Does coconut oil help one to lose weight? That is a topic that has reverberated through various discourses in many a health forum. People on different sides of the argument on the health benefits of this oil for weight loss have tenaciously defended their positions on the slick, clear and greasy liquid extracted from the coconut fruit.
While critics have argued that weight loss cannot be possibly achieved using a substance with a high saturated fat content, advocates of the stuff argue that it's precisely due to this aversion to anything with high fat content that's pulling back the world from completely maximizing the coconut oil benefits for weight loss.
Coconut oil is derived from the dried fruit of the coconut palm tree. It consists overwhelmingly of saturated fatty acids that are mostly of the medium-chain type like lauric acid, caprylic acid, palmitic acid and myristic acid.
These medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil are said to contribute to the weight loss process by speeding up the metabolic process as these are easily digested by the body and then released in the form of energy.
Research conducted on these fatty acids showed that these contributed to about 50% jump in metabolism. Another study published in a prestigious nutrition journal in the U.S. said that medium-chain fatty acids were three times more effective at raising metabolism rates than their long-chain fatty acid counterparts.
On the other hand, long-chain fatty acids that are mostly found in polyunsaturated oils like linoleic acid, are said to be more cumbersome to break down. As a result, these are stored as fat in the body. These are the types of fat that many associate with bringing undesirable effects to the human body.
Researchers thus concluded that replacing long-chain fatty acids with medium-chain fatty acids was an effective method for weight loss.
Coconut oil has likewise been found to assist in weight loss efforts in some other ways. It is said to help slow the pace of food digestion. As such, people tend to feel more full & satisfied after major meals and are less likely to take smaller meals in between.
It is also thought to help avoid wild swings in blood sugar levels by slowing down the conversion process of carbohydrates into glucose.
Coconut oil also becomes a weight loss agent by detoxifying the body of substances that contribute to problems in the digestive system. By so doing, it nurtures the cells and strengthens the digestive tract.
Advocates recommend using organic, unrefined virgin coconut oil as it preserves all the natural benefits of the oil. They also suggest taking a teaspoon each day, then slowly working the dosage to about 3 teaspoons each day. This gradual dosage increase is said to assist the body's adjustment to the oil.
These new discoveries notwithstanding, institutions like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration favor keeping a wary stance on coconut oil and refrain from issuing any endorsement or backing to it. While these organizations have not issued total prohibitions, they also are of the position that more studies ought to be made to further strengthen the arguments supporting the potential benefits of the oil to weight loss.
Nonetheless, advocates of using natural substances & methods to healing persistently undertake endeavors to widen their acceptance in the public mainstream. Aside from coconut oil, there are also efforts to promote weight loss properties of such other natural substances as green tea weight loss benefits and soybeans benefits.
Coconut oil and its possible role in weight loss and the maintenance of good health have long been met with skepticism and even criticized due to the tendency to lump in all types of fatty acids into one category. Now studies have determined that evaluating these fatty acids & distinguishing between their different natures is key to finally appreciating the true worth and value of this liquid that comes from the so-called 'tree of life'.
No comments:
Post a Comment