You’ve probably noticed that I use a lot of coconut oil in my recipes. A lot of people assume that because coconut oil is comprised of saturated fat, it’s bad for you. That’s an old school train of thought. The most recent research tells us otherwise.
Not all saturated fat is created equally. The vast majority of fats we consume, from both animal and plant products, are made up of long-chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is made up of primarily medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). Our bodies treat long and medium-chain fatty acids very differently.
Without getting too scientific, just know that our bodies can quickly use the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil for energy rather than storing them, whereas that doesn’t happen with long-chain fatty acids.
In addition, one MCFA in particular found in coconut oil is lauric acid, which is full of health benefits. Lauric acid is rare and not found in many food sources. Coconut oil is made up of about 50 percent lauric acid, making it nature’s most abundant source. Other places you can find lauric acid are palm kernel oil (not the same as palm oil) and breast milk.
I highly recommend everyone use coconut oil. It’s great for cooking, baking, and even personal care. Check out the amazing health benefits coconut oil offers:
1. Coconut oil has a favorable effect on total cholesterol levels.
2. It is antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal.
3. Coconut oil is thought to be a brain booster. Many say it can slow the progression and even prevent Alzheimer’s disease. (You have to watch this Youtube video!)
4. Coconut oil helps promote healthy blood sugar levels, making it great for diabetics.
5. Coconut oil, because its type of fat is used for energy and not stored, can promote weight loss.
6. Coconut oil is shown to boost thyroid function.
7. It promotes a healthy heart.
8. Coconut oil, when used topically, has a positive effect on skin and hair health, including lessening wrinkles and combating dandruff and dry, brittle hair.
9. Coconut oil has been shown to increase metabolism.
10. Coconut oil boosts your immune system.
Most large mainstream grocery stores are starting to carry coconut oil. If you can’t find it at yours, check your local health food store. You can also find it here on Amazon.
. Look for pure, organic, virgin coconut oil.
Question: Do you use coconut oil? What’s your favorite use?
Want to read more? Here are some of my sources of information:
http://www.chempro.in/fattyacid.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com/026819_lauric_acid_coconut_oil.html
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/77/5/1146.full?ijkey=846a72387ebc0d82545acd5442a0c3a9e9fc3566
http://ps.fass.org/content/81/5/721.abstract
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/coconut-oil-benefits_b_821453.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/07/28/coconut-health2.aspx
http://www.naturalnews.com/036156_Coconut_oil_superfood_healing.html
http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/cocgood.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/026694_oil_coconut.html
It looks that use of coconut oil can provide many health benefits. I will definitely try it. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Very helpful and Great information,
we appreciate advise especially coming from a professional.
Thanks again and keep up the great work!
Read more at http://vibrantwave.com/coconut-oil-benefits/
Hey I have one more use for coconut oil, you can give it to your cats that have dandruff problems and it helps (I don’t have a website for that fact though). I also have been a Costco member for the past 3 years and my sister – in-law and brother-in-law get me that for my birthday (the membership) — I love it!
Thanks!
I’ve been using coconut oil more and more over the past year or so. I fully believe in the health benefits of it and love that it can tolerate high heat (like for roasting purposes). I was excited to find that Costco has started carrying a giant tub of it for a really good price. Let’s just say, I won’t need to buy it again for awhile!
That’s awesome that Costco carries it now. It can get really pricey. I think I’ve been saying I need to join Costco for 5 years now…
Very interesting! I’ve been wanting to try coconut oil for a while. Now I’m gonna have to get some for sure. Also, does it give a coconut flavor to the things you cook with it? Just curious? I love coconut flavor so that would be a good thing!
It depends how much you use and whether you get refined or unrefined. From what I understand, you get the health benefits from both refined and unrefined, but slightly more with unrefined. The unrefined has a much more coconut-y flavor. I love it, too, so it doesn’t bother me at all. Vegetables roasted with coconut oil are sooooo good!
loveeelovelove coconut oil! making pancakes in it is my favorite. i love the smell of coconut oil on the pan in the morning 🙂 also add a tablespoon into my shakes for the health benefits and flavor!
We love coconut oil at our house 🙂 I’m so glad you posted this, I knew some of the facts you listed but I had no idea that it can help with thyroid function. I know someone who has thyroid problems so I’m going to read a little more into it. Thanks!
I was really excited when I saw the title of this post to read it because I just haven’t been able to sift through the scientific research on coconut oil yet and I’m not sure what to think of it.
I am a big fan of your blog Maryea, so I don’t want you to take this the wrong way. My first problem is that you did not list a specific source that could be directly tied to each of the statements you made about coconut oil’s “health benefits”, rather, a list of sources at the end. Secondly, the list of sources at the end only contains one article from a well-respected, peer-reviewed scientific journal (the article from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).
Even still, I was happy to find that one source, and excitedly clicked on it. I’m a little confused though, they state as their conclusion “The effects of carbohydrates and of lauric acid–rich fats on CAD risk remain uncertain.” I’m not sure what else to say about that, except clearly the article didn’t prove anything about health benefits of lauric acid or coconut oil.
