Benefits of Coconut Oil
by Kelly Ann

If you ever find yourself stranded on a beautiful island with no water, no food and no rescue in sight, at least you can have your fill of one of the world’s greatest “super foods” – coconuts! Not only can you drink yourself into a stupor, but did you know that coconut oil contains all kinds of health benefits? Coconuts are well known to provide an array of benefits to those who consume and use coconut products on a regular basis. From treating your damaged sun stroked hair, to increasing your energy… this exotic palm tree bud has it all! To give you a little taste of this super fruit, here are some of the best-known benefits for coconut oil.

Fatty Acids

Now I know what you are thinking, and yes, there are some healthy fatty acids out there that can actually do your body good. Coconuts are known for their unique combination of saturated fat boasting a whopping 90% of that content as fatty acids! Fatty acids are great for your digestive track making your food consumption and processing fast and easy.

Battle Infections

Coconut oil has also been known to stave off infections by providing a healthy dose of lauric acid. With almost 50% of the fatty acids found in coconuts being 12-carbon lauric acid, one can find it to be a healthy, natural way to help fight infections and bacteria. With so many different bacteria being spread through our day-to-day activities, it is a wonderful to know that coconut oil can help you stay healthy and prevent future suffering.

Increase Energy

Leveraging the fact that coconuts are considered a super food, it is no wonder that by consuming your fair share of milky silk you can help your body burn more calories at a quicker and more efficient rate. One report claimed that if you consumed 15-30 grams of MCT (medium chain triglycerides), which is found in coconuts, you could increase your energy level by 5%.

Bircher muesli with fruit salsa and coconut milk

Control Hunger

If you are looking for a natural way to curb your cravings and help you from reaching into the cookie jar, then coconut oil could help. With the fatty acids being consumed naturally, and the MCT combination during meals, one study found that men who ate coconut for breakfast showed a decrease in lunch consumption. While most found that eating coconuts, coconut oil or products on a daily basis, they were able to greatly reduce the amount of portions they consumed ultimately reducing their caloric intake and improving weight loss.

Outer Protection

While most of the benefits found are related to your overall internal health and well being, it would be a crime not to mention the benefits coconut oil can have for your hair and skin. Coconut oil is a natural oil that can be applied directly to your damaged hair to restore moisture, repair dead ends and promote overall healthy strands. It has also been used for ages as a natural way to moisturize ones skin replenishing the natural oils and soothing sunburns along with providing a slight degree of sun protection.

This obviously is not a full list of all the wonderful uses and benefits of coconut oil. From the plethora of body treatments to delicious recipes, the list is long. And, it does give me pleasure when I smell the exotic odor of a coconut oil based soap, moisturizer and even sipping a pina colada on a hot summers day. One thing you can rely on is that if you love coconut then there are countless ways to enjoy your favorite fruit while reaping the natural benefits it has to offer.