The health benefits of coconut oil are numerous. It cares for hair and skin, helps ease the body, maintains the cholesterol level, help in weight loss, increase immunity, help digestion and metabolism, solve kidney problems, is good for heart disease, for hypertension, diabetes, cancer and HIV, is taking care of our teeth and bones and give us strength.
All these benefits are attributable specifically to the lauric acid, caprylic and capric, but also because of the antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial properties.
How is the lauric acid used by our body?
Human body converts the lauric acid into monolaurin, and carefully fight viruses and bacteria that cause various diseases. Known for so many positive results, the coconut oil started to be successfully used in Ayurveda – Indian traditional medical system.
Coconut oil consists of more than 90% saturated fat. It contains, among other compounds, saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid), monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid), polyphenols. It is assumed that these polfenoli are responsible for aroma and taste of coconut oil, virgin coconut oil is rich in these substances.
The oil also contains certain derivatives, and vitamins E, K, and iron.
The Benefits of Coconut Oil:
Hair Care: Coconut oil is one of the best natural remedies for hair. It helps a healthy growth of hair, giving shine and strength. Head massage with coconut oil ensures no dandruff. Is an excellent conditioner and helps rebuild damaged hair because of the essential proteins it contains.
Excellent For The Body: Because of the nutrients it contain we can use it as massage oil, and also for skin care. With great hydrating properties, acting as a moisturizer for all skin types, including for the dry skin. It also delays wrinkles (due to the antioxidants) and, moreover, helps in treatment of psoriasis including various skin problems, eczema and dermatitis. Therefore, coconut oil is the basic ingredient of different body care products such as soaps, lotions, creams, etc.
Fight Heart Disease: A widespread misconception among many people, is that coconut oil is not good for heart. This is caused by the fact that the oil contains a large amount of saturated fat. However, coconut oil is beneficial for heart. Because it contains about 50% lauric acid, and can help in preventing various heart problems, reducing elevated cholesterol and the blood pressure, it also prevents atherosclerosis. And, unlike other oils, saturated fats in coconut oil are not harmful.
Reduces The Body Weight: Coconut oil is very useful when you want to get off a few pounds. That’s because short and medium chain fatty acids helps a lot in reducing fat deposits in our body. Also, is easily digested and help a healthy functioning thyroid gland and production of the enzymes.
Moreover, it helps the metabolism to function properly, the principles of eliminating stress in the pancreas. In this way, it burns more energy. It is healthy for very overweight people, it is known that people living in coastal tropical areas eat coconut oil on a daily basis, used as cooking oil, are always in shape and they don’t suffer from such diseases.
Helps Digestion: Consumption of coconut oil as cooking oil is very healthy. It helps improve the digestive system and prevents all sorts of problems, including the irritable bowel syndrome. The saturated fats have antimicrobial properties and provides good stomach operation in relation to various bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc. that can causes indigestion. Coconut oil also helps in absorbing nutrients such as vitamin, minerals and amino acids.
Strengthens Immunity: Coconut oil strengthens the immune system with its antimicrobial lipid content principles, the properties of acids with antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial actions. The oil fights against viruses and bacteria that causes diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV. Also fights against harmful bacteria such as listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and harmful protozoa such as giardia lamblia.
Prevents Infection: It is effective against many infections because of its antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties. Removes bacteria which cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia or gonorrhea.
Improves Liver Functions: Helps prevent liver disease, reduce the load of work of the liver, which will no longer be tired, and at the same time reduce the accumulated fat from the body.
Help Kidneys: Coconut oil helps prevent kidney disease and gall bladder. Also, if used consistently, help dissolve the accumulated kidney stones.
Control Diabetes: Helps control blood sugar and improve insulin secretion. Moreover, an efficient help in using blood glucose, preventing and treating diabetes.
Strengthens Our Bones: Calcium and magnesium found in coconut oil is necessary for bone development. Thus, the oil is very useful for women that are prone to osteoporosis.
Important Role For People With HIV and Cancer: It’s very good for immunity, researchers have found that coconut oil plays a key in reducing viral susceptibility of a patient infected with HIV and cancer.
Fuel for Athletes: Coconut oil is often preferred by athletes. The reason is that coconut oil is lower in calories than other oils, the fat content is converted to energy and not lead to accumulation fat in the heart and arteries. Coconut oil help boost energy and endurance and improves the athletes performance.