Coconut oil has definitely come back in vogue over the last few years. It was often thought of as unhealthy in the past, due to a greater than 90% saturated fat content. However, several books about coconut oil and its health benefits have changed public perception on this natural product.
Coconut oil is no longer considered to be a health risk. We now know that it is very beneficial and that it is a great addition to a healthy diet. It’s known as the healthiest oil we have available, as it fortifies the immune system, strengthens the heart, regulates blood sugar, prevents diabetes and so does so much more for you.
It is often classified as superfood, but there is more to it than just dietary benefits. You can use coconut oil for so much, and we want to cover a few of those remarkable benefits it offers.
Weight Loss
One of the biggest reasons why public opinion turned around on coconut oil was because it was discovered to be such an amazing aid for weight loss.
We understand about the fatty content it offers much better than we used to, and we know that it has the kind of fatty acids that actually boost overall health and allow for a better regulated body weight. The fatty acids in coconut oil promote health in ways that other oils just can’t keep up with.
This is primarily due to the metabolic benefits of coconut oil. Those fatty acids force the metabolic rate to increase and allow the body to burn through more calories than it normally would. That makes it the rare kind of fat that can enable weight loss.
Oil Pulling (Mouthwash)
This type of medicine is as old as the most ancient of medical practices. Indian folk used oil pulling in their medicine as a way to get rid of toxins from the body. Oil pulling usually involves sunflower oil, sesame oil or coconut oil that is used as a mouthwash. This collects bacteria the mouth, which can then be removed by spitting out the oil after swishing it around for a while. This is a practice that is coming back into popularity recently.
The lauric acid in coconut oil actually dissolves bacteria in the mouth. If you swirl it around in your mouth for about 15 minutes, you can remove the bacteria that has accumulated there and prevent plaque and tooth decay.
Pet Uses
It’s not just humans that benefit from coconut oil. You can use it internally and externally on many pets, particularly dogs, to improve their digestion, fight skin problems and boost energy levels. You can apply it to the skin to keep ticks and lice off and to make their coat healthier. If you give it to them internally, it also helps the skin and coat, and it can regulate their weight in a healthy way.
If their hair has become matted, then you can rub some coconut oil on their skin to make it easier to deal with. Just make sure you use a high-quality coconut oil for your pets to ensure their health and good results.
Cooking
You can also use coconut oil for cooking, since it stays stable when heated. It smokes at 175° C, and you don’t have to worry about creating free radicals when it is cooked.
You can cook just about any food at a safe temperature for coconut oil. If you use this kind of oil for your cooking rather than traditional fry oil, you get healthier results. It also makes the food taste unique, and you might actually enjoy the taste more.
Coconut oil deemed a harmful fat is an idea that is being left by the wayside, and we are starting to see some incredible health benefits being discovered for it. Sugar is now considered to be the biggest problem with weight gain in the majority of people’s diets.
Studies conducted on Pacific Islanders showed that they have few of the modern ailments we tend to suffer from, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. They use coconut oil in their food and as part of their regular diet, and this superfood is considered one of the key reasons why they have such healthy communities. Where a Western diet has infiltrated the populace there, however, these diseases and health problems are on the rise.
Coconut oil is now a prominent superfood, but it can be used for so much more. If people were to incorporate it into their diet and into their healthy living practices, then they could live better lives and prevent disease and health problems that so many people are struggling with all over the world today.
