Shedding Pounds - The Wonders of Coconut Oil

Saturated fats have been in health bad books for the past 60 years.  Health care officials confirm that oils and foods containing saturated fats are hazardous to our health causing ailments such as elevated cholesterol, obesity, Alzheimer's and heart disease. However even with this knowledge, over the past 60 years the American levels of these ailments have hit the roof particularly compared to modern day primitive societies using saturated fat as a dietary staple. Rates of obesity and the desperate need Americans have for shedding pounds and embracing a more healthy lifestyle have also hit the roof. 

In multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60% of their caloric intake from saturated fats have shown close to non-existent cardiovascular health issues. This is because the saturated fat substance they use is naturally made as opposed to man made.  So what is the oil they use?  Coconut oil. 

So let us learn today what the health officials and the media are not telling us.  The reality is that not all saturated fats are created equal.  Some SF's are created naturally such as in coconut oil.  However others are created through a process called hydrogenation.  This man made process manipulates the vegetable and seed oils by adding hydrogen atoms when the oil is heated.  This produces a rancid, thick oil that is purely beneficial only for processed food shelf life.  It is these type of oils that need to be avoided.

Many oils out there that have been rendered as "healthy" and "heart friendly" are actually not, as they are still being man made through hydrogenation.

Coconut Oil Facts

A dentist named Weston Price traveled through the South Pacific in the 1930's.  His aim was to examine traditional caloric intake and the effect it had on dental and overall health.  His findings were that those consuming foods and drinks high in coconut products were health and trim and certainly not looking for help in shedding pounds.

 Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

- Promotes weight loss when needed
- Promotes heart health
- Promotes a healthy metabolism
- Promotes a healthy immune system
- An instant energy source
- Promotes healthy skin
- Promotes thyroid gland health

So now your thinking, "How is this possible? Is there some sort of special ingredient in coconut oil?"  The answer is, yes there is!


The Undisclosed Ingredient in Coconut Oil

Lauric Acid is a fat that is rarely found in nature.  Dr. Mercola shared with his readers the importance this acid has on health.  He refers to lauric Acid as a "Miracle" ingredient because of it's amazing health promoting properties.  50 percent of the fat content found in coconut oil is lauric acid. 

The body converts lauric acid in monolaurin. This has an anti-viral, anti-protozoa, and anti-bacterial properties.  Monolaurin can destroy lipid coated viruses such as;

- HIV herpes
- Influenza
 - Various pathogenic bateria
- Measles
- Protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

Coconut oil contains the most lauric acid of any substance on earth!

But there is more that coconut oil has to offer.  It is 2/3 medium chain fatty acids or triglycerides (MCT's) and these also have major health promoting qualities. Now don't get confused because common vegetable and seed oils house long -chain fatty acids, which have poor health promoting qualities. Let's make a comparison.

Long Chain Fatty Acids

- Are difficult for the body to break down requiring special enzymes for digestion.
- Put more strain on the pancreas, liver and the whole of the digestive system
- Are largely stored in the body as fat (obviously if you are battling the need of shedding pounds, this is working against your efforts).
- Forms as cholesterol in the arteries

Medium Chain Fatty Acids

- Are smaller and pass through membranes smoothly.
- Digest easily putting less strain on the digestive system
- Sent directly to the liver and are immediately converted into energy rather than fat.
- Help stimulate the metabolism, leading to the shedding of pounds.
- Helps fight diabetes.  Coconut oil and simple carbohydrates share the ability to make quick energy but they differ in one important way.  Coconut oil does not generate an insulin kick into the blood stream. 

Shedding Pounds with Coconut Oil

People living in the US have close to a 70 percent chance of being overweight.  We all know by now how being overweight affects the quality of life and can bring on an array of health issues.  So how does this healthy oil help in shedding pounds and maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

- It helps stimulate your metabolism.
- It increases the activity of the thyroid.  (A sluggish thyroid is one of the reasons some people cannot lose weight no matter how hard they try).
- MFA's help enhance physical and athletic performance.

And, besides shedding pounds, other advantages to boosting the metabolism is that it increases cell generation to replace old cells.  It also enables the immune system to function better.

Naturally saturated fats and medium chain fats found in coconut oil are so health powerful that coconut oil is used in a variety of ways to promote good health in problem situations. Used in baby formulas and for feeding the critically ill in hospitals, coconut oil is the chosen product.  It is even used by health practitioners to treat aluminum poisoning and to assist those with digestive problems.  It's exceptional qualities make it useful to pregnant women and the elderly for various different reasons.   A truly healthy eating plan to assist in shedding pounds will always have recipes using coconut oil as a cooking agent.  Whether you are looking at shedding pounds or improving your overall health, embrace the use of coconut oil when cooking - it's a kitchen and healthy living must have.

Learn how coconut oil functions as an anti-aging skin care tool.