Benefits of Coconut Oil for Health and Beauty

The benefits of coconut oil are quite diverse, both for cooking and body care needs. The medical benefits of coconut oil are still being studied. Although claims about the benefits of coconut oil have not been proven 100 percent, their use is increasingly popular in the community. Coconut oil according to some studies is expected to be useful for health and beauty. Here are some possible benefits that can be obtained from coconut oil.

Coconut Oil for Health

Good coconut oil is virgin or virgin coconut oil (VCO), not processed oil. VCO is extracted from fresh coconut without the use of chemical additives and without high temperatures. It is intended that the natural ingredients, such as phenolic compounds, are not damaged. Therefore, pure coconut oil has the potential as an antioxidant. In addition, compounds in coconut oil such as lauric acid, caprylic acid and caprate can support the growth of probiotics in the digestive tract and function against bad bacteria. Here are some possible benefits of coconut oil for health.

• For diet

You can use VCO as an oil when cooking or mixed with the content in VCO is believed to help stimulate metabolism. One effect that can be found on coconut oil is to make full longer, so that the urge to consume excess food or eat snacks will be reduced. In addition, coconut oil consists of medium chain fatty acids that easily enter the liver cells. These advantages make coconut oil a fat that is quickly burned by the body into energy. Medium chain fatty acids are not easily converted into fat reserves, so encourage weight loss. Although claimed to be good for those who want to lose weight, so far data on the effectiveness of coconut oil for diets are still limited, so more research is needed. If you want to lose weight, you can't just rely on VCO. You still need to exercise and eat a healthy and balanced diet. VCO can be regarded as a small part of a good diet. Consumption of a maximum of one tablespoon a day.

• Antioxidants are good for the heart because they contain polyphenols

The benefits of coconut oil for heart health are thought to be due to its polyphenol content. This is because polyphenols prevent atherosclerosis, which is hardening of the walls of blood vessels due to accumulation of fatty plaque on the walls of blood vessels. This means the risk of heart disease is also reduced. If your health is normal, maybe coconut oil can be included in the diet menu. If you have heart disease, it is advisable to consult with your doctor about the consumption of coconut oil.

• To reduce bad fats

One of the benefits of coconut oil that is claimed to be good for health is reducing total cholesterol, bad fat (LDL) and triglycerides, and increasing good fat (HDL). This effect is predicted to maintain a healthy heart and blood vessels. However, some research shows that consumption of coconut oil only increases levels of good fats, but does not have a significant effect on reducing total cholesterol and bad fats in the blood. Therefore, the benefits of coconut oil on this one still needs further investigation.

• For diabetes

Chains of fatty acids in coconut oil are thought to improve glucose tolerance in the body. In the case of type 2 diabetes, coconut oil is also believed to improve insulin sensitivity. However, more research is needed to prove this.

Coconut Oil for Beauty

Coconut oil is thought to be beneficial for beauty, including for:

• Treat acne

Acne treatment does not have to always use chemical-based drugs, but can also with VCO. The content of lauric acid in coconut oil is thought to be effective in reducing inflammation and fighting bacteria. Therefore, lauric acid in coconut oil can be an alternative to antibiotics for acne prone skin. Of course, do not forget to always maintain skin hygiene and pay attention to food intake.

• Moisturizer

In addition to treating acne, lauric acid in coconut oil also functions as a skin moisturizer. Not only for healthy skin, coconut oil can also be used in eczema and psoriasis skin diseases. The antibacterial effect is thought to be very useful to fight the spread of staphylococcal bacteria in this disease.

Coconut oil can be made at home or bought in the market. You can use coconut oil to keep the skin moist. However, if you want to use coconut oil to maintain health, it is recommended to limit the dose because the efficacy and safety still need to be investigated. Moreover, if you have certain medical conditions. You can consult a doctor before using coconut oil, if you have health problems.