Balanced Existence

photo credit: Lisa Brewster
In this article when I refer to coconut oil I’m specifically referring to organic extra-virgin coconut oil. I personally use organic extra-virgin coconut oil and so can attest to the health benefits of doing so.

Not all Fats are Created Equal
Coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated fat. To the body coconut oil is a very useful energy source and the liver makes use of it very quickly. It certainly goes to show you that all fats are not created equal. As islander farmers found when they tried to use coconuts and coconut oil to fatten up pigs, to no success. This is due to one of the many great health properties of coconut oil – it speeds up the metabolism.

A slow metabolism is one of the consistently present factors in people who cannot permanently lose weight. Many people try to “diet” by eating less. However, even if they do lose weight during an under-eating period the weight and then some comes right back on just as soon as they start eating a normal amount of food again. The body interpreting under-eating as famine approaching causes this effect. The body reacts to the signal of under-eating to protect itself by slowing down its metabolism and storing fat for the coming famine that doesn’t really exist.

I think being able to eat a healthy food that gives us energy and speeds up our metabolism is brilliant! It’s like having your cake and eating it to. It also shows up the common fallacy that the consumption of all types of fat makes you fat. As I mentioned above coconut oil belongs to a group of saturated fats called Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCT). MCT are broken down and digested very easily because, unlike other fats, they do not require pancreatic digestive enzymes or bile for digestion.

Also unlike other types of fat MCT are broken down into individual fatty acids before leaving the stomach. Whence they are immediately absorbed into the portal vein and sent directly to the liver. There such medium-chain fatty acids are used as a source of fuel and are burned to produce energy. As a direct result coconut oil does not circulate in the blood stream to the extent other fats do and does not contribute fat to your fat stores.

Boost Your Metabolism and Lose Weight
The boost in energy provided by coconut oil stimulates the metabolism. As metabolism increases the rate at which we burn calories also increases. As a result the calories you take in during the day are consumed at a higher rate. This leaves fewer to be converted into body fat.

Research studies have shown that after a single meal containing MCT metabolism increases by 48% in individuals of normal weight and by a massive 65% in obese individuals! This indicates that the more overweight a person is the greater the effect coconut oil has on stimulating metabolism and encouraging weight loss. What’s more the effect by coconut oil as a metabolism stimulant lasts for as long as 24 hours!

The Extraordinary Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
The picture of coconut oil as an amazing health food just gets better and better. As a direct effect of increased metabolism body functions at a higher level of efficiency; circulation improves, the rate of repair and healing increases and the immune system is raised to a higher level of efficiency. This can lead to an overall improvement in health and wellbeing. In fact coconut oil is has been shown to help prevent and alleviating many of the symptoms associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, liver disease, Crohn’s disease, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.

I know personally that coconut oil has helped me overcome a severe fungus infection (including candida yeast) that plagued me for years in the guise of chronic migraines. I was severely allergic to yeast and wheat products such as bread. The anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that coconut oil possesses in the gut and in the blood helped me overcome the infestation and return my body to balance.

Cooking with Coconut Oil
Unlike most other fats Coconut oil is very stable. In fact in some studies coconut oil was kept at room temperature for a year. When tested it showed no evidence of rancidity. This is very important because vegetable fats such as margarine and vegetable oil are often produced through a process that uses heat. As a result the vegetable fat is already rancid even before packaging. I think it is enough to say that this is not going to be good for your health. In fact coconut oil, unlike other oils, is very stable at high temperatures, which makes it perfect for cooking.

Where to Get Your Coconut Oil
As you can see I’m a big fan of organic cold pressed coconut oil. This is something I personally use every single day and highly recommend it. Check out the extensive list of health benefits of coconut oil and you can purchase high quality organic cold pressed coconut oil here.

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