In the 1980s, there were many inaccurate studies which concluded that coconut oil was bad for our health, but these studies were mistakenly performed on partially hydrogenated coconut oil, rather than organic. This greatly changes the composition of natural oils and turns them into trans fats which are bad for your health and cholesterol.
Fats don’t all work in the same way, which is important to remember when choosing foods to include in your diet. Most foods and oils are composes of long chain fatty acids, or LCFA’s, which are large molecules not easily broken down by the digestive system. These molecules end up being stored as fat in the body, and can lead to high cholesterol and heart problems. However, coconut oil is made up of medium chain fatty acids, or MCFA’s, which are smaller and are converted into energy.
Although research is still ongoing to see how useful coconut oil is in contributing to weight loss, it can be a great dietary tool to help give you more energy and increase your metabolism, which will ultimately burn calories and may help you to lose weight when used with an exercise regime and a healthy diet.
If you’re looking to add coconut oil to your diet, be sure to buy the right variety – you should look for pure certified organic oil which has not been hydrogenated, refined or contains any GMO ingredients – keeping to these rules will ensure that you improve your energy levels and potentially lower your risk of heart problems.
