Many people think that because virgin coconut oil has a high proportion of saturated fat, it is bad for you to eat.
This is one of the greatest myths surrounding coconut oil, and now turn to dispelling this myth and seeing how you can use coconut oil as an aid to weight loss.
The chemical make-up of coconut fats
90% of coconut oil is saturated fat. Sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it, but a closer examination reveals the surprising truth.
This is because most of the saturated fatty acids in coconut oil are what are known as medium chain triglycerides. Medium chain triglycerides are actually easier for your body to break down than other saturated fats. Especially those found in fast food and other artificially created products. This is because there are fundamental differences in the chain composition of these fats, which mean they are harder for your body to breakdown – which in turn means they are more likely to accumulate in your arteries and in your skin tissue.
Further, the saturated fats in coconut oil – especially the Lauric acid, actually increase the body’s metabolism and promote optimal health of the thyroid and enzymes systems. Having a high metabolism means that the body burns calories at an increased rate. This is due to the acidity of your stomach acid and how effectively it can convert food to energy. Having a healthy gut will greatly increase your chances of having a high metabolism and help you start shedding weight.
The enzymes contained within coconut oil actually act as catalysts to your stomach acid and help you break down fat at an increased rate- and as your metabolism is also increased, you can burn a higher proportion of the calories you take in. They also help to promote a healthy gut by fighting bacteria and strengthening the stomach lining. Hence, coconut oil actually is much better for you to use in cooking and food than other alternatives, as it has added benefits not found in vegetable and olive oil.
Virgin coconut oil as it contains 50% Lauric acid is definitely well worth including in your diet. The easiest ways to do this are to replace your cooking oil with coconut oil – which incidentally is much more complimentary to the tastes of many foods, especially curries and stir-fry’s. Alternatively, you can also use coconut milk more regularly in your cooking, as it can be a key ingredient in a variety of delicious curries.
Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash
