11 Amazing Coconut Oil Benefits To Make You Lose Weight

By Alex Assoune Mar 16, 2021

Coconut oil is a superfood and has many powerful benefits. It helps you remove excess body fat long term, lose weight easier and faster for lasting results.

Coconut oil is a global phenomenon for many good reasons. It has been a primary source of nutrients in many countries such as the Philippines and India for thousands of years.

People have far fewer weight issues and heart diseases there than in other developed countries. Why?

Reading on to find out how coconut oil helps you burn excess body fat and achieve your weight loss goals.

Here are the amazing benefits of eating coconut oil that will make you lose weight.

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1. It's a superfood

Coconut oil is trending for good reasons. People are going crazy over it and everyone is talking about it.

It has become more and more popular as key influencers and prominent models use it regularly.

The interest in coconut oil is growing rapidly because it has major benefits backed with strong scientific studies.

It has proven powerful antioxidants leading to weight loss and other health benefits. It's considered by many people as a superfood.

Coconut oil is extracted from coconuts by pressing the white flesh. It's already widely used in many savory dishes because of its wonderful nutty flavor.

2. Coconut oil is a healthy fat source

Coconut oil is still fat but a different kind, a healthier fat than those found in cooking oils and meat.

Incorporating coconut oil into your diet helps you lose weight because it replaces bad fats with healthy fats.

Coconut oil has powerful positive effects on the body. Make coconut oil part of your daily routine to reach your long term body goals.

3. It's the best oil for cooking

Scientific research suggests that coconut oil is healthy. The healthy fats present in coconut oil make it a healthier choice than other types of oils for cooking.

It has become popular because of its Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT). These healthy fats are mostly saturated but very healthy. They help lose weight long term. They are consumed differently by our bodies.

Coconut oil boosts metabolism with the right combination of fatty acids. Because it contains a very high proportion (65%) of MCTs, it promotes a faster metabolism while lowering cholesterol levels, compared to Long Chain Triglycerides (LCT).

Phenols, also known as phenolics or phenolic compounds are a type of compound consisting of a hydroxyl group bonded to an aromatic hydrocarbon group. These compounds are produced by plants and are found in a very amount in coconut oil.

With its high proportion of phenols, coconut oil inherits the best properties from these chemical compounds, such as UV protection, better digestion, antioxidant capacities, defense against infection, and bacterial pathogens.

Coconut oil has a very high smoking point and is perfect for cooking. It also has a long life on the shelf. It can be used under very high temperatures.

MCTs can withstand a high amount of heat. They are very stable and don't oxidize from heat easily in contrast to LCTs present in other types of oil. It prevents high oxidative stress that can damage your health.

Olive oil isn't suited for cooking because its smoke point is very low. On the other hand, coconut oil can be safely used in baking recipes instead of butter, stir-fries, roasted, and grilled foods.

Coconut oil can also be used to make popcorn, smoothies, shakes, and salad dressings. The recommendation is 2 tablespoons of coconut oil per day.

4. It's one of the best fat for weight loss

Coconut oil is made of an unusual blend of Short and Medium Chain fatty acids rarely found in other sources of saturated fats.

This unique proportion has many health benefits confirmed by research. Coconut oil can be part of a healthy diet and, like a lot of other plant oils, has its uses for weight loss.

Coconut oil when consumed frequently and moderately will make a positive change in your life.

It's used in many popular dishes, vegetarian and vegan recipes, and can replace dairy products for making desserts.

Asian cuisine also uses coconut in many forms. It's a great source of saturated fats much healthier than animal sources such as butter, cheese, eggs, and meat.

It's a superfood acclaimed by scientific studies but often misinterpreted or generalized by many health officials.

5. It has a high amount of saturated fats

Coconut oil wasn't always praised by health advocates. It contains a high proportion of saturated fats. It wasn't very popular until recently. Today, many people successfully use coconut oil to lose weight.

There are 87g of saturated fat in 100g of coconut oil. But not all saturated fats are equal.

Some saturated fats can be bad for your health. However, saturated fats contained in coconut oil can be included in a healthy diet and consumed every day.

They have proven health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. They provide the necessary nutrients for healthy skin, immune system, metabolism, and brain.

50% of the Medium Chain Fatty Acids found in coconut oil are made of lauric acid.

This essential type of fatty acid is easily converted by the body into monolaurin, which has a better effect on health than other forms of saturated fats.

Monolaurin supports the immune system, fights bacterial pathogens, viruses, and infections.

While most other liquid oils contain LCTs, the MCTs present in coconut oil have a reduced chain length and therefore are metabolized differently.

They are absorbed quicker by the body and easily digested. They can be burned as fuel and used faster as an immediate energy source.

The body has a harder time storing Medium Chain Fatty Acids compared to Long Chained ones.

Coconut oil doesn't end up as stored body fat, unlike many other types of oils.

