Coconut Oil Health Benefits, Properties, and Uses

Common Names: Virgin Coconut Oil

Properties: Anti-fungal, Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Immune system booster, Anti-viral, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-microbial, Healing, Superfood

What is Coconut Oil?

Coconut oil is a type of oil that is processed from the coconut meat of palm trees.¹ It’s a tropical oil similar to palm, cocoa, and shea nut oil.² Coconut itself is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and the oil is considered to have significantly more healing properties than other dietary oils.³

Uses and Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

There are many coconut oil benefits. It’s a common misconception that coconut oil is worse for you than other oils because it’s high in saturated fats, which raises “bad” cholesterol. In fact, coconut oil has about a 90% saturated fat content.⁴ However, that’s only one classification of fats. Another way to classify fats is by their size, and coconut oil contains mostly medium-chain fatty acids compared to the long-chain fatty acids most people normally eat.³ Our bodies respond to and metabolize medium-chain fatty acids differently, so they don’t have the same effect as the saturated fats you may be used to.³ Because of that, coconut oil can actually give a boost to “good” cholesterol. Other health benefits include:

It helps burn fat
It helps you eat less to fight obesity
It kills harmful microorganisms
It can improve blood cholesterol levels
It can boost hair and skin health⁵

There are many coconut oil uses, including for the following conditions:

Acne - With its many beneficial nutrients, coconut oil may help treat acne. Not only is it an antibacterial, which will combat the cause of acne, but you can use coconut oil for the skin to help moisturize it and keep it healthy.6 To use coconut oil for the face, simply apply the oil to the affected area, wait a few moments, and then rinse off and pat dry.
Hypothyroidism - Hypothyroidism is a condition where your thyroid, which is an endocrine gland in your neck, is not as active as it should be. This slows your metabolism and results in weight gain. Coconut oil helps with these symptoms by boosting metabolism and promoting thyroid health.⁷
Dandruff - Dandruff is flakes of dead skin cells from the head, which often results in discomfort and itching. You can use coconut oil for hair treatment as a natural conditioner that will nourish and moisturize your scalp.⁸

In addition to these benefits, you can also use coconut oil for weight loss since its medium-chain fatty acids help increase fullness, are less likely to be stored as fat, and help burn calories and promote fat loss.⁹ However, it’s still high in calories, so the best way to use it is as a cooking substitute for other oils. Another common use is swishing coconut oil for teeth health as the antibacterial properties help prevent tooth decay.¹⁰

Coconut Oil Side Effects and Precautions

In general, coconut oil is safe. However, it’s best to start with small doses and work your way up to bigger ones. Too much coconut oil can lead to:

Cholesterol increase
Intestinal distress
Allergic reactions in some people¹¹
People with kidney problems, cholera, or dehydration should avoid coconut oil, and those with high cholesterol should use it with caution.¹²

References