Coconut oil

Description :   Coconut oil is the edible oil extracted from mature coconut and considered as one of the most

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• It contains long chain and medium chain triglycerides, among which the medium chain triglyceride has great health importance
• It does not contain cholesterol and fibre
• It contains too some extent of vitamins and minerals within it
• It also contains plant sterol which is made up of polyphenols and responsible for its antioxidant property. It helps to protect the body from oxidative damages
• It is liquid in room temperature
• It is colorless
• It is safe to use in high temperature cooking process like deep frying as it can retain its structure in high temperature and does not converted into toxic compound during heating

Health benefits

Role on metabolism

• The medium chain triglyceride (MCT) of coconut oil has an intense relation with metabolism
• It helps to generate instant energy as the MCT of coconut oil can rapidly absorbed and metabolized, so it can able to generate instant energy
• It is also associated with increasing the catabolic rate of the body

Role on dental health

• Streptococcus mutans is the main causative factor responsible for developing harmful dental disorders like gum diseases, dental plaque formation, gingivitis and tooth decay. Coconut oil can be used to prevent these kinds of disorders as it is associated with preventing the growth of that respective bacterium
• It is widely used in oil pulling where it is swishing around the cavities and helps to reduce gum inflammation and bacterial infestation within mouth. It is as effective as mouthwash

Role on nervous system

• The MCT found in coconut oil helps to improve brain function and it is associated with decreasing the susceptibility of Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy
• It has seen that in hypoglycemia, brain cannot function properly as brain only utilizes glucose as its energy source. So decrease in plasma glucose level affects the brain adversely. Consumption of coconut oil helps to prevent this complication as the MCT of coconut oil helps to produce ketone, which acts as an alternative energy source for brain and promotes brain functioning

Role on preventing obesity

• It acts as a significant preventive measure for obesity. The MCT content of coconut oil is related with increasing catabolism, which is responsible for enhancing energy expenditure that leads to generating a negative energy balance within body and facilitates weight reduction
• MCT also helps to reduce hunger results in reduced food intake which is also related with weight reduction
• It has seen that coconut oil is beneficial for reducing the belly fat

Role on skin

• It acts as an effective moisturizer for skin and its mineral oil content is responsible for providing proper nourishment to the skin
• Applying coconut oil on skin also acts as a protective barrier that helps to reduce the risk of external injuries
• It helps to prevent dermatitis, crack heal, dry skin, eczema and related skin disorders
• It also helps to protect the skin from the harmful effect of UV rays as it contains sun protection factor

Role on hair

• The lauric acid (SFA) content of coconut oil helps in hair growth as it penetrate the hair shaft more effectively than other oils and provides nourishment
• It helps to decrease the losses of protein from hair leads to decrease hair falls
• It also helps to increase the shine of the hair

Role on preventing infection

• The lauric acid content of coconut oil is responsible for the antimicrobial activity. It helps to prevent the growth and multiplication of several bacteria and fungus
• It has seen that coconut oil is most effective substances to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans (yeast), which is responsible for developing chronic infection especially in the moist area of body such as mouth and vagina. So, coconut oil may be used as a preventive measure to treat these types of    Read more