CONFUSED ABOUT THOSE COCONUT OIL CLAIM? HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

There has been major buzz lately over everyone's favourite obsession: coconut oil. The fitness community raves about its fat-burning benefits, while beauty gurus preach about its hair- and skin-nourishing properties.  

But its health benefits? Those are being put into question with a new statement by the American Heart Association (AHA). The claims are raising some eyebrows and have people second-guessing, is coconut oil healthy? We break it down.

What The AHA Is Saying

According to the AHA, a diet high in saturated fat contributes to a higher risk of heart disease (think, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, etc). Nothing new coming from the AHA, however. Their statement breaks down older studies conducted on saturated fats and their link to high-cholesterol levels (their indicator of heart health). 

IS COCONUT OIL UNHEALTHY?

Yes, coconut oil lovers, it’s true—the American Heart Association released an advisory report on the role of dietary fats in heart disease in which they called out coconut oil as particularly dangerous due to its high saturated fat content. 

The report's authors recommended avoiding the oil altogether: “Because coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol, a cause of cardiovascular disease, and has no known offsetting favorable effects, we advise against the use of coconut oil.” 

But if you’re freaking out over that, and all the subsequent click-baity headlines—“Coconut Oil Isn’t Healthy. It’s Never Been Healthy” or “So Coconut Oil Is Actually Really, Really Bad For You”—take a deep breath and refrain from tossing your jar of organic cold-pressed coconut oil in the trash just yet. 

14 COCONUT USES YOU MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT.

Coconuts always make me picture the beach. Long stretches of white sandy shore, the calming lap of waves, beautiful views out to the horizon over the ocean, tall palms bending in the breeze, and plenty of sunshine.

Coconuts have become the fruit (that’s right, they’re a fruit, not a nut!) of the moment recently, in no small part due to their versatility. Their possible uses go way beyond the culinary ones.

Coconuts mainly grow near the equator in the tropical climates in parts of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific. In the United States, you’ll find them in Hawaii and Florida.

Coconut? Will it Help With Weight Loss?

Just like in the world of fashion, food trends fluctuate every year. And for 2017, Whole Foods predicted it's going to be the year of coconut everything. It's going way past your basic coconut water. Think coconut butter, chips, ice cream. Coconut everything, everywhere.

But if you think the new health food fad is the key to helping you drop pounds this year, you might want to read the fine print. We spoke with nutritionists to find out whether going cray-cray for coconut is worth the hype.

It Can Help Crush Cravings

As it turns out, coconut has properties that can keep you fuller longer. “The fat content in coconut is a medium-chain triglyceride, which helps with satiety,” says Lisa Cohn, R.D. consultant for miVIP Surgery Centers. Plus, the fruit provides sugar for quick energy while the fat digests slowly. That winning combo gives you long-lasting energy and prevents hunger and cravings by keeping your blood sugar levels in check.

Cohn recommends adding jarred or fresh coconut to juices and smoothies, and coconut flakes to hot or dry cereals, fresh salads, and cooked dishes. 

5 Foods To Heal Digestion.

Studies estimate that 60 to 70 million Americans currently suffer from digestive diseases, including celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and lactose intolerance, as well as general gassiness and bloating. Leaky gut syndrome is another common digestive disorder that occurs when the digestive tract becomes damaged, allowing proteins like gluten, bad bacteria, and undigested food particles to pass into the bloodstream. Over time, these particles cause inflammation, an immune reaction, and continued poor digestion. 

But no matter what the specific condition, it's safe to say that there are a lot of people feeling uncomfortable each time they eat—and looking for a quick solution!

Singling out the root cause of all those tummy troubles can be difficult, but it's likely that for most of us, our diets and lifestyles are to blame. The typical Western diet, heavy in refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and low-quality protein sources—with very little in the way of fresh fruits and vegetables—can wreak havoc on our bodies and, in particular, on our digestive systems. But the good news is that, while bad food choices can cause major damage to the digestive system, good food choices can have the opposite effect. By introducing certain foods into your diet, you can begin repairing your gut and healing digestion naturally.

10 Ways to Use Coconut Oil!

Here is a video of various uses for coconut oil. What do you think?

How Can Coconut Can Help You Lose Weight And Belly Fat?

Coconut oil is the world’s most weight loss friendly fat.

It contains a unique combination of fatty acids with powerful effects on metabolism.

Several studies show that just by adding coconut oil to your diet, you can lose fat, especially the “dangerous” fat in the abdominal cavity.

This article explains how coconut oil can help you lose weight and belly fat.

Coconut Oil is High in Medium Chain Triglycerides, Fatty Acids That Boost Metabolism

Coconut oil is vastly different from most other fats in the diet.

8 Reasons Why You Should Eat More Coconut

Benefits of Coconut oil from Dr. Axe. Let us know what you think?

10 Health Benefits of Coconut Oil.

Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a “superfood.”

Its benefits include weight loss, better brain function, skin health and many more.

Here are 10 impressive health benefits of coconut oil.

1. Coconut Oil Contains Fatty Acids With Powerful Medicinal Properties

Coconut oil has been demonized in the past because it contains saturated fat.

In fact, coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat known to man, with almost 90% of the fatty acids in it being saturated .

However, new data is showing that saturated fats are mostly harmless. Many studies with hundreds of thousands of people have found no link to heart disease .

Additionally, coconut oil doesn’t contain your average saturated fats, like the ones you would find in cheese or steak.

They contain Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) – which are fatty acids of a medium length.

Most of the fatty acids in the diet are long-chain fatty acids, but the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are metabolized differently.

They go straight to the liver from the digestive tract, where they are used as a quick source of energy or turned into so-called ketones, which can have therapeutic effects on brain disorders like epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.

Bottom Line: Coconut oil contains a lot of medium chain triglycerides, which are metabolized differently and can have therapeutic effects on several brain disorders.