, your immune system does less work and you stay healthy.
As I mentioned at the beginning, Coconut oil has been used in tropical areas and even modern cultures for many years. In areas where people switched to unsaturated vegetable oils, obesity, high blood pressure, cancer, and other problems have increased. Cultures that still use coconut oil have fewer of these problems.
As you can see, switching to coconut oil for your cooking needs is a great decision. It can help you live longer, and look and feel better. So why not go buy some coconut oil today?
But, you should remember that coconut oil alone is not the panacea for curing all the diseases. It works best when combined with other dietary controls. Always consult an expert before embarking on anything concerning your health.
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