Yeah, you read that right.
Coconut Oil and weight loss in a single sentence?
I am sure you have come across at least a dozen Whatsapp forwards in your family groups warning about the high-fat content coconut oil contains and how it can adversely impact your health. And they are all right, partially.
But then how does something that is jam-packed with fat help you with weight loss?
Seems like two contradictory statements, right? Well, not exactly.
Worry not, proper consumption of food and water was done before this article was written. These are not some mambo jumbo from a half-conscious mind.
So let us break down the facts.
Is “fat” unhealthy?
What have the entirety of 80’s pop culture and showbiz taught us if not to stay away, perhaps even shun the word “fat”?
But that’s not the fat we are talking about.
Merriam-Webster defines fat as a compound of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which are glycerides of fatty acids. (sorry, I had to throw a cliche in there) Most food has a certain amount of fat, belonging to different kinds, that performs various functions and impacts the body differently. And as shunned as fats are, they are extremely vital to our body’s survival or may just be the doom of it as well.
In conclusion, fat can be both healthy and unhealthy.
Understanding what kind of fat is contained in the food you consume is vital.
There are four main types of fat in our diet - monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans fats.
What are the healthy ones and which are the unhealthy ones? Well, you’d have to go one step deeper and have an understanding of the nature of the carbon chains that form these fats.
Chemistry buffs, you know what I’m talking about. But for the ones who are not so crazy to take a detour into the wonderful world of organic chemistry, I’ll jump into our main topic.
What is the kind of fat present in Coconut Oil?
Coconut Oil is made of 80-90% of saturated fats.
If you’re one of the above-mentioned chemistry buffs, you’d know that saturated fats don't exactly scream green flags right now. Saturated fats are mostly known as the black sheep of the fat family, with millions of studies alleging it can just as well be the death of humankind. They are deemed unhealthy and have been associated with cardiovascular diseases.
Mind you, this is still one of the hottest and longest debates in the world of health. A simple Google search will land you in the middle of a war zone, with reports and studies detailing both sides.
The latest studies, however, have painted a better, clearer picture of the structure of the fat present in Coconut Oil.
Coconut Oil is made up of 100% medium-chain triglycerides, otherwise lovingly called MCTs by busy scientists who don’t want to waste their precious time saying a 24-lettered word.
MCTs have a much shorter chemical structure than other fats and are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream as opposed to long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which are metabolised differently. MCTs are rapidly converted to energy in the liver after digestion.
You might recall from your 6th-grade biology textbooks that fats in the body are divided into two - ones that are immediately used up for energy and ones that are reserved for later use. It’s the latter that shows up as love handles and belly fats over time.
The last two decades have seen a large number of studies with findings claiming that groups of people who include Coconut Oil as a part of their native diets like India and the Philippines have a lower rate of cardiovascular diseases. However, we are unsure of the other factors that might have contributed to the results
So far, we’ve established that Coconut Oil doesn’t give you fat deposits.
But what’s the answer to the big question?
Does Coconut Oil help in weight loss?
Well, yet again, we don’t have any concrete answer to this question. Before you sigh and skip this answer, just glance through the very suggestive conclusions that the world of science has arrived at so far.
There are several speculations that the unique structure of Coconut Oil helps in weight loss. MCTs are believed to enhance energy expenditure and metabolism. MCTs are converted into ketones, which increases fat burning and satiety.
Additionally, it is a fact (and certainly not a speculation) acknowledged by most Coconut Oil users that it leaves you feeling full and lowers appetite, thus aiding in portion management and calorie reduction.
That being said, it is not a magic potion that will get you to size zero in a month.
When paired with a workout routine and a healthy diet, coconut oil can act as a catalyst.
However, it is important to keep in mind that everything should be consumed in moderation. Even the healthiest items in the world can be consumed in unhealthy amounts.
It is suggested to use not more than two tablespoons of oil per person per meal to maintain a good fat level in the body. However, listening to your body and making corrections is also advised.
That brings us to the end of this, what I hope to be an eye-opening, article.
We’ll be back with another myth to bust or some long-buried facts soon.
Ciao.