The Surprising Health Benefits of Coconut Oil: From Oral Hygiene to Childhood Epilepsy
Coconut oil is one of the most effective natural oils found in the world. What is special is that it has potential effects such as antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, and helping weight loss.
For example, coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which has a special antibacterial effect, and has been developed into a commercial product: monolauric glycerol (Lauricidin), which can fight some bacteria, which is very rare in other oils.
Properties of coconut oil Coconut oil is extracted from the coconut fruit's endosperm (the pulp part). Due to its high oil content (about 33%), coconut is the main source of vegetable oil in the tropics.
Due to the short molecular length, the absorption route is different from that of long-bonded fatty acids (most fats in meat and plants).
Benefits
Good for oral hygiene The oral cavity is a mirror of human health, and there are billions of microorganisms in the oral cavity, some of which are believed to be related to the occurrence or development of systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, so oral health and general health are interrelated.
Oil pulling has been used for centuries to treat and prevent a variety of oral and systemic ailments. As the name suggests, oil is vigorously wiggled in the mouth, similar to using a mouthwash, using edible oils from sunflower, sesame and coconut.
A systematic review of the literature (4 randomized controlled trials with a total of 182 participants) noted that gargling with coconut oil helped reduce salivary bacterial colony count and plaque index scores index score).
Helps losing weight Rising obesity rates are one of the world’s most concerning health concerns, affecting almost 35% of the population.
It is estimated that by 2030, 3.8 out of every 10 people in the world will be overweight and another 2 will be obese. The situation in the United States is even more serious. 85% of the adult population is overweight, and the medical costs associated with it are hundreds of billions of dollars.
In a longitudinal study (6 months in 116 patients with a history of cardiovascular disease), the addition of coconut oil (13 mL per day) was associated with superior reductions in waist circumference and increased height compared to a control diet alone. Good density cholesterol (HDL-C) effect.
Another double-blind controlled study (for 12 weeks, the subjects were 40 women of medium to wide stature) found that both coconut oil and soybean oil had weight loss effects when calorie intake was improved and combined with exercise. The effect of improving abdominal obesity is more significant, and it will not cause dyslipidemia.
Maintain the skin condition of premature infants The skin is a dynamic and complex organ with multiple important functions, forming a physical barrier between the organism and the environment.
It provides UV protection, prevents the invasion of pathogens, and regulates body temperature, gas exchange and sensory perception.
In the first few weeks after birth, the skin barrier of Preterm Infants has not yet been developed, and the damaged skin function is vulnerable to chemical damage, microbial infection and skin diseases, and even damage to the overall health, so the maintenance of the skin barrier vital to survival.
An open-label randomized controlled trial (21 days in 72 preterm infants less than 30 weeks’ gestation) with one group receiving usual care and one group receiving topical coconut oil application (5 mL/kg).
The results found that the subjects who used coconut oil care had better skin condition (measured by Neonatal Skin Condition Score, which includes dryness, erythema, and chapped skin) and had no obvious side effects.
Beneficial for osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a common disease in the elderly, especially women. When bone loss occurs, there are often no signs. When symptoms (usually fractures) occur, half of the bone mass is often left, especially 3 to 5 years after menopause , is the peak period of bone loss, which decreases by an average of 2% to 3% per year.
Current research has found that the increase of oxidative stress in the body will increase the effect of bone erosion, which is also an important reason for the decrease of bone density and the formation of osteoporosis. Therefore, supplementing antioxidants is regarded as an effective method to delay osteoporosis.
Because virgin coconut oil is rich in a variety of plant polyphenols, it can effectively inhibit lipid oxidation and increase the concentration of antioxidants (such as glutathione glutathione, superoxide dismutase SOD) in animals. In experiments, it can effectively slow down bone loss and increase bone density Note 4; other studies have also found that medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil can effectively increase the absorption of calcium and magnesium.
Beneficial for childhood epilepsy Epilepsy refers to a series of symptoms caused by abnormal discharge of nerve cells in the brain (caused by infection, metabolic disorder, brain disease, drugs or trauma), and various disorders (including involuntary convulsions) may occur depending on the location of the abnormal discharge , falls, loss of consciousness, respiratory arrest, etc.).
It has been clinically found that fasting can effectively improve epilepsy symptoms (the principle behind it is that during fasting, the liver can convert fat into ketone bodies, which can not only provide brain energy, but also have the effect of repairing and promoting brain cell growth). Eating is not for everyone, so began to design a diet that simulates fasting, called the ketogenic diet (ketogenic diet).
For decades, the ketogenic diet has been used to improve drug-resistant epilepsy in children, and the effect is remarkable. Because coconut oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCTs), it can be directly converted into ketone bodies in the human body, allowing you to achieve ketone production goals without dietary control.
Antibacterial, antiviral and antiparasitic The most amazing thing about coconut oil is its antibacterial, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties, which come from the richness of medium-chain fatty acids (including lauric, caprylic, capric, and myristic acids) that are After entering the human body, it can be converted into antibacterial substances to help the human body resist harmful microorganisms from foreign invasion.
The best-selling book The Coconut Oil Miracle also mentioned that from common flu to deadly AIDS, the preventive and therapeutic potential of coconut oil is indeed amazing. There are more natural and harmless options for treatment.
Reduces skin aging and provides sun protection Since ancient times, coconut oil is also the best skin care product in addition to eating. Because coconut oil is rich in antioxidants, it can not only provide skin moisturizing effect, but also prevent free radical damage and reduce the occurrence of dry, cracked and wrinkled skin.
A small double-blind controlled study found that the application of coconut oil and mineral oil to xerosclerosis improved skin water content and skin surface lipid levels, and importantly, no adverse reactions occurred.
At the same time, other studies have also found that the medium-chain fatty acids with antibacterial effects in coconut oil can also treat many dermatitis and skin infections, and protect the skin from ultraviolet rays in the sun, making it a natural sunscreen.
Does coconut oil have any side effects? Coconut oil has been certified by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as the safest and natural food, and has also passed the strictest GRAS certification (Generally Recognized as Safe)
To pass this certification, you must go through various tests, and you must have a long history of safe use. GRAS-certified ingredients have been guaranteed by the state in the United States, and there will be no side effects. No warnings and any restrictions on use are required.
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