Coconut oil works as the elixir in terms of health benefits. The oil was known for its beauty benefits and has been used for generations now. Whether you want to treat hair loss, split ends, or skin rash, coconut oil was always an answer.
In recent years, health experts are recommending coconut oil to be used in food as it promotes weight loss and the healthy functioning of your body. Read on to learn how to use coconut oil for weight loss and what type of coconut oil to use for optimal results.
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Why is coconut oil good for weight loss?
Coconut oil has many health benefits, promoting weight loss being one of them. But what makes it so good for weight loss?
Note that not all coconut oil will help you on your journey to reducing weight.
The belief that coconut oil benefits weight loss is mainly based on the fact that it contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).
MCTs are metabolized by our bodies differently than long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which are found in foods like olive oil. They are easily digested due to their shorter length, and many health benefits are linked to the way our body processes these fats.
They work actively toward boosting faster metabolism and increasing our energy (source).
It also curbs hunger and has the potential to enhance the feeling of fullness. So you will not feel unnecessary urge to have multiple snacks in between each meal.
MCT coconut oil has been shown to increase the release of the hormone leptin that promote the feeling of fullness in the body (source).
That is precisely the reason why coconut oil has been so effective for weight loss and is being adopted at mass in the sports arena.
One more reason that MCT coconut oil can help you lose weight is that it helps optimize the growth of good bacteria in your gut (source). A healthy gut microbiome is a key factor in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Does coconut oil reduce belly fat?
In fact, coconut oil is among the few cooking oils that are directly linked to losing harmful belly fats. It can affect the way you feel about yourself; it may even be a cause of discomfort for you. So if you’re trying to get rid of belly fat, adding coconut oil to your food habit may just be the solution for you.
The key factor at play here is medium-chain triglycerides or MCT. I won’t go into the chemistry of it, but this medium-chain fatty acid helps burn a tremendous amount of calories from your body after a meal. It may even reduce hunger as ketones come at play.
Studies have shown taking MCT coconut oil can significantly reduce body weight and waist circumference (source). Researchers even found that it could help prevent obesity in an animal study (source).
Moreover, MCT coconut oil increases the HDL level of your body, promoting higher heart-protective “good” cholesterol levels. No need to worry as this cholesterol only helps your weight loss and reduces your belly fat.
How to use coconut oil for weight loss?
Coconut oil is an appetite suppressant, and it curbs your food intake. That’s what makes it so effective in weight loss.
There are several effective ways to reduce weight loss using MCT coconut oil. To state a few:
1. Add to your tea
This is, in fact, the most effective way to ingest coconut oil. And the tea only adds to the health value. Try to add a couple of drops of MCT coconut oil with your herbal tea or latte every morning. Here are a couple of recipes to try:
2. Cook with coconut oil
If you don’t feel like drinking coconut oil directly, you can simply replace it with your cooking oil and feel its benefits. Not only that, but you can also replace it with olive oil or butter in your cooking routine.
One caution on cooking with MCT coconut oil is that the smoke point of MCT oil is 320°F, which is lower than other types of coconut oil. Keep your cooking temperature up to a maximum of 320°F to prevent damaging the fat and losing its potent health benefits.
3. Add to your salad dressing
Replace olive oil with MCT coconut oil in your salad dressings. MCT oil made from coconuts are liquids at room temperature and make the perfect salad dressing oil base as they are tasteless.
4. Drink a spoonful directly
It’s a little intense, I know. But drinking a spoonful of MCT coconut oil directly can be rather effective and hassle-free. It will simply curb your hunger. Since you are working on reducing weight, you can complement the MCT coconut oil with a clean eating routine.
5. 20 minutes before a meal
Cooking oil is not natural appetite controllers and does not discourage us from having one more bite. However, such is not the case for coconut oil. In fact, on the contrary. Coconut oil, when taken prior to a meal, will offer you a feeling of fullness so you will naturally be content with eating a balanced meal and prevent overeating.
How much coconut oil should you take a day to lose weight?
Since MCT coconut oil has the potential to curb your appetite and increase cholesterol levels, you want to be careful about how to use it for weight loss and how much you should take.
Researchers have been conducting many studies to figure out the correct dosage of MCT coconut oil per day. The suggested amount of MCT you should intake each day is 15-30 grams, and 2 tablespoons will serve about 18 grams of MCT.
However, the accurate dosage for you would depend on the number of calories you consume every day.
You can go as high as 39 grams if your calorie intake is higher. That being said, if you’re just starting out, you should start off with a lower proportion.
Try taking 1 tablespoon of coconut oil every day and see how it works for you. You can upgrade to 2 tablespoons after a couple of weeks if it serves you well.
The key here is to use it to replace, not add, to your normal fat intake to reduce any negative side effects, such as the potential of an increased amount of fat in your liver in the long term.
MCT Coconut oil has impressive health benefits, and users around the world can testify to it. You can replace your regular cooking oil with coconut and enjoy this wonder ingredient. It will largely boost your metabolism and help you get rid of belly fat.
However, you have to be careful about choosing the right type of coconut oil. Organic and MCT coconut oil brings the best result in weight loss.
We hope this article has helped you get a clear insight into how to use coconut oil for weight loss.
