‘Umeke Market Is Going Coo Coo for Coconuts!
Wednesday - March 24, 2010
The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. Coconut oil serves as a great antioxidant, and is also antibacterial.
Lauric: A naturally occurring acid found in Coconut oil:
Lauric acid is the main acid in coconut oil and is believed to have antimicrobial properties. The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which is claimed to help fight viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as herpes, influenza, and even HIV.
Coconut Oil has been used for many years as a natural approach to healing. One thing that must be understood about this beneficial oil is that it is made up of more than 90 percent saturated fats, but don’t panic! The Saturated Fatty Acids; most of them are Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT), which resemble carbohydrates more than fat. As a result, they are more easily absorbed, digested, and utilized as energy Some benefits include:
Hair Care: healthy growth of hair providing them a shiny complexion. It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair.
Skin Care: it’s an excellent massage oil. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skins including dry skin. The benefit of coconut oil is comparable to that of mineral oil. Unlike mineral oil, there is no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin with the application of coconut oil. It also delays wrinkles, and sagging of skin which normally become prominent with age.
Heart Disease: There is a misconception spread among many people that coconut oil is not good for the heart. This is because it contains a large quantity of saturated fats. However, coconut oil is beneficial for the heart. It contains about 50% lauric acid, which helps in preventing various heart problems including high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.
Weight Loss: very useful in reducing weight. It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that help in taking off excessive weight. It is also easy to digest and it helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid and enzymes systems.
Digestion: Internal use of coconut oil occurs primarily as cooking oil. Coconut oil helps in improving the digestive system and thus prevents various stomach and digestion related problems including irritable bowel syndrome. The saturated fats present in coconut oil have anti microbial properties and help in dealing with various bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc., that cause indigestion.
Immunity: good for the immune system, helping to fight viruses and bacteria.
Healing: When applied on infections, it forms a protective layer for any infected part of the body. it is most effective on bruises as it speeds up the healing process by repairing damaged tissues.
Liver: The MCT’s and fatty acids help in preventing liver diseases as they are easily converted into energy when they reach the liver, which reduces the work load on the liver and also prevents the accumulation of fat.
Diabetes: helps in controlling blood sugar, which is crucial for anyone suffering from diabetes.
Bones: improves the ability of our body to absorb important minerals. These include calcium and magnesium, which are necessary for development of bones. Thus coconut oil is very useful to women who are prone to osteoporosis after middle age.
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