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The idea of using a fat like coconut oil for weight loss seems contradictory to most people - you can actually lose weight by adding fat to your diet? For decades now we have been told to cut back on fat in our diet if we want to lose weight and prevent heart disease. We've also been told that saturated fat is the most harmful one of all - and coconut oil is 90 percent saturated fat! So what can you believe?
Regardless of much low-fat diets have been promoted lately, the population as a whole is steadily getting more and more obese, even though intake of saturated fat has been in decline for 50 years. What about the connection between saturated fat and heart disease? This hypothesis is based on the conclusions of a 50-year-old study done by Dr. Ancel Keys, who, as it turns out, cherry-picked his data to fit the conclusion he was looking for. The truth is that there is no correlation whatsoever
Fats from animal and vegetable sources are a necessary part of your diet; they actually have many valuable functions. Fats provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones. Fats also allow you to absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are also needed for the absorption of calcium and other minerals. and for a host of other essential bodily processes.
The unique health benefits of coconut oil as a fat are directly related to its chemical structure, or more precisely, the length of its fatty acid chains. Coconut oil is comprised primarily of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). It is nature's richest source of these. Most significant among these is lauric acid, something not found in any other natural source but mother's milk. By contrast, most common vegetable or seed oils are comprised of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs).
Many animal and human research studies have demonstrated that replacing LCFAs in vegetable oils with MCFAs results in both decreased body weight and reduced fat deposition. The reasons are simple:
1. LCFAs nearly always are stored as fat, while MCFAs are burned for quick energy.
2. Since MCFAs also help to stimulate your metabolism, you may naturally burn more calories each day, helping to accelerate your weight loss. Professionals working in the livestock business have known this for quite some time. If you feed animals polyunsaturated vegetable oils just before slaughter time, the animals put on weight and produce more fatty meat. If you feed them medium-chain saturated fats, they will be very lean.
How to Use Coconut Oil for Weight Loss
Although coconut oil has properties that seem to help with weight loss, it's not a magic bullet. A successful weight-loss program includes many other components. However, substituting it for other fats in your diet will certainly improve your health in other ways. You'll get the benefits of those medium-chain fatty acids and will be reducing the amount of bad fats in your diet.
There are several ways you can add coconut oil to your meals. Use it instead of vegetable oil to saute or stir-fry with, or in any recipe that calls for vegetable oil, shortening or butter. Because its melting point is 76° F, it can be used in both liquid or solid forms. You can even try coconut oil right out of the jar for a quick burst of energy, without creating a spike in your blood sugar levels.
About this Author
Stan Mrak has had a passion for antiaging nutrition for over 30 years. Visit his website at www.antioxidants-for-health-and-longevity.com for the most practical and useful information on antioxidants anywhere. Discover how antioxidants hold the secret for staying young and avoiding degenerative diseases.
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