Coconut Craze

By now we’ve all heard to some extent about the benefits of coconut. From its potassium filled water, to its dairy-free milk, to the fiber in its flesh. More recently, the craze has been about the myriad of uses for coconut oil. Not only can it be put to use in the kitchen, it also contains hydrating properties and can be applied externally, resulting in healthy and youthful looking skin. I know what you’re thinking, by next week there will be another ‘next best thing’. Maybe, but none of which contain the one ingredient giving coconut oil its claim to fame: Lauric acid.

Lauric acid is a saturated fat rarely found in other foods. Falling into the Medium-Chain Fatty Acid chain (MCFA), coconut oil is the most predominant source of these fats, providing many health benefits. These include:

• Weight loss.
• Supporting the immune system by killing viruses and negative bacteria.
• Increasing metabolism
• Providing an immediate energy boost.
• Giving your skin a healthy glow.
• Maintaining thyroid gland functioning.

In contrast, other common “healthy” fats like vegetable or seed oils are long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) don’t have the same affect on the body. LCFAs are difficult for the body to break down, putting stress on the liver and digestive system. Rather than being metabolized, these fats are essentially stored in the body as fat and cholesterol. Even worse, these oils – typically used for cooking, oxidize and hydrogenate when heated, creating harmful trans fats, stripping them of their nutritional value. Deceived by the high saturated fat content, people tend to shy away from coconut. Well, they’re totally missing out. The body digests MCFAs easily and immediately converts it to energy, speeding up the metabolism. So why not snack on carbs and avoid all the fat? Coconut oil is used instantly as energy without the blood sugar spike followed by carb consumption – so your energy will last and not crash. Coconut oil maintains its nutrients when heated and doesn’t leave a taste.

So pamper your body and pick up a jar of this versatile beauty food, you will absolutely love it.

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