Coconut Oil & Metabolism

There are many coconut oils on the market, but not all of them have the same health properties. Coconut oil has been the subject of much scientific research. It has been proven to have several health benefits including the ability to increase the metabolic rate.

Virgin Coconut Oil

• Virgin coconut oil is made from fresh coconut meat, and does not go through many of the processes that other coconut oils endure. There are no chemicals or high temperatures used when making this oil, so the healthy properties of the coconut oil are retained.

  It is important to understand that refined coconut oil should not be used for weight loss. This oil undergoes a bleaching and deodorizing process that depletes many of the coconut oil's healthy benefits, including the disruption of the fatty-acid balance of the oil. This refined oil will not boost metabolism.

Fat or Carbohydrate

• Coconut oil has less calories than other oils, and less fat. The body actually uses coconut oil differently than it does other oil. Because coconut oil is more like a carbohydrate than a fat, the body actually uses coconut oil to produce energy.

Metabolic Rate

• Coconut oil is made of medium-chain fatty acids, which are easily absorbed into the body. Because of this, coconut oil helps to boost the metabolic rate. The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are not stored like other fats but burned rapidly as an energy source.

  Bruce Fife, author of "The Coconut Oil Miracle," states that "coconut oil not only increases the metabolic rate soon after its consumption, but the metabolic rate stays elevated for at least 24 hours after eating." This is phenomenal news for people wanting to boost their metabolism.

Hypothyroidism

• In an interview on Webmd.com, Fife states that the types of oils found in coconut oil stimulate metabolism. He even recommends the use of coconut oil by people who suffer from hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a condition that decreases metabolism ,which makes weight loss extremely difficult.

  Coconut oil can help to speed up the metabolism of these patients and help them lose weight. Fife said that many of these people can actually feel the process of their metabolism changing. "Some people with low thyroid function tell me they feel warm and their body temperature rises one or two degrees after eating coconut oil."

Weight Loss

• A study from McGill University in Canada showed that replacing all oils in the daily diet with oils like coconut oil can result in a significant amount of weight loss. A person can lose up to 36 pounds in one year without even changing their diet. However, it is important to note that coconut oil can cause weight gain if it is over-eaten, just like any healthy food.