HEALTH BENEFIT OF COCONUT OIL-- IDOWU OYIN

Coconut oil has been gaining ground as a super food or a miracle food. Probably because it offers diverse health benefits and for the fact that it is one of the richest sources of saturated fat, even more so than butter..oil has many antioxidants, antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal properties. It also helps in the absorption of other minerals.
Coconut oil is one the few foods that foster health and beauty from inside out.
Here are 7 amazing benefits of coconut oil..

1. Boosts Immune System

Coconut oil is made up  of healthy fats that make it excellent for immunity. These are antibacterial and antimicrobial commonly known as lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid. These are well known for fighting and preventing many virus and bacteria-causing diseases like herpes, influenza, candida, athletes foot, even cold and flu.
Coconut oil also helps in absorption of certain minerals which strengthens the immune system generally.

2. Controls Blood Sugar
Coconut oil is one oil that diabetics can eat without fear and even enjoy other benefits from. How? Unlike most saturated fats, coconut oil is a medium-chain fatty acid(MCFA) which is more easily metabolized. MCFAs take only 4 processes to get digested and absorbed compared long-chain fatty acid that takes about 26 steps. These MCFAs are not usually stored in the body as they are easily absorbed by cells to use as energy immediately.
coconut oil also help control blood sugar by improving the secretion of insulin and more so promotes the effective utilization of blood glucose. Coconut oil plays a key role in preventing as well as treating diabetes.
3. Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
As surprising as it may seem, coconut oil has been used traditionally for many years as a powerful weapon against heart disease. Scientists and researchers have recently proved that eating coconut oil can reduce your chances of suffering a heart attack.
The saturated fats in coconut oil not only increase the healthy cholesterol (known as HDL) in your body but also help convert LDL 'bad'  cholesterol into good cholesterol. By increasing the HDLs in the body, it promotes heart health and lowers risk of heart disease.
4 weight loss
Eating coconut oil (fat) to burn fat may sound pretty absurd but the fatty acids in coconut oil has powerful effects on metabolism. These fatty acid (MCFA) have proven to increase how much fat you burn especially belly fat. Eating coconut oil increases the amount of calories burnt by 5% over 24 hours leading to weight loss over a long term. Fatty acids in coconut oil significantly reduces appetite and has a positive effect on body weight. Taking 2 tablespoons of coconut oil before workout would increase  effectiveness of your workout.
However, consuming too much will give you extra calories and could indirectly contribute to the very problem you may be trying to address.
5. Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.
Coconut oil is a natural remedy for certain brain disorders like Alzheimer's and even epilepsy. The digestion of MCFAs by the liver creates ketones which are readily accessible to the brain without the need of insulin to process glucose into energy. As the brain of Alzheimer's patients has lost its ability to create its own insulin, the ketones from the coconut oil could create an alternative source to power brain cells and repair brain function.
Coconut oil also improves memory and brain function especially in older people.
6. Improves digestion and reduces ulcer.
Fatty acids in coconut oil eradicates harmful bacteria and promotes growth of the good bacteria in the digestive tract. Coconut oil also plays a key role in healing and soothing inflammed tissues along the digestive tract and could be used as a light laxative if suffering from constipation. By continuing to consume coconut oil, the digestive tract will resume stability and  well-being
7. Hair and skin care
Coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer for keeping the skin smooth and hydrated all day. Plus it has this creamy feel and smell, it is a great alternative

Idowu Oyin is a freelance writer and blogger with Yourhealthdone .com