Here's why coconut's beneficial for your health
Coconut is among the most protean gifts from nature. You can extract oil from it, use it as a flavorful ingredient in food, drink its water as a healthy summer beverage, or make candles from its wax. Cultivated around the globe, coconuts have become increasingly popular for their flavor and impressive nutrient profile. Let's check out some of the health benefits coconut offers.
Here's what our expert says
Coconuts are rich in fats called medium chain triglycerides(MCT), which are directly absorbed from the gut into the blood and not into the chyle. MCTs have been found to enhance weight loss, and improve blood sugar levels when compared with animal fats. Coconut oil has antibacterial effects against pathogens causing skin infections like furuncles, these bacteria include Staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli.
May promote blood sugar control
Coconut is abundant with fiber and healthy fats and is relatively low in carbs, which makes it beneficial for blood sugar control. As it is rich in anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants, consuming coconut oil may help maintain one's blood sugar level. A study on 48 people revealed that virgin coconut oil improved their triglyceride levels and reduced fasting blood sugar.
May reduce weight
Consuming virgin coconut oil derived from dried coconut meat may help you reduce belly fat. As it is abundant with fiber, coconut is a healthy snack that successfully keeps hunger pangs at bay and prevents unhealthy binging. The triglycerides present in coconut burn body fat faster and suppress appetite. So, include coconut in your diet if you're looking to lose weight.
Maintains hair health
If your scalp is dry or you are dealing with hair fall, adding coconut oil to your daily hair care routine will help you in heaps. It is a rich source of monolaurin and lauric acid which highlights its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Coconut oil aids hair growth and makes your hair healthy, nourished, and shiny. It also removes sebum build-up from hair follicles.
Good for skin
The fat content in coconut nourishes your skin, keeps it soft, and maintains hydration. It also has a good amount of antioxidants present in it, which is helpful in reducing cell damage and aging. Besides that, applying coconut oil to your skin can heal wounds, curb dryness, reduce inflammation, minimize fine lines, maintain your natural glow, and keep your skin moisturized.
May boost immunity
If you're planning to boost your immunity naturally, adding coconut to your daily diet can prove to be beneficial. Being antibacterial and antifungal in nature, savoring raw coconut can keep your system guarded against a lot of diseases and infections. The medium-chain fatty acids and monoglycerides present in them speed up the healing process which makes them natural antibiotics too that modulate immunity.
