Coconut Oil Craziness
Last week, USA Today published an article debating the health benefits of coconut oil and the wellness world went into a tizzy. While some stood by the negative health claims, others disagreed completely saying that it was total bs. My stance on the great coconut oil debate?? I’m still pouring coconut oil over basically my entire life. And here’s why…
It is so important to not believe everything you hear. You can literally put anything into the search bar in google followed by “benefits” or “negative health effects” and get results for either side on the same exact topic. Experiment by typing in coconut oil and see what happens 🙂 So it is super important to trust not only the sources you are reading, but also realize where the funding is coming from for these things!! Unfortunately, not everything you read online is honest. Shocking, I know. This particular article published by USA Today about coconut oil was promoting the use of corn oil and peanut oil, which really makes you question what kind of big industries are funding this information and possibly biased studies.
Another thing to consider is bio individuality. Meaning, everyone is so completely different, so why would we have the same food needs? Coconut oil may be awesome for some, but not so good for others. It is important to take into consideration family history such as high cholesterol and heart disease. Someone that has the gene for heart disease should not be using tablespoons of coconut oil to cook with or adding it to their coffee in the mornings. If history of these things isn’t an issue for you, then by all means coconut oil away! My personal tip is to use no more than 2-3 tablespoons per day. As with all things we eat, balance is key! Just because it’s considered healthy does not mean it can be consumed in endless amounts. This of course doesn’t include using coconut oil for lotion, hair conditioner, massage oil, antibacterial wound healer, or any other magical thing it does other than ingesting it 🙂
Yes, coconut oil is full of saturated fat that can certainly take it’s toll on your health and increase cholesterol. But, what makes it different is the MCT (medium chain triglycerides) it contains. This is the kind of fat that is key to your diet and overall health! MCT’s go straight to the liver and create ketones to be used as energy, rather than stored as fat. And because MCT’s can be accessed in the brain without the use of insulin, coconut oil is brain fuel! Coconut oil is also a natural anti-viral, which means it’s a boost for your immune system. It can also help to speed up metabolism and aid in weight loss when used properly!
These benefits, among lots of others, are the reason why I still swear by coconut oil. But as always, when in doubt, listen to your body!! This goes above all benefits or negative side effects you could ever hear. Only you know what’s best for you!!
