Is coconut oil, a true miracle oil or a homeopathic remedy? Does it cure all of medical woes and cut cholesterol, too? Can we use it in multiple and varied forms outside of the realm of cooking?
These are some of the questions that have arisen over the past couple decades as coconut oil has become more and more popular in our ever health conscious city. But are all of the claims true?
According to organicfacts.net, coconut oil can promote our weight loss, boost our immune systems and aid in our digestion. All of those benefits sound revolutionary, but are there any scientific studies to back up these claims?
In order to know , you have to take a look at the composition of the product. One tablespoon (or 15 mm) of pure virgin coconut oil contains 133 calories and 15 grams of fat, including 13.2 grams of saturated fat and no vitamins or minerals. It is mostly made up of saturated fats, a type of fat reported to increase LDL (bad) cholesterol. But this type of fat might not be as bad, in coconut oil, as its thought to be.
An article on doctoroz.com states: “Coconut oil has a saturated fat called lauric acid, a type of MCT [medium-chain tryglyceride]. It has been shown that lauric acid increases the good HDL [high-density-lipo-protein] cholesterol in the blood to help improve cholesterol ratio levels. Coconut oil lowers cholesterol by promoting its conversion to pregnenolone, a molecule that is a precursor to many of the hormones our bodies need.”
So it seems that while there is a high amount of saturated fat in coconut oil, it has a positive effect on our cholestorol levels, as well as on hormones.
There is still much more to be discovered on the health benefits of coconut oil, as there have not been many studies on the product.
For now, there are a few other uses for coconut oil besides cooking that do seem to work. According to an article in the Huffington Post, not only is coconut oil delicious in food and beverages, it is also good as a moisturizer for combating dry skin, it can be used as a natural massage oil and it can be used as a non-irritant diaper cream.
It is safe to say that coconut oil is not a miracle oil, and there is still a lot of room for studies to investigate benefits. But it is worth noting that it does have some health benefits and everyday uses outside of the kitchen.
Further reading:
Coconut Oil Benefits: 12 Facts About This Wonderful Ingredient..
