Coconut Oil, For Weight Loss Its A Real Plus

Most of us have been trained to think of coconut oil as bad, something to be avoided at all cost. But if that is what you think, think again. Not only is coconut oil good for you and helpful for weight loss, it has many other health benefits as well. Yes its a saturated fat, but in spite of that it is a very different kind fat from what is found in either red meat and dairy products or cooking oils.

Most of the fats we ingest on a regular basis such as those coming from cooking oils, dairy products or meat are made up of what are called long chain triglycerides or LCTs. When you ingest them your body stores them for later use preferring to utilize carbohydrates for immediate energy. If you don't burn more calories than you eat, the fat stays on your body to be used later or in the event of an emergency such as starvation conditions.

Coconut oil, on the other hand is made up of medium chain triglycerides or MCTs which offers several major advantages. First, unlike LCTs, your body burns MCTs like carbohydrates using them as an immediate source of energy for organs and tissues rather than storing them on your hips or thighs where they add to your weight. Both animal and human studies support this finding. For example, a 1992 study compared rats infused with MCTs and LCTs and found that the MCT group gained only a third as much weight of the other group.

A 2002 review article published in the March issue of the Journal of Nutrition reported on several human studies which found that ingestion of MCTs increased energy expenditure. In one instance lean subjects who used MCTs increased energy expenditure 48% compared to their LCT counterparts while in obese subjects the increase was as much as 65%. Other studies have reported similar results some indicating that the impact on energy expenditure continued for as long as 24 hours. Bottom line, coconut oil helps you burn more calories.

In addition to being an immediate source of energy, MCTs have fewer calories (about 10% fewer) than do LCTs so if you substitute coconut oil for butter or conventional cooking oils you automatically reduce your calorie intake. Bruce Fife, a naturopath and one of the foremost experts on coconut oil reports that switching to coconut oil can result in a loss of 36 pounds in a year.

People on calorie restricted diets may experience both hunger and low energy, either of which can cause food cravings. A review article by Ward Dean, MD in the Nutrition Review cited studies which showed that ingestion of MCTs not only helps maintain energy levels but also reduces food cravings by increasing feeling sof fullness or satiety.

Coconut oil is one of many different natural remedies which can become part of a healthy lifestyle which can help you lose weight and, best of all, keep it off.

1. Prev:The Use Of HCG In Australia  -  Its Benefits
2. Next:Less Stress To Lose Fat