Coconut Oil – Fitness Superfood #1
Coconut Oil 101: The Many Surprising Health Benefits
Lets talk about the many health benefits of coconut oil.
This is day 1 in our 12 day series showcasing the top 12 superfoods to help you with your fitness and nutrition goals.
The first fitness superfood that we want to highlight is coconut oil.
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Now I know a lot of people use olive oil for cooking, and there are a lot of healthy benefits to using olive oil, however I do not use it to cook over heat.
Using olive oil over high heat can cause it to become rancid and may turn it into a carcinogenic.
I use olive oil mainly for salad dressings and when sauteing over low to medium heat.
When cooking over high heat, I prefer to use avocado oil as it has a higher smoke point, however when stir frying over medium high heat, I typically use coconut oil.
Coconut oil has a higher smoke point of 350 degrees fahrenheit.
When stored at room temperature, it’s in a solid state, making it great as a buttery substitute.
A great source of MCT fat
Coconut oil is considered an medium chain fatty acid (MCT).
Being an MCT fat, it’s readily available and burned for short-term energy rather than being stored as body fat.
This makes it a great source of immediate energy when glycogen levels are depleted when following a lower carb fat loss diet.
I also love blending it into my coffee to make coconut oil coffee.
By doing this it not only adds a creamy texture, it also provides even more energy to the coffee.
Coconut oil also acts as a good pre-workout boost when energy levels are low. Try taking 1-2 tbsp for a before your workout.
Not only does it give you an energy boost, it’s also a decent source of electrolytes due to it’s calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium content.
Foods high in MCT are also known to help improve health, brain function, and improve overall body composition, including decreasing the circumference of your waist.
Are The Saturated Fats In Coconut Oil Bad?
Also, don’t be alarmed when you see the nutrition label showing 13 grams of saturated fat per serving.
90% of the fat in coconut oil is saturated.
However, saturated fat is not evil as it was once labeled. It actually provides the body with a variety of health and wellness benefits.
And since the fat is an MCT, it doesn’t enter the cholesterol cycle, therefore it doesn’t increase bad cholesterol in the body.
More Coconut Oil Health Benefits
- It’s great for a fast metabolism
This is because it can increase energy burn and help improve the function of the thyroid, which is a major player in having a healthy metabolism.
- It’s also an immunity booster
Since it’s high in lauric acid, it makes it very antibacterial, antiviral, as well as being a good source of antioxidants.
- It also helps with absorption of minerals
This is great for bone health, as it enables the fat soluble vitamin K to help with calcium metabolism.
Great for Skin and Hair Care
Although I don’t apply it to my face, many people use it as a moisturizer for their skin and hair.
Here’s a recipe for healthy homemade deodorant using coconut oil.
So there you go.
Those are your tips of the day for fitness superfood #1: coconut oil.
If coconut oil is not yet a part of your daily diet, give it a try.
We live it so much, we included it as 1 of the 20 foods found in our Live Lean 20 Diet System.
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Where Can You Buy Coconut Oil For A Good Price?
You can buy coconut oil for a great price on Amazon, or you can get it for 43% off at Thrive Market.
If you get it a your local grocery store, this is super important, make sure you look for virgin or expeller pressed on the label, not partially hydrogenated.
Virgin coconut oil will have a coconut flavor, where expeller pressed will be flavorless.
Come back tomorrow for fitness superfood #2.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.
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