Coconut Oil & Foods To Lose Weight

When you are trying to lose weight, it may seem paradoxical to eat more of anything. However, some foods offer particular properties that make them excellent choices in the battle against the bulge. Coconut oil contains an array of unique fats that increase the rate of fat burning and has several other effects. Other foods may contribute to the same process through other means.

Coconut Oil

Found growing in tropical climates, coconuts feature a high oil content. Three quarters of the oil comes in the form of medium chain fats, which act differently in the body than other oils. Dr. Bruce Fife, a physician and the author of "The Coconut Oil Miracle," explains how these unique fatty acids travel straight from the intestines to the liver via the portal vein, which allows the liver to burn them quickly. This mechanism increases the rate of fat burning.

Evidence

A 2003 study, published in the "International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders," found that the consumption of coconut oil had a measurable effect on the metabolic rate. The research team, led by Dr. M.P. St. Onge, found that obese women who consumed the oil recorded increases in their metabolic rate of 6 percent.

Fish Oil

Fish oils also demonstrate an ability to increase the rate of fat oxidation, an important step toward losing weight. However, as pointed out by Mike Roussell, a nutritional researcher and contributor to Bodybuilding.net, fish oil's effects on fat loss come through more than one mechanism. The oils contain the important fatty acids eicosapentanoic acid and decosahexanoic acid, commonly known as EPA and DHA, and improve insulin sensitivity as well as supressing the action of fat storage enzymes.

Green Tea

As one of the world's favorite beverages, green tea is a healthful and easily obtainable item to boost weight loss efforts. Dr. Joseph Mercola, a U.S. physician and the author of several books on natural health, highlights the herbal drink for its array of effects on health and body composition. He explains that the powerful antioxidant content can reduce atherosclerosis development in the cardiovascular system, and that the polyphenol content can increase fat oxidation for several hours after consumption by increasing thermogenesis, the process through which the body burns fat to support body temperature.

Expert Insight

Dr. Mercola believes that green tea stands out as a healthy drink that all individuals can introduce to their diets. He believes that three cups per day represents a sufficient amount to deliver positive effects in regard to fat burning and cardiovascular health.