Coconut oil is beneficial for health

 

The average coconut isn’t much to look at. But hidden inside its unassuming exterior is a powerful force for good health:  coconut oil.

Although coconut oil is saturated fat, current scientific research has concluded that saturated fats are a vital nutrient that’s essential for life. Our cell membranes even need these types of fatty acids to function properly.

And recent research suggests that the medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCTs) that comprise coconut oil may have wide-ranging health benefits.

Some benefits include:

MCTs Fight Fat with Fat
The way our bodies process the MCTs in coconut oil reduces the opportunity for those fats to build up deposits in our existing fatty tissues. 

Although coconut is saturated fat, current scientific research finds saturated fats are a vital nutrient that’s essential for life. Our cell membranes even need these types of fatty acids to function properly.

Additionally, consuming MCTs from coconut oil has been shown to increase metabolism by turning up our bodies’ thermostats in a process called thermogenesis. As we produce more heat, our bodies utilize more energy.  Increases in thermogenesis and metabolism mean our bodies burn more fuel—fat.

And coconut oil has also been shown to increase the feeling of satiety. So consuming coconut oil can help you to feel full for longer, thus reducing overall food intake.
In cooking, coconut oil can be used as a substitute for some or all of the fat in baked goods, or for stir-frying. Like butter, it is solid at room temperature but it is also great on popcorn. Though it doesn't work well for salad dressing, it's good on cooked vegetables.

Benefits Heart Health

Evidence of coconut oil’s cardio-protective properties comes from the MCTs’ ability to support normal blood lipid profiles. That means coconut oil has been shown to support healthy triglyceride levels and the good kind of cholesterol—high-density lipoproteins or HDL.

Heart health is just the start. The process of breaking down coconut oil in the liver produces ketones and short-chain fatty acids—both shown to help support cognition.

Benefits Skin and Hair

Coconut oil is good for your skin and hair. It benefits dry, itchy scalp, dry and brittle hair, gray hair, and thinning hair. To use it on your hair, it's best to apply it as a treatment before shampooing your hair. Take a small amount of coconut oil in your hands, and work into your scalp and hair before you wash it. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then wash it out with shampoo as you shower.

Hopefully, you understand why coconuts are worth including in the list of healthy fats.
So next time you see one, remember how much benefit is hiding right underneath its hard brown shell.

Vitamin D, Healthy Immune Function and Covid-19

As scientists are learning more about effective prevention and

treatment of Sars2 coronavirus, or Covid-19, new research is emerging regarding the potential benefits of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes cellular function and bone health.  Besides being a vitamin, however, Vitamin D actually is also a hormone that plays a role in cellular behavior. As a steroid hormone, it can enter into the cell nucleus, and change the way the cells behave. As an important regulator of human immune function, vitamin D may stimulate innate immune responses which provide front-line protection against infectious agents. It acts as an essential immunomodulator. 

When levels of Vitamin D are inadequate, our bodies lack basic immunity. Additionally, it also reduces inflammation.

Many cells in the human body have vitamin D receptors and need Vitamin D to function properly, including those in your skin and brain. Vitamin D is needed for normal bone mineralization and growth, maintenance of muscle strength and coordination, cardiovascular health, as well as strong and balanced immune function.

Recent research has shown that Vitamin D may play a role in keeping our lungs healthy, with higher levels of Vitamin D having positive effects on lung function and health. As such, Vitamin D increases resistance to respiratory tract pathogens such as Sars 2 coronavirus.

Recent studies from Spain in 2020 showed a correlation between Vitamin D and the incidence, severity, and mortality in Covid-19 patients with patients having higher levels of Vitamin D being more resistant to Covid19, with faster recovery and lower mortality. 

Low levels of Vitamin D have also been associated with hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, which are risk factors in Covid-19.

Vitamin D is found in fish oil, mushrooms, egg yolks, and red meat. Most importantly it enters the skin through the ultraviolet radiation of sunlight. 

During the winter months in the northern hemisphere above the 35th latitude, Vitamin D deficiency becomes more prevalent in the general population.  Taking Vitamin D supplements is the best way to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D during the winter months.