6. Coconut oil can helps burn belly fat

The MCTs contained in coconut oil have many health-supporting properties. They support the immune system and the heart, boost metabolism, and regulate hormone levels.

They are a far better immediate source of energy than other forms of saturated fats. They promote better digestion, mood, and reduce stored body fat.

Not all forms of saturated fats are harmful. Coconut oil MCTs provide major health benefits. They help lose weight, reduce abdominal fat, and improve metabolic health leading to longevity and resistance to chronic diseases.

7. Coconut oil has many antioxidants

Virgin coconut oil is also a rich source of healthy antioxidants. They prevent inflammation, obesity, and promote better digestion, heart, and brain health.

A lot of phenolic acids are present in coconut oil. They are powerful antioxidants, resist oxidation, and free radical formation.

Polyunsaturated oils don't last long on the shelf. They are easily subject to oxidation. They oxidize rather quickly and cause free radical damage to the body if consumed.

Unfortunately, polyunsaturated oils make a large proportion of the edible oil market. Some of them are sunflower, soybean, canola, and corn oils.

They are unhealthy, processed, dietary oils that cause lipid peroxidation in the body. Some of them are even produced from genetically modified crops.

On the other hand, saturated fats naturally found in coconut oil aren't subject to oxidation. Phenols present don't oxidize.

They don't increase oxidative stress. Instead, they support a healthy immune system and metabolic function preventing lipid and protein oxidation.

8. It makes you feel full and reduces your appetite

To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. You need a calorie deficit. And coconut oil can help you.

It reduces the amount of food you consume by making you feel full and limiting your appetite without effort. This effect comes from the way that coconut oil is digested and delivered to the liver.

Because MCTs are metabolized really fast, they provide energy quicker and a feeling of fullness.

Coconut oil has satiating effects that help you be satisfied with smaller portions.

A daily intake of coconut oil is a natural mood elevator that boosts energy, reduces stress, decreases hunger, and cravings. It helps you feel full faster and motivated to exercise.

When delivered to the liver, heart, and brain, the MCTs present in coconut oil are transformed into ketones. They are a powerful immediate energy source.

And cells don't need insulin to transform ketones into energy. They are a very potent energy alternative for cells that have become glucose intolerant.

Since coconut oil can be absorbed without digestive enzymes, it results in less stress on the pancreas. It promotes better blood sugar, insulin regulation, and energy levels.

9. It boosts metabolism to burn more calories

A fast metabolism helps tremendously if you are trying to lose weight. Your body can burn more calories in a short amount of time. And you will see results quicker.

The coconut oil MCTs are metabolized differently from LCTs contained in the vast majority of other oils. Their reduced chain length makes the body consume them instead of storing them in fat cells.

This results in a faster metabolism that efficiently converts food into immediate fuel usable by your organs and muscles. Your body needs to work less work to break down MCTs for energy compared to LCTs. It stores fat less and less which helps you maintain a healthy weight.

Coconut oil also stimulates the thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck that controls the speed of your metabolism. An inefficient thyroid is one of the major reasons why some people are unable to lose weight.

A higher metabolic rate not only helps you get rid of stubborn body fat but also increase healing, cell regeneration, and immune functions.

10. Coconut oil lowers cholesterol levels

Cholesterol is an essential element for the body to perform well and found in all cells to make hormones. But it's also responsible for many diseases and should be kept in small quantities.

Every cell can produce cholesterol except brain cells and the body consumes large amounts of cholesterol every day.

The LCTs found in many edible oils are often responsible for high cholesterol levels. They are stored as cholesterol in the arteries.

On the other hand, the MCTs found in coconut oil aren't stored. They encourage weight loss and a healthy heart.

They facilitate the conversion of cholesterol into the main component for hormone production: pregnenolone.

Better hormone regulation promotes digestion, gives energy, reduces stress, and helps burn excess fat stored on the belly or around the waist.

11. The best oil is pure, natural, organic, virgin, unrefined, and cold-pressed

Regular coconut oil consumption highly benefits your health.

However, what type of coconut oil should you consume?

Choosing a good coconut oil can be a challenge as there are many brands out there.

Coconut oil products labeled as cold-pressed are the safest choice. It means that the oil was mechanically extracted from the white coconut flesh at low temperatures.

This ensures that all nutrients naturally found in coconut oil are preserved along with its numerous health properties.

Pure cold-pressed coconut oil is also called virgin and not refined. It keeps its distinctive flavor and odor.

It guarantees that the extracting process was quick with no additive, no bleaching, or deodorization.

Unrefined coconut oil is always the safest choice. The nutrients and antioxidants that make coconut oil one of the best therapeutic superfoods need to be preserved.

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About the Author: Alex Assoune

Alex Assoune (MS) is a global health and environmental advocate. He founded Panaprium to inspire others with conscious living, ethical, and sustainable fashion. Alex has worked in many countries to address social and environmental issues. He speaks three languages and holds two Master of Science degrees in Engineering from SIGMA and IFPEN schools.