We know by now that coconut oil has many health benefits and can be used for a variety of health and wellness purposes both internal and external, but one often overlooked benefit of coconut oil is using it to boost metabolism and lose unhealthy weight. Most people use coconut oil for cooking or maybe for external skin or haircare use but may overlook the internal metabolism boosting benefits.
Coconut oil is a unique food because it contains MCT. MCT is Medium Chain Triglycerides are medium length fatty acids that give you energy for a longer period of time and burn slower as a source of energy than other sources of energy such as sugar. One study found that men and women who consumed MCT instead of olive oil had an increase in metabolism and lost unhealthy fat faster than those who consumed olive oil. MCT is in that organic extra virgin coconut oil you can get pretty much anywhere now.
MCT is not only responsible for improving metabolism but also improving blood sugar regulation, improve function of the thyroid which produce hormones responsible for burning and/or conserving fat as well as improve appetite control maintaining a regular appetite. Not only that but MCT is also beneficial for brain and cholesterol health, breast milk is actually very rich in medium chain triglycerides.
According to Dr. Laurie Cullen at the Women’s Institute, when MCTs are absorbed into the blood stream, they bypass the digestion process that longer chain fats go through. MCT’s provide quick energy for the body and are thus less likely to be stored in the fat cells. Further, Dr. Cullen says that when a meal includes medium chain triglycerides, there is a significant increase in the number of calories burned (thermogenic effect). When more calories are used, fewer are stored as fat, which helps to reduce body fat levels. To make a long story short MCT fats are digested more like carbohydrates as opposed to LCT (Long Chain Triglycerides) in the body. They are metabolized quickly and can be used as a source of fuel almost instantaneously whereas other fats require bile and more work by the body to use the fat as energy.
So how can you include the fat fighting power of coconut oil and the MCT in it within your daily routine to burn fat? You can use it in your diet and drinks alike. Some people just take a spooonful of coconut oil each day and make it a consistent habit while others use it in food and drinks.You can consume it how you’d like, i’d just recommend consuming it more consistently and consume these MCT (otherwise known as MFCA: Medium Chain Fatty Acids) as often as possible in an uncooked manner.
Consuming medium chain fatty acids through coconut oil the way nature intended (uncooked) keeps the structure of the oil intact and makes the fatty acids available to the body to use almost instantaneously. Creating an environment where you cook these fats then introduce them into your body is not as effective as consuming the raw thing.
You can put coconut oil in a organic whole food smoothie in the morning. Simply add one spoonful of it, and you can take it at night by adding a spoonful to your meal or by just ingesting one spoonful. One spoonful a day is a great amount of MCT fats for your liver to produce energy, boost your metabolism and be in a fat burning ketogenic state. If you have two or more spoonfuls each day you are really giving your body a great amount of MCFA’s and are setting yourself up to be in a fat burning state more often. Just start with one spoonful of extra virgin unrefined coconut oil each day and go from there. It’s important to use organic extra virgin unrefined coconut oil because it has not been heated to a temperature too high during the manufacturing process to change the chemical structure of the fats in the oil.
The key to use coconut oil to burn fat is to simply ingest 1-2 spoonfulls of organic coconut oil daily that is raw and unheated in any way and to eat a healthy whole food before and after this process also, whether it’s eating the food right along with it or an hour or two later. Eating a healthy food (organic raw whole food) that is rich in enzymes, minerals, vitamins and fiber will help to support your liver and optimize your metabolism further. If you pair a beneficial spoonful of coconut oil with a doughnut then you’re shortchanging yourself. Pairing the coconut oil with a healthy fruit or vegetable adds to the benefits to continuously optimize your liver and metabolism to be in a peak fat burning state more hours of the day.
Take a look at the book ‘Dirt Cheap Weight Loss‘ on amazon for more economical and practical fat burning advice from myself and my co-author.
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