Healthy Coconut Oils

Coconut oil is often used for cooking, as a healthy hair and skin moisturizer and in beauty products. It’s also popular in smoothies and fried foods.

However, the oil contains a high amount of saturated fat, which isn’t good for your health. It can raise your LDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease.

1. Rich in Lauric Acid

Healthy coconut oils are packed with lauric acid, the most abundant medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in nature. Unlike long chain saturated fats, lauric acid is metabolized quickly by the liver and doesn’t contribute much to fat accumulation.

It’s also a good source of capric acid and caprylic acid, both of which provide additional health benefits.

Lauric acid is also an antibacterial nutrient that has been shown to reduce skin bacteria that cause acne. It works to kill Propionibacterium acnes, a type of bacteria that can clog pores and promote follicular inflammation.

2. Rich in Potassium

Healthy coconut oils are full of potassium, which is an important electrolyte. It can help you replenish minerals like sodium, which is lost through sweat, and calcium, which is used by muscles to produce energy.

Potassium is also a good source of magnesium, which can help regulate blood pressure. It’s an important part of maintaining good health and fighting off diseases.

Although saturated fat is often linked to heart disease, there’s a lot of evidence to support the idea that replacing it with unsaturated fat can have positive health benefits. For example, the American Heart Association recommends limiting your intake of saturated fats to no more than 6 percent of your daily calories.

3. Rich in Vitamin E

The richness of Vitamin E in healthy coconut oils is well-known. This fat-soluble nutrient protects the body from harmful free radicals, which are often produced by oxidative stress.

It can help prevent a number of chronic diseases, including cancer and diabetes6. Additionally, it has anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Despite the high saturated fat content, it’s recommended that you limit your total intake of saturated fat to less than 10% of your calories to protect your heart health.

This is because coconut oil contains mostly medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that are quickly metabolized and are less likely to raise your LDL cholesterol levels than the more long-chain fatty acids found in lard. These fats also provide quick satiety and are known to have a positive impact on weight loss and calorie control.

4. Rich in Antioxidants

Many healthy coconut oils are rich in antioxidants, which can help prevent oxidative stress and inflammation. They are also known to slow aging and boost hormone balance.

In addition, coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which can be quickly digested and used for energy. These fats have been shown to increase the levels of HDL cholesterol in the body, making them less harmful than saturated fats.

However, coconut oil is high in saturated fats, which can raise your LDL cholesterol level and raise your risk of heart disease. For this reason, nutrition experts recommend replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats.

5. Rich in MCTs

Healthy coconut oils are a rich source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These are fatty acids that have a short chain length and contain between 6-12 carbon atoms.

MCTs are quickly metabolized in the liver to produce ketones. Ketones are compounds that the body uses for energy instead of glucose.

The ketones that are produced during this process can boost your ability to perform well during exercise, according to research. They also support weight loss because your body can use the ketones for fuel instead of storing them as fat.

MCTs are found in many foods, including dairy products, grass-fed butter and palm kernel oil. But MCT oil is the most concentrated source of these fatty acids.