Friday, April 04, 2008
Diet & Nutrition
Why is Coconut Oil Good For You?
The smell of coconut oil is heavenly, reminiscent of wonderful vacations on a tropical beach. Did you also know that it is very good for you?
Coconut oil has been used throughout the centuries as a cooking oil. In fact, some researchers believe coconut oil should be more prevalent in our North American diets because if you look at people who live in tropical climates with a diet high in coconut oil; they are healthier, with fewer incidences of cancer, colon issues, and heart disease.
Coconut oil has a stimulating effect on the thyroid function. Along with this thyroid function, research has demonstrated that coconut oil lowers cholesterol. When there is proper amount of thyroid hormone, cholesterol is converted to progesterone and DHEA. These substances can help prevent obesity, cancer, heart disease and chronic degenerative diseases.
Some believe coconut oil can also help with weight loss, and some research from McGill University suggests it is true. Essential, coconut oil is not stored in the body as fat as readily as other oils. Since coconut oil is a medium chain triglyceride, it can also boost metabolism and satiety, both of which can help aid weight loss.
Still other research is showing a connection between consumption of coconut oil and lower rates of cancer. A 1987 literature review showed that in chemically induced cancers of the colon and breast, coconut oil was more protective than unsaturated oils1. In this review, they showed that 32% of corn oil eaters got colon cancer compared with only 3% of coconut oil consumers.
If you are concerned about food intake of coconut oil, you can always consider a supplement to reap the benefits.
*Coconut Oil supplements can be found on our site!*
Pariza M. Dietary Fat and Cancer Risk: Evidence and Research Needs. Annu Rev Nutr. 1988;8:167-83.