subject: Use Coconut Oil To Lose Weight [print this page] Author: Russell Eaton Author: Russell Eaton
About 90% of the oil found in coconuts is said to be saturated because it solidifies at room temperature, but scientific research shows that it is mostly not fattening. As this research is gradually becoming more widely known, increasing numbers of people are adopting coconut oil weight loss regimes.In fact, modern research shows coconuts to be a valuable source of healthy nutrition. About a third of the white coconut flesh is fat, and although most of this fat (90%) is technically classed as saturated it is mostly made up of MCFA's (medium chain fatty acids). MCFA's are chains of molecules that are burnt up as energy rather than being stored as body fat. Because of this, coconut oil/fat is increasingly used in weight-loss regimes. Note: MCFA's are also known as MCT's (medium chain triglycerides).Around 50% of these MCFA's are made up of lauric acid, the most important essential fatty acid in building and maintaining the body's immune system. Apart from coconut oil, the only other source of lauric acid found in such high concentrations is human milk.Coconuts are nature's richest source of MCFA's and they have important antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiprotozoal properties that make up the building blocks of a healthy immune system. Coconut oil that has been kept at room temperature for a year has been tested for rancidity, and showed no evidence of it because of its antimicrobial properties.Scientific studies have shown that the fatty acids from MCFA's in coconut oil are not easily converted into stored triglycerides, and that MCFA's cannot be readily used by the body to make larger fat molecules. One study concluded that "the change from a low-fat diet to a MCFA diet is attended by a decrease in the body weight gain" [source: Hill JO, et al, Thermogenesis in humans during overfeeding with medium-chain triglycerides, Metabolism, July 1989;38(7):641-8].Another more recent study looked at the effects of diets rich in medium-chain and long-chain fats in overweight men. The study concluded that "Consumption of a diet rich in medium-chain fatty acids results in greater loss of stored body fat compared with long-chain fatty acids" [source: St-Onge MP, et al, Medium-chain triglycerides increase energy expenditure and decrease adiposity in overweight men, Obes Res. 2003 Mar;11(3):395-402].In yet another study the metabolic rates in the human body were compared (i.e. the rate at which calories are burnt up). The study compared meals with Medium Chain Fatty Acids with Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFA's are found in animal fats). The authors concluded that switching from LCFA's to MCFA's could "over long periods of time produce weight loss even in the absence of reduced [caloric] intake" [source: T. B. Seaton, et al, Thermic effects of medium-chain and long-chain triglycerides in man, Am J Clin Nutr, 1986;44:630-634].There are many other studies showing that MCFA's in coconuts are not fattening and that MCFA's are much less prone to being stored as body fat compared to LCFA's (the long chain fatty acids found in animal and dairy products). Furthermore the Glycemic Index ratings for coconuts and tinned coconut milk are low (45 and 41 respectively), indicating that these products are non-fattening in terms of blood glucose and body-fat storage. You really can adopt a coconut oil weight loss plan and lose excess body fat. About the Author:
Russell Eaton is the author of the highly acclaimed book "The Foolproof Diet". For more information about coconuts see The Incredible Coconut Book. Claim your free copy now by going to ==>
