Among dietitians and physicians, coconut oil is a controversial food. On one hand, it's high in saturated fat. Diets high in saturated fat have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. However, others like Mary Enig of the Weston A. Price Foundation, report that coconut oil is one of the healthiest foods in the food supply and should be part of a healthy diet.
HDL Cholesterol
Not all cholesterol is bad for your health. HDL cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol that actually clears out plaque from your arteries. People with healthy HDL levels have significantly lower heart disease risk than those with suboptimal levels. Regularly consuming coconut oil can boost sagging HDL levels, according to a May 2009 study published in "Lipids." In this study, a group of 40 women were given a soybean oil supplement or a coconut oil supplement. At the end of 8 weeks, the coconut oil group had boosted their HDL levels significantly more than the soybean oil group. The special class of saturated fat found in coconut oil --known as lauric acid -- appears to be responsible for increasing HDL.
Abdominal Fat
Having a bulging belly brings on more serious problems than having trouble buttoning your pants. A large waist is independently linked to high levels of inflammation, insulin resistance, and "bad" cholesterol levels. In the aforementioned study, the coconut oil group shed significant fat from their waist while there was no change seen in the soybean oil group.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are your cell's bodyguards. They travel around your body, destroying compounds and cells that set out to do harm. Having low antioxidant levels can increase your risk of developing certain cancers. The October 2009 edition of "Trends in Food Science & Technology" states that virgin coconut oil is an especially antioxidant-abundant food.
Antimicrobial
Microbes are bacteria and viruses that can do harm if they remain unchecked inside of your body. Coconut oil helps your body combat potentially harmful microbes like E. coli and Streptococcus aureus. A unique compound called monolaurin is responsible for coconut oil's antimicrobial benefits.
References
- WestonAPrice.org: A New Look as Coconut Oil
- "Lipids": Effects of Dietary Coconut Oil on the Biochemical and Anthropometric Profiles of Women Presenting Abdominal Obesity
- "Trends in Food Science & Technology": Virgin coconut oil: emerging functional food oil
- Pcrdf.org: Health benefits of coconut oil explained
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