Coconut Oil: Its Benefits Beyond Fads

The coconut oil is used as a staple food in countries like Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia. It also has a traditional therapeutic use. In the Fiji islands, for example, it is used to prevent hair loss, and in Haiti and Indonesia to treat burns and wounds.

How is it produced? In the past, it was obtained by fermenting fresh coconut milk, but this apparently impractical method is no longer used and most of the oil is obtained today from copra (the dried pulp of the coconut) through a refining process. deodorization and bleaching resulting in high levels of free fatty acids and partial hydrogenation.

The above method is therefore not healthy. But there is another that is, and that obtains virgin coconut oil, which is nothing more than the oil obtained from the fresh and ripe pulp of the coconut by mechanical or natural means, with or without the use of heat and without heat processes. chemical refining.

An unaltered oil is thus achieved that preserves its nutritional value (vitamins and minerals) and its content of beneficial biologically active substances.

1. What kind of fat is coconut oil?

Coconut oil has gone from being next to harmful fats (because it increased the risk of cardiovascular disease due to its high content of saturated fat), to triumph as a healthy fat.

There is increasing scientific evidence that the fats found in virgin coconut oil have an important role for health, as they can improve cholesterol levels and are recommended for cardiovascular and general health.

Saturated fat has been linked to an increase in cholesterol, but recent studies indicate that the medium-chain saturated fatty acids in virgin coconut lower total cholesterol, increase good cholesterol ( HDL ), and prevent LDL from turning into a harmful form.

2. What types of coconut oil are there and which are better?

Virgin coconut oil has 99.9% fatty acids, of which 91.9% are saturated. The rest is distributed in 6.4% of monounsaturated fatty acids and 1.5% of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Virgin coconut oil, being of vegetable origin, does not contain cholesterol.

It is important to read the label: it has to say that it is virgin coconut oil. This will already be telling us that it is an oil that has not been refined or bleached and that it preserves its nutrients and bioactive components.

And if it is ecological, the better.

3. Coconut oil: what benefits does it have for your health?

Thanks to its content of lauric, capric, caprylic and polyphenols acids, it has antiviral and antimicrobial properties.

It helps fight Helicobacter pylori bacteria – related to gastritis, ulcers and stomach cancer – and is active against candida species, making it interesting against fungal infections.

4. Can it be used for frying?

The melting point of coconut oil is 182 ̊C, so it can be used perfectly. Being a saturated fat, it has greater stability than some unsaturated vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil.

5. Why is it recommended to lose weight?

It is included in diets for its amount of medium chain fats that stimulate energy metabolism and exert a “thermogenic” effect (help burn fat).

It has also been found to be a satiating fat and can be helpful in reducing abdominal fat.

6. Does it fight Alzheimer’s and other diseases?

Coconut oil attenuates, in in vitro studies , the effects of a beta-amyloid peptide related to cognitive damage associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

Their medium-chain fats appear to compensate for mitochondrial dysfunction by metabolizing.

7. Can be used for both hair and skin

Applied to the hair (let it act for a few minutes while you massage it), it helps healthy hair growth and shine. As a massage oil, it has many properties for the skin. It is moisturizing and softening, and helps in case of dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema.

It also slows down the arrival of wrinkles and sagging.

8. How is it related to inflammation?

In a 2016 study, it was observed that supplementing with 2 g of virgin coconut oil per day reduces markers of acute inflammation, the body’s initial process to protect itself against an imbalance or pathogens and that it involves symptoms such as fever, pain or rash , among others.

9. How much coconut oil can we consume?

The amount depends on the person and the objective, but on average, 30-40 ml per day.

10. How is it used in the kitchen?

With it we can cook all kinds of vegetables. Or we can add it (one or two teaspoons) to morning coffee or tea. And it’s also great for making healthy desserts.