Organic coconut oil will usually be labeled as "organic virgin coconut oil," or VCO. Organic VCO is produced by pressing fresh, organic coconuts, then separating the oil from the coconut meat. Quality organic VCO will have a light coconut odor. VCO has a soft, solid consistency at room temperature, and melts to oil form at around 76 degrees F. To benefit from VCO, try replacing butter and other oils when cooking, or eat VCO by the spoonful.
Metabolism Booster
A 2002 study conducted at McGill University in Quebec explains that coconut oil is comprised of medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs. The MCTs in VCO include laurine, which is also found in human breast milk. MCTs are rare in nature, therefore not consumed as often by humans as long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which are found in most plant oils and animal fats. MCTs are absorbed quickly into circulation and transported rapidly into the liver, while LCTs take a longer route through the lymphatic system. The rapid absorption of MCTs increases energy expenditure and metabolism. The study concluded that MCTs "increase energy expenditure, may result in faster satiety and facilitate weight control when included in the diet as a replacement for fats containing LCT."
Antifungal Agent
The MCTs present in organic virgin coconut oil act as a powerful antifungal and antimicrobial agent. VCO can be used topically to clear up skin fungus like athlete's foot; apply to the affected area twice daily. Internal yeast, such as the condition of candida overgrowth, can also be effectively treated by VCO. Candida overgrowth occurs when intestinal balance is interrupted, and normal levels of yeast in the stomach flourish and spread throughout the body. A 2004 study at the Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria took a look at how candida yeast was affected by coconut oil. When the most common candida, candida albicanas, showed 100 percent susceptibility to coconut oil, the study concluded that "coconut oil should be used in the treatment of fungal infections in view of emerging drug-resistant Candida species."
Diabetes Treatment
Evidence points to coconut oil as a helpful diabetes treatment. A 2007 study at the Obesity Research Center, Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, MA focused on MCT effects on weight loss and insulin. In a group of moderately overweight patients with type 2 diabetes, researchers found MCTs helped decrease body weight and improve insulin levels. In a separate 1992 study conducted at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, it was found that consuming MCT improves insulin-mediated glucose metabolism.
References
- The Journal of Nutrition: Physiological Effects of Medium-Chain Triglycerides: Potential Agents in the Prevention of Obesity
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: In Vitro Antimicrobial Properties of Coconut Oil On Candida Species In Ibadan, Nigeria
- Healing Points: Coconut Oil In Health and Disease: Its and Monolaurin's Potential As Cure For HIV/AIDS
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Dietary Substitution of Medium-Chain Triglycerides Improves Insulin-Mediated Glucose Metabolism in NIDDM Subjects.
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Effects of Dietary Medium-Chain Triglyceride on Weight Loss and Insulin Sensitivity in a Group of Moderately Overweight Free-Living Type 2 Diabetic Chinese Subjects
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