5 Reasons Why I’m Crazy About Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is everywhere these days and there’s good reason for it.

This particular oil has many beneficial uses. While many use it to nourish hair and even remove makeup, others are giving it a go to whiten their teeth. And a lot of people are incorporating it into their diet by swapping out other ingredients and using coconut oil instead to make their foods healthier. Who wouldn’t want to try a refreshing smoothie, a delicious granola bar, or a tasty muffin with coconut oil?

While all of these uses are great, below we are sharing the five reasons we love using coconut oil! 

1. Great source of lauric acid.

Coconut oil contains over 40% lauric acid, which is about the highest level you can find naturally. But what’s the deal with lauric acid? Once you have consumed lauric acid, it converts into monolaurin inside the body. Monolaurin has a few benefits, as it has been proven to boost your immune system and can help your body fight viruses and diseases.

If you’re looking for the added immunity boost, try incorporating coconut oil into your diet. The next time you’re cooking with butter, you can try swapping the butter for coconut oil instead. It’s a simple switch that will make a huge difference.

2. Can increase your energy and help you lose weight.

A majority of the fats we consume are long chain fatty acids, which need to be broken down before they can be absorbed by the body. Coconut oil is high in medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs). MCFAs are sent directly to the liver, which means it does not require enzymes for digestion. These MCFAs can up your metabolism and give your body an instant energy boost.

3. Helps strengthen your bones.

As we age, our bones are prone to becoming more brittle, so it’s important we take good care of them. Coconut oil can actually help your body to better absorb vital ingredients such as Vitamin D and calcium. Both Vitamin D and calcium are known for strengthening your bones, so they are crucial elements of a healthy diet. Make sure you’re incorporating enough of both into your foods, as well as coconut oil to aid in bone health.

4. Use it to help fight heart disease.

Saturated fats have quite a bad rep in the Western world, but there has been no scientific evidence to prove that such fats cause heart disease. And many populations consider saturated fats harmless, especially in the form of coconut oil. A group called the Tokelauans, who reside in the South Pacific, eat a diet consisting of 60% coconut. Vascular disease is very uncommon in this group.

And they aren’t alone. Over 1/3 of the world’s population depends on coconut for food. That’s a good reason to consider how you can add coconut oil to your diet today.

5. It can suppress hunger.

If you are trying to lose weight, you can try using coconut oil as a way to help suppress hunger. The fatty acids in coconut oil can help reduce your appetite. And some studies have shown that people who include coconut oil in their diet eat fewer calories in one day. Over time, this could help aid in weight loss.

What are your favorite ways to use coconut oil? Let me know in the comments below!