Could you please provide citations for each of the 10 claims so I can research them more on my own? I truly believe that since you are such a proponent of coconut oil you MUST have read compelling scientific research that drew statistically significant results in favor of coconut oil.
Thanks a lot and have a good weekend!
-Amy
Hi Amy–thank you for your comment. I didn’t take it the wrong way; I appreciate a discerning reader who asks questions. Sorry for the late reply, but it’s been a busy weekend with the family. First, let me comment on your confusion with the source you clicked on. The objective of that study was to measure the effects of fatty acids on cholesterol ratios. It showed that “oils rich in lauric acid decreased the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol.”, which I do believe to be a health benefit. In their conclusion they state that they are not sure how this improved ratio would effect the risk of CAD. It’s quite murky waters these days trying to prove how cholesterol levels relate to heart disease as much of the prior research is being questioned. Furthermore, that was not the main objective of the study.
Here is a list of each benefit with a source tied to it. This is in no way an inclusive list of resources for each claim; I have been researching coconut oil for years and don’t have everything I’ve read at my fingertips. While each source is not a peer-reviewed study, if you explore the articles and/or webpages you will find documentation or resource pages with links to such studies. Good luck in your research! (This is going to be my longest comment reply ever…)
1.) Coconut oil has a favorable effect on total cholesterol levels.
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/77/5/1146.full?
ijkey=846a72387ebc0d82545acd5442a0c3a9e9fc3566
Lauric acid greatly increased total cholesterol, but much of its effect was on HDL cholesterol. Consequently, oils rich in lauric acid decreased the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol
2.) It is antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026819_lauric_acid_coconut_oil.html
When lauric acid is present in the body, it is converted into monolaurin, a monoglyceride compound which exhibits antiviral, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and antifungal properties. It acts by disrupting the lipid membranes in organisms like fungus, bacteria and viruses, thus destroying them.
The compound monolaurin is an effective treatment for candida albicans and fungal infections like ringworm and athlete’s foot. Monolaurin also specifically targets bacterial infections as well as lipid-coated viruses like herpes, the measles, influenza, hepatitis C and HIV. Researchers in the Philippines have even begun studies to prove the effectiveness of lauric acid against HIV/AIDS because of its strong antiviral properties. Plus, lauric acid is basically non-toxic, which gives it a distinct advantage over modern pharmaceutical drugs that are typically used to fight viruses, bacterial infections and fungal infections.
http://ps.fass.org/content/81/5/721.abstract
Films containing lauric acid and nisin completely eliminated detectable cells from a 10(6) culture after 8 h of exposure to the liquid medium (22 C). Refrigerated bologna exposed to control films increased by 0.5 log from 10(6) after 21 d at 4 C. Nisin films reduced cell numbers on turkey bologna from 10(6) to 10(5) after 21 d, as did films containing nisin and lauric acid. Films with lauric acid alone reduced L. monocytogenes culture from 10(6) to < 102 after 48 h and by 1 log on turkey bologna after 21 d.
3.) Coconut oil is thought to be a brain booster. Many say it can slow the progression and even prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Largely anecdotal evidence here, which is why this one is worded the way it is. No large studies have been done that I’m aware of, but I’ve read many stories about how it’s helped Alzheimer’s patients.
4.) Coconut oil helps promote healthy blood sugar levels, making it great for diabetics.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026694_oil_coconut.html
The smaller and more easily absorbed medium chain molecules found in coconut oil supply the cells with essential fatty acids without inhibiting insulin and without glucose, so they combat insulin resistance. Virgin coconut oil is a totally unique super food that serves as an energy boost to the body, without causing a spike in blood sugar levels.
5.) Coconut oil and promote weight loss.
http://www.coconut-connections.com/hypothyroidism.htm
It has also been well documented in numerous dietary studies using both animals and humans that replacing long chain fatty acids with medium chain fatty acids results in a decrease in body weight gain and a reduction in fat deposition.
http://coconut-info.com/weight-loss.htm
There are many studies proving this concept of thermogenesis and MCTs in the scientific literature. In 1989 a study was done in the Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, at Nashville TN. Ten male volunteers (ages 22 to 44) were overfed (150% of estimated energy requirement) liquid formula diets containing 40% of fat as either MCT or LCT. Each patient was studied for one week on each diet in a double-blind, crossover design. The results: "Our results demonstrate that excess dietary energy as MCT stimulates thermogenesis to a greater degree than does excess energy as LCT. This increased energy expenditure, most likely due to lipogenesis in the liver, provides evidence that excess energy derived from MCT is stored with a lesser efficiency than is excess energy derived from dietary LCT."9
In another study conducted at the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada, the effects of diets rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) or long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) on body composition, energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, subjective appetite, and ad libitum energy intake in overweight men was studied. Twenty-four healthy, overweight men with body mass indexes between 25 and 31 kg/m(2) consumed diets rich in MCT or LCT for 28 days each in a crossover randomized controlled trial. Their conclusion: “Consumption of a diet rich in MCTs results in greater loss of AT compared with LCTs, perhaps due to increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation observed with MCT intake. Thus, MCTs may be considered as agents that aid in the prevention of obesity or potentially stimulate weight loss.”10
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/coconut-oil-benefits_b_821453.html
But MCTs (7) , being smaller, are easily digested and immediately burned by your liver for energy — like carbohydrates, but without the insulin spike. MCTs actually boost your metabolism and help your body use fat for energy, as opposed to storing it, so it can actually help you become leaner.
