Coconut Oil is a fatty acid that has risen in popularity in recent years because of it’s nutritional benefits, tasty flavor, and versatile cooking uses.  Coconut oil is a good source of healthy fatty acids like medium chain triglycerides and of saturated fat.  In a diet with a moderate fat intake where around 30% of your calories come from fat, you’d want only 10% of that fat to be saturated fat.  So for most people a serving size between 1 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil is sufficient.

Coconut Oil is a nutrient dense food that offers plenty of health benefits.  

Evidence for the efficacy of this food has been found both in clinical and epidemiological studies.  3 of the most significant benefits for coconut oil include it’s role as a cognitive booster, as a tool to strengthen the immune system, and as a metabolic aid.

Coconut Oil The Cognitive Booster – cognitive decline occurs to varying degrees among individuals as they age, as a result of factors like genetics, diet, and lifestyle.  This impacts our ability to focus, memorize, and learn.  In a study by the  journal Neurobiology of Aging, it was found that administration of 40 ml medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) the primary fat found in coconut oil improved cognitive performance in older adults suffering from memory disorders.[1]  Other studies have shown that coconut oil can improve cognitive function and that certain phenolic compounds in the oil prevent the aggregation of amyloid – B peptide which has the potential to inhibit the development of Alzheimer’s disease[2].  

Immune System Defense – coconut oil contains properties that have been found to be beneficial in improving our immune system defenses.  Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid which has been shown to be an immune system boosting food because of it’s ability to kill off bacteria, fungi, and viruses.  

Coconut Oil is a beneficial Metabolic Aid – living in an obesogenic society we’re at risk for a host of metabolic disorders.  Coconut oil has been shown to have beneficial effects for preventing or reducing a variety of metabolic complications.  In human and animal studies coconut oil has been shown to have a beneficial impact on blood lipid profiles by boosting the good cholesterol (HDL) while simultaneously lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and total cholesterol levels[3].  Because coconut oil is a readily metabolized fat (meaning it’s easier for our bodies to break down and use as an energy source) it’s been shown in studies to be a more ideal fat for reducing cravings and caloric intake[4]

References

MCT Fats Found In Coconut Oil Boost Brain Function | Onnit Academy. (2013). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from https://www.onnit.com/academy/mct-fats-found-in-coconut-oil-boost-brain-function/

W. M. A. D. B. Fernando, Martins, I. J., Goozee, K. G., Brennan, C. S., Jayasena, V., & Martins, R. N. (2015). The role of dietary coconut for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: Potential mechanisms of action. British Journal of Nutrition Br J Nutr, 114(01), 1-14. doi:10.1017/s0007114515001452

Assunção, M. L., Ferreira, H. S., Santos, A. F., Cabral, C. R., & Florêncio, T. M. (2009). Effects of Dietary Coconut Oil on the Biochemical and Anthropometric Profiles of Women Presenting Abdominal Obesity. Lipids, 44(7), 593-601. doi:10.1007/s11745-009-3306-6

Stubbs, R., & Harborn, C. (1996). Covert manipulation of the ratio of medium- to long-chain triglycerides in isoenergetically dense diets: Effect on food intake in ad libitum feeding men. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 20(5), 435-444.