Coconut Oil

Most fats and oils (from plants or animals) contain long-chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is different in that it is a saturated fat containing mainly medium-chain fatty acids and it is these fatty acids that are responsible for its healing properties.

Health Benefits

• It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
• It reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease [1] and vascular disease [7, 8].
• Its medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to reduce both body weight and waist circumference [9, 10]. Like all fats, it suppresses the appetite. When added to food, it causes you to eat less and to stay full for longer periods. Its medium-chain fatty acids are are not stored as fat but are metabolised in the liver with the release of energy [1, 11].

How to use it

• Rub it on the skin as a skin moisturiser
• Use it to moisturise and soften the hair
• Add it to smoothies, to add a delicious flavour
• Use it for cooking but as with all oils, it should be used in moderation

A Word of Caution

Always make sure that you use virgin coconut oil. Other types may have been bleached and deodorised [12].

Note

This is purely an information website. Use of the products described here should be done with the approval of you doctor or health care provider.

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