What Are The Health Benefits Of Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil?

Coconut is a tropical oil that many people avoid because of its high saturated fat content. The oil actually offers numerous health benefits. You can use it as an ingredient in baked goods, spread on toast, mixed into smoothies or used in sautés. Organic extra virgin coconut oil offers a cleaner, more pleasant taste than more refined varieties.

History

A staple in the diet of people from tropical locations, virgin coconut oil has been consumed for thousands of years and even lauded for its healing properties, notes registered dietitian Marianita Shilhavy on CoconutOil.com. Coconut oil was once used often in the United States in processed and baked foods. When major health organizations began warning against the consumption of saturated fat, coconut oil fell out of favor and was replaced with hydrogenate and partially hydrogenated oils, also known as trans fats.

Misconceptions

The saturated fat in coconut oil is different than that found in animal products, explains W. A. Amarasiri and A.S. Dissanayake in the June 2006 issue of the "Ceylon Medical Journal." It is made up of medium-chain fatty acids, namely lauric and capric acid, which provide immediate energy for the body and offer antibacterial and antiviral properties says Mary Enig, Ph.D.

Impact on Cholesterol

Organic extra virgin coconut oil actually lowers cholesterol levels, especially compared to nonvirgin coconut oil, according to a study in the September 2004 issue of the journal "Clinical Biochemistry." Researchers found that 45 days of extra virgin coconut oil supplementation decreased the levels of bad cholesterol and increased the levels of good cholesterol in rats. They attributed the effect to the high polyphenols, or antioxidants.

Considerations

Choosing organic, unrefined coconut oil helps you avoid chemical pesiticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Unrefined coconut oil is made from fresh coconut meat that is not bleached during processing. Refined coconut oil is usually made from dried coconut meat, which is then bleached and treated with sodium hydroxide.

Effects on Belly Fat

Unrefined organic coconut oil can help reduce belly fat when ingested daily, concluded a 2009 study in the journal "Lipids." Brazilian researchers found that when overweight women consumed 30 ml of coconut oil daily, along with a low-calorie diet and a 50-minute daily walk, they lost weight at their midsection compared to dieters consuming a daily supplement of soybean oil. The coconut oil, despite its saturated fat content, did not negatively affect participants' cholesterol levels.