From Coconuts with Love: Discover The Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
Perhaps you are familiar to the sun-blocking effects of coconut oil, but maybe it is quite rarely that you come to appreciate the true value of this substance. Indeed, coconut oil is one of the best substances you can use to block out UV rays, but when you take that bottle with you to the beach you should be aware of the treasure you actually hold in your hands. In what follows, we introduce you to some of the benefits of coconut oil.
COCONUT OIL IN ACTION: PROTECTS YOUR BONES, HELPS WITH WEIGHT LOSS AND HEALS FUNGAL INFECTIONS
From Coconuts with Love
LOVE YOUR BONES
Perhaps you will be surprised to find out that virgin coconut oil is highly recommended for bone health. A study made in 2012 has made clear that virgin coconut oil can prevent structural damage in bones. Authors of the study concluded that the high content of polyphenol gives virgin coconut oil antioxidant properties [1].
The well-being of our bone structure should be a topic of interest for everyone, but unfortunately many of us only think about bone issues after major problems are already installed. Although recommendations regarding the use of virgin coconut oil for bone health may be particularly interesting for people already facing unpleasant situations in this respect, it is worth considering that preventing this type of illness is preferable to trying to solve bone problems after they have already advanced and your body is already severely affected by them.
2 TABLESPOONS A DAY TAKE BELLY FAT AWAY
Another pretty unexpected benefit of coconut oil is its ability to help when we are trying to get back in shape after a long time of accumulating body fat due to bad habits such as sedentarism or eating too much.
It may seem weird to hear that coconut oil can help with that, since anybody knows that oils are saturated fats. Yet, what applies here is that story that perhaps you have already heard about good fats and bad fats. Not all fats are to be avoided. In fact, some of them are highly recommended [2].Research has shown that coconut oil is one of the good fats. Taken regularly in small doses, it can help with your efforts to lose weight while increasing the level of other useful substances in your body, such as HDL cholesterol.
A study performed in 2009 analyzed the effects of an intake of two tablespoons per day on a group of obese women. After three months, they showed a significant reduction of belly fat [3].
GET THE MOST OF YOUR COCONUT OIL DIET
However, do not place all the burden of your losing-weight process on the coconut oil. Your general behavior in this respect should be controlled, because losing weight is a complex process that involves all your being. If you want to see significant results, you must make sure that you also engage in physical activities daily (walking one hour a day would be a good start), cut overeating, focus on foods that contain less calories and combine them in a manner that provides you the necessary substances for living a full life. If you take the time to follow the link we indicated at References [3], you will see that participants in the aforementioned study were instructed to perform regular physical activity and to watch their calories, too. Coconut oil can definitely help, but it will do the entire job on its own.
The most important contribution of coconut oil is its fat-reducing effect combined with its nutritional properties.These are two important aspects, equally necessary, for you to attain your goal of getting back in shape.
Coconut Oil Benefits
HEALING YOU SOFTLY
Coconut oil has also been proven to have healing properties on people suffering from fungal infections. A group of researchers from the Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria looked at the effects coconut oil on the treatment of fungal infections in an article published in 2007 [4].
Their study provides readers with strong reasons to believe that virgin coconut oil can be the answer to many unpleasant situations with which patients suffering from Candida infections are confronted. However, you should consult your doctor or the pharmacist before using it. Safe use of all healing products can only be established by looking at the particular problem that each person is facing. The age-old saying that there no illnesses, there are only people suffering from illnesses, is something you should bear in mind every time you address a topic as delicate as fungal infections.
That being said, that nice bottle with coconut oil looks pretty different now, doesn’t it?
Coconut oil is indeed a source of healing and nutrition, one that deserves more attention on our part.
References:
[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22927879
[2] http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-full-story/
[3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19437058
[4] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17651080
