All of us are familiar with the greatness of coconut oil. Be it health benefits, beauty benefits or medicinal ones, coconut oil is a high achiever in all of the categories. Coconut oil pills are no different and contain all the goodness of coconut oil in them. No doubt, they are a popular supplement around the globe. For all of you who are keen to know all about it, we have done the work for you.
What are coconut oil pills?
Coconut oil pills are literally made of coconut oil. They are made for the convenience of the people who cannot include coconut oil in their diet via any other form. Coconut oil pills are considered as one of the most convenient way of including coconut oil in your diet. Specially when you are travelling, the capsules allow you to go on with your daily intake. Moreover, if a person has set a goal for themselves to include a specific amount of coconut diet in their diet, they may use the capsules to get some of the percentage.
Due to their convenience, they are quite popular among diet enthusiasts around the world. You must be curious about the nutritional profile of coconut oil by now. We would like to enlighten you.
Nutritional Profile of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a rich source of healthy fatty acids. There are few foods that serve as a major source of medium chained triglycerides (MCTs). As much as 60% of the coconut oil is comprised of MCTs, the most significant of them are lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid. They behave as carbohydrates in the body. Upon ingestion, MCTs reach directly to liver. They are used instantly by the body as a source of energy (just like carbohydrates) and turned into ketones by the liver. 90% of coconut oil is made up of saturated fats that are heart- healthy. Also, antioxidants are also present in the coconut oil in abundance.
Here are the nutritional facts as per one tablespoon of coconut oil which is also one serving:
- Total calories: 120
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fats: 14g (0.5g = polyunsaturated fats, 1g = monounsaturated fats, 12g = saturated fats)
Let’s look at the benefits of coconut oil and we will have our answer by the end of this article about why this is a popular choice among doctors and nutritionists.
Benefits of Coconut Oil
You may see coconut oil on people’s hair, lips, face or even in their food. The reason is the plethora of benefits it carries with it and we can’t wait to tell you all about it. Have a look:
1. Good for your Heart
Whilecoconut oil is not very common in West, in some parts of the world it is one of the staple foods. Many have a misconception that it is a high caloric option to add to your diet. But in fact, it is a very friendly option. It’s immense benefits to heart are the reason of its fame. When you incorporate coconut oil in your diet, HDL aka good cholesterol increases in the blood. When the HDL in blood increases, the ratio of HDL to LDL also changes which in turn improves heart health.
2. Weight loss
All the fitness enthusiasts, this one is for you! Coconut oil helps in weight loss. Yes, you read that right. An oil is helping you to shed the extra points. Obesity has taken the world by storm in the recent decades. If you are suffering from the problem you may want to know this. As we all know, coconut contains medium chain fatty acids (MCTs). When you include these in your diet, your body starts burning fats at a faster rate which literally means your metabolism increases. When your body burns fats at a faster rate, it loses weight. It has been proven by a study that when you include 15-30g of MCT in your diet, the total energy expenditure of your body that occurs in 24 hours speeds up by 5%. Also, coconut oil has also shown to increase the satiety levels which also aids in shedding those extra pounds.
3. Healthy skin
When you apply coconut oil on your skin, your skin literally becomes healthier. Your skin’s protective barrier improves and it gives an anti-inflammatory effect to the skin.
4. Protective Effect to your Body
Lauric acid is the primary component of coconut oil. Upon ingestion, lauric acid gets converted into a substance which is known as “manolaurin” that has the ability to kill viruses, fungi as well as bacteria. Studies have shown that coconut oil protects against staph infections. Also, it has been found to kill Candida albicans that causes yeast infections. Moreover, if you do “oil pulling” using coconut oil, your oral hygiene improves a great deal.
5. Improving Brain Function
Studies have suggested that people who had milder forms of Alzheimer’s disease, their brain function improved significantly by the intake of medium chain triglycerides. And what better source for MCTs than coconut oil?
Side Effects of Coconut Oil
There is no as such side effect of coconut oil. But doctors and nutritionists recommend to use it in moderation as it is abundant in saturated fats. If you are taking a high calorie diet, then taking too much coconut oil might add some pounds to your body. Try opting for extra virgin coconut oil and avoid the refined options. Moreover, people who have oily skin, they can have acne by consuming coconut oil in their diet. So, the best thing is to use this coconut oil in moderation.
Final Verdict
Everything comes with its pros and cons. You have to make your own choices. Same is the case with coconut oil pills. We have put forward all the gathered information. We would recommend you to look for the best ways you can incorporate in your diet so that you get maximum benefits out of it as there are not many fruits as beneficial as coconut.