6.) Coconut oil is shown to boost thyroid function.
http://www.coconut-oil-central.com/coconut-oil-hypothyroidism.html
92 percent saturated coconut oil is mostly medium chain fatty acids (MCFA). These unique fat molecules can jump start your thyroid so that it performs at a higher level of efficiency.
Since it boosts metabolic rate, MCFA-rich coconut oil has a stimulatory effect on your thyroid. It’s so efficient that a single coconut oil meal can elevate your metabolism and keep it that way for up to 24 hours.
7.) It promotes a healthy heart.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12800105?dopt=Abstract
In conclusion, despite equivocal effects on homocysteine levels, consumption of a functional oil composed of MCT, phytosterols, and n-3 fatty acids for 27 days improves the overall cardiovascular risk profile of overweight women.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/coconut-oil-benefits_b_821453.html
Did you know that multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60 percent of their total caloric intake from fully saturated coconut oil have all shown nearly non-existent rates of cardiovascular disease? (1)
8.) Coconut oil, when used topically, has a positive effect on hair and skin, including lessening wrinkles, and combatting dandruff and dry, brittle hair.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/coconut-oil-benefits_b_821453.html
Coconut oil even benefits your skin when applied topically and has been found to have anti-aging, regenerative effects.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12715094?dopt=Abstract
Among three oils, coconut oil was the only oil found to reduce the protein loss remarkably for both undamaged and damaged hair when used as a pre-wash and post-wash grooming product. Both sunflower and mineral oils do not help at all in reducing the protein loss from hair. This difference in results could arise from the composition of each of these oils. Coconut oil, being a triglyceride of lauric acid (principal fatty acid), has a high affinity for hair proteins and, because of its low molecular weight and straight linear chain, is able to penetrate inside the hair shaft
9.) Coconut oil has been shown to increase metabolism.
http://www.coconut-connections.com/hypothyroidism.htm
Eating foods containing medium chain fatty acids is like putting high octane fuel into your car. The car will run smoother and get better gas mileage. Likewise, with medium chain fatty acids, your body will perform better because it has more energy and greater endurance. Because MCFAs are funnelled directly to the liver and converted into energy, the body gets a boost of energy. And because MCFAs are easily absorbed by the energy-producing organelles of the cells, metabolism increases. This burst of energy has a stimulating effect on the entire body. Many people, those with relatively good health, those with significant health problems, and those who are overweight notice a speeding up of their heart rate, their metabolism and their body temperature when they add coconut oil to their diet.
10.) Coconut oil boosts your immune system.
http://www.coconut-connections.com/immune_system.htm
Short and medium chain fatty acids contained in virgin coconut oil such as Caprylic (C8), Capric (C10) and Lauric (C12) have been found to have strong anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoal properties and are essential building blocks in boosting the bodies immune system. The essential fatty acids in coconut oil have been shown to be active in combating Candida Albicans. Furthermore, the digested form of lauric acid, monolaurin, has been shown to be active against lipid-coated viruses and has shown to be a successful resource for the reduction of the viral load in HIV patients.
Thanks for this reply! My problem is that a lot of those sites are just websites- not peer reviewed research. I actually spent some time (not a lot, maybe 20-30 min) clicking on the sites you’ve linked and hardly any of them go to peer reviewed studies- just keep linking to other websites and siting other websites instead of journal articles. I’m definitely not trying to start a coconut oil war (I really like the stuff and it makes a great butter sub for vegan baking since it’s saturated) but I am extremely hesitant to see many bloggers exhaulting it as some miracle oil. I just don’t see the research out there to back it up.
I use coconut oil for everything from baking to personal care. I have recently stopped using shampoos or conditioners and now wash my hair with baking soda, water and a drop or two of teatree oil, a rinse with ac vinegar, powdered vit c and water, and I condition with honey. For a hair moisturizer, I either use coconut oil or a homemade flax seed gel.
I no longer use a moisturizer on my face, instead I use coconut oil and I made a face wash out of coconut oil, teatree oil and baking soda and honey. I love it! My skin is so sensitive and since I started using coconut oil on my skin, it’s never been better.
I also swim twice a week in chlorine and with my new hair regime, my hair has never looked better. Thanks for posting about the benefits of coconut oil, I’ve been using it for awhile now and it’s nice to see other people realizing it’s benefits too!
Wow Sara, you are hardcore! I applaud you! Maybe someday I can get to that point, too!
Great information and thanks for all the links. I started using coconut oil in my cooking about a year ago. Sometimes the flavor can become a bit too powerful for my liking when I’ve baked with it, but that probably has to do with which brand one uses. Have a great weekend!