(NaturalHealth365) While most health-conscious people realize that coconut oil is actually a super food, for quite some time coconut oil has been demonized by the mainstream media due to its saturated fat content.

And, another thing the media “forgets” to tell you is: those saturated fats differ significantly from the (toxic) fats found in most conventionally-raised animal products, and the unique array of fatty acids found in coconut oil actually offers a variety of positive health effects.

For example, a deeper look into coconut oil’s role in nutrition and health brings to light even more unique benefits than most people would imagine.  In fact, studies show that coconut oil can naturally boosts energy levels and supports weight loss in some remarkable ways.

Coconut oil proven to boost energy and aid in fat burning

Although you don’t often hear the phrase, “healthy saturated fats” – coconut oil is high in these healthy saturated fats, which have unique effects compared to most other types of fat you get in your diet. These unique fats provide the brain and body with an efficient source of energy.

Known as medium chain triglycerides, these fatty acids are much shorter than most other types of fats that you eat. Why does this matter?  It means that when you eat them, they go right to your liver where they can be used as a very quick source of energy for your body.

These medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) can also be turned into ketones by the liver, which are known to have a positive effect on the way the body burns fat.  Coconut oil’s MCTs have the ability to increase the number of calories you’re burning when compared to the calories you burn when you eat longer chain fats.

Another study discovered that getting 15-20 grams of these MCTs (each day) increased daily energy expenditure by about 120 calories or 5% – which means it helps support both weight loss and maintenance.

Consuming coconut oil also helps reduce hunger, which researchers believe is related to the way MCTs are metabolized by your body. One study found that eating MCTs resulted in eating 256 fewer calories daily on average, and another study showed that consuming more MCTs for breakfast resulted in eating fewer calories for lunch.

Additional remarkable health benefits of coconut oil

Along with coconut oil’s remarkable ability to boost energy levels and support weight loss, research has uncovered many other health benefits. About half of the fatty acids found in coconut oil are made up of 12-carbon lauric acid – which when digested forms a substance known as monolaurin.

Lauric acid and monolaurin both have the ability to kill fungi, viruses, and bacteria, and have been proven effective at killing Candida albicans (a common source of human yeast infections) and Staphylococcus aureus.

Additional nutrition and health benefits of coconut oil include:

• Reduction in seizures
• Improved levels of HDL (good) cholesterol
• Better dental health
• Protection for hair and skin
• Improved brain function in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
• Reduction in dangerous abdominal fat

Thankfully, it’s easy to find coconut oil in many grocery and health food stores, and you can use it to replace other oils you use for cooking. Just remember, in order to enjoy the health benefits of this oil, it’s essential to go with organic coconut oil to avoid unwanted chemicals.

Sources for this article include:

NIH.gov
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NIH.gov
Healthline.com
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NIH.gov