Coconut Oil: Nature’s Healthy Fat

Coconut Oil: Nature’s Healthy Fat

When trying to live a healthy lifestyle, we often hear that we should be avoiding fats. While that is true to a certain extent, there are some fats that we should be embracing. One of these fats is coconut oil. 50% of that fat found in coconut oil is in the form of lauric acid. Our body converts lauric acid to monolaurin, which has a number of health benefits. Monolaurin is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-protozoa.

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

The health benefits of coconut oil are significant and diverse. Coconut oil helps to optimize body weight rather than increase it like other fats. It is actually quite effective when used for weight-loss because it kick-starts your metabolism. Coconut oil is composed of primarily medium-chain fatty acids, which are easily digested, thus the increase in metabolism. Coconut oil also slows the digestion of foods allowing you to feel full sooner. This slowing of digestion additionally helps to regulate blood glucose levels.


Beyond being effective for weight loss, coconut oil can also contribute to cardiovascular health. The lauric acid found in coconut oil helps to balance cholesterol and regulate blood pressure.


Additionally, it has anti-inflammatory properties, which help keep your heart healthy. Further benefits of coconut oil include a healthy immune system, improved skin quality, bone health, accelerated healing, and much more.

How To Use Coconut Oil

You can use coconut oil as a substitute for other oils in cooking and baking. At room temperature coconut oil is often solid. In order to incorporate it into baking you can melt it first. Coconut oil is the only oil used in cooking that is stable enough to be heated. You can also use coconut oil as a hair conditioner and skin moisturizer.

No matter how you choose to use it, the important thing that you begin to add it to your diet.  At our house, we use it in place of vegetable oil when baking and at times I use it in place of olive oil when cooking.  It adds a nice flavor contrast along with its healthful qualities and is a great addition to any kitchen.