Coconut oil has certainly made its debut lately on our grocery shelves, in recipes, and it’s all over social media. It is the new trendy healthy fat of choice. Cook with it, use it for you skin… this oil seems like the new greasy answer to all.
Coconut oil comes from pressing the fat from the inside of this giant nut. About 84% of its calories come from saturated fat. To compare, 14 percent of olive oil’s calories and 63 percent of butter are from saturated fat. This is what makes coconut oil solid at room temperature, have a long shelf life, and can be cooked at high temperatures.
In the summer, it is liquid in your cabinet and in the winter, it is solid. Most will attest when it is a liquid, a little goes a long way.
The difference is that coconut oil fat is made up of triglycerides that our bodies handle differently than those found in traditional vegetable oils. The triglycerides are turned into ketones in the body. This oil contains MCT which is a fat that our bodily can readily break down and use for energy. Other than glucose (which comes from carbohydrates) ketones are the only other source of energy our body can use.
If following the standards, we are to consume no more than 13 grams of saturated fat per day. That’s the amount of 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.
Like most elements of life, there are pros and cons to the consumption of this oil. For example, fans of coconut oil point to studies that suggest the fat in coconut could boost your HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol. This means compared to other oils, it is less bad for your heart health than the saturated fat in animal-based foods like cheese and steak or products containing trans fats.
But it also raises your LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol.
A quick cholesterol lesson:
So all in all, we want to get our fat from sources like nuts and avocado, not necessarily oils. There is also coconut milk, coconut water, and coconut flour, all on the market now. Coconut is very popular on the ketogenic diet because it is high in fat, low in carbohydrates, and won’t take a person out of ketosis.
This helps one stay in the range of the appropriate amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat they are to consume on this diet. Paleo also advocates for coconut oil use.
Coconut oil is also great for topical skin purposes. It can help alleviate dry skin and add moisture.
The Lifestyle of the FIT & Healthy understands that nutrition is a key component of our fitness journeys and the more informed we are, the better choices we can make. We do need healthy fats as part of a well balanced eating regime (dare I say the word “diet”), but in the right amount and form is what can make all the difference whether this fat is burned or finds a home on your thighs or waist.
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For countless numbers of many years coconut has been a principal element of the Pacific Islanders’ diet. The milk of the coconut is a principal component used for cooking. The juice or water of the coconut is consumed as a tasty and refreshing beverage.The meat is also employed for taking in and cooking, and can be dried and marketed for use in baking and desserts. The oil from the coconut is not only employed for cooking and frying, but for medicinal reasons as nicely.It was in the 70’s and the 80’s when coconut oil attained a negative rep due to the fact of its substantial content in saturated fat. What researchers unsuccessful to understand is that this study was accomplished on partly hydrogenated coconut oil and not from its raw, organic condition. When any all-natural oil is hydrogenated, its entire chemical make-up is modified, turning it into a trans unwanted fat. Trans fats are extremely harmful for you and can guide to coronary heart condition. Virgin coconut oil that has not been hydrogenated, processed, or refined is truly a saturated fat that is great for you.What some folks do not understand is that not all saturated fats are bad for you, especially some that arise by natural means, such as coconut oil. It is considered a medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) that can be very easily digested and burned off. This is as opposed to most of the food items and oils we try to eat and use everyday that are made up of prolonged-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) that our bodies can’t simply breakdown and finish up storing as body fat.The oil from coconut also is made up of a extremely rare normal fatty acid called lauric acid. It has antimicrobial homes that destroys viruses and bacteria. You can actually put coconut oil on cuts and burns due to the fact not only does it get rid of micro organism, but it also offers a protecting barrier from micro organism and an infection. Lauric acid is also acknowledged to enhance substantial-density lipoprotein (HDL) in the entire body, or in other words and phrases, will increase the “excellent cholesterol”. This encourages a healthy coronary heart and less risk for coronary heart condition.An additional reward of coconut oil is boosting your metabolic process. Because coconut oil is a medium-chain fatty acid, it can simply be digested and quickly turned into vitality. This in change aids promote weight loss. It also will help assistance a healthy immune method since getting a larger metabolic price can velocity up the therapeutic process. A increased metabolic charge can also boost thyroid activity, which is also a benefit to those with thyroid issues and find it hard to get rid of excess weight.When used topically, coconut oil does wonders on the pores and skin. The Lauric acid and its antimicrobial houses can really help mend and deal with acne breakouts. It can even be made into a scrub for exfoliating the face. It is rich in vitamin E and can also be employed as a moisturizer and help reverse the outcomes of aging and reduce wrinkles. It can also assist lessen the signs of eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, rashes, or dry and flaky skin. You can use it to treat a dry and flaky scalp, aid handle dandruff, and treat dry and destroyed hairThe list really could go on and on of all the fantastic outcomes coconut oil has on the human entire body. It has rightly attained its title as the “wonder oil”. Regardless of whether taken internally or used topically, the best gain of coconut oil is becoming able to appear and come to feel youthful and healthier.
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