Top 10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a “superfood.”

Its unique combination of fatty acids can have positive effects on your health.

This includes fat loss, better brain function and various other impressive benefits.

1. Coconut Oil Contains Fatty Acids With Potent Medicinal Properties

Coconut oil is high in healthy saturated fats that have different effects than most other fats in your diet.

These fats can boost fat burning and provide your body and brain with quick energy. They also raise the good HDL cholesterol in your blood, which is linked to reduced heart disease risk.

Most fats in the diet are called long-chain triglycerides, but the fats in coconut oil are known as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). What this means is that the fatty acids are shorter than most other fats (1).

When you eat these types of fats, they go straight to the liver, where they are used as a quick source of energy or turned into ketones.

Ketones can have powerful benefits for the brain, and are being studied as treatment for epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and other conditions.