Virgin coconut oil has been called the healthiest oil on planet because of its surprising health benefits. It is the richest natural food source of lauric acid apart from mother's milk. Before now, there was a misconception spread among many people that coconut oil is not good for heart health. This is because it contains a large amount of saturated fats which is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. But research has proven them wrong. In fact, consuming coconut oil can cut your chances of heart disease better than any drug on the market. So what are the health benefits?

1) Antioxidant to Slow Down Aging

Oxidation is a natural process, which takes place all the time in nature. It is why a tuber of yam cut open turns brown. Fish becomes rancid. It is a major cause of skin aging. As your skin gets exposed by the day to UV light, oxygen, pollutions and etc, oxidation occurs to generate reactive oxygen radicals also known as free radicals which dramatically, cause significant damage to cell structures hence, degenerative disorders including aging and disease. Even though the changes may be latent but with time, manifestations such as increase in wrinkle formation, loss of skin tone, hyper pigmentation and other skin discoloration becomes evidence of your aging skin. However, coconut oil having positive antioxidant properties helps your body to neutralize the free radical thus stopping further damage they will cause to other healthy fats and cells in our body.

2) Weight Loss

Coconut oil contains a special type of fat called medium chain triglyceride (MCT). The fat structure is totally different from the ones you find in over 90% of your cooking oils like canola, groundnut, corn, soy, safflower, sunflower and numerous vegetable oils. They contain a type of fat called long chain triglyceride (LCT) and the body stores them as fat because they are large molecules which are difficult to break down in the body. But Coconut oil on the other hand, containing MCT fat is usually sent straight to the liver where it is burned as fuel to produce instant energy, much like a carbohydrate but without the insulin spike.

This promotes weight loss because the body does not store it as fat unlike vegetable oils. More so, Coconut oil improves thyroid function, the gland that controls metabolism. This is so important because, If you have a low-functioning thyroid (hypothyroid), you will find it difficult losing weight even if you cut down on carbs. This amazing oil is really a fat-burning-fat because while it is being broken down in the liver, the body’s metabolism is increased which in turn raises the body’s ability to burn fat. The story of a woman, (http://www.nutridomain.com/blogs/2013/10/21/burn-fat-with-fat/) just one of the numerous stories who was losing 1 pound weekly with this oil will really surprise you. It also curbs your appetite and craving for food when taken about 30 minutes before meal. What it does is to make you feel full so naturally so you eat less. (For weight loss, take 6-9 teaspoons daily. you can add it to you tea or take it as a supplement but it must pure virgin like Ceno coconut oil.)

3) Supports your Body’s Immune System

The medium chain fatty acids found in coconut are:

· Caprylic acid C8

· Capric acid C10

· Lauric acid C12

· Myristic Acid C14

These MCFAs are loaded with anti bacterial, viral, microbial and fungal properties. Lauric acid found in coconut oil is the same, present in mothers milk which protects the baby from viral infections. Caprylic acid on the other hand is the most potent yeast fighting substance.

When lauric acid is consumed either from our mothers milk or coconut oil, it transforms into monolaurin which is an antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal monoglyceride that inhibits the actions of many lipid coated viruses. Researchers have found that the lipid (or fatty) membranes of the offending organisms are usually being disrupted by MCFAs because their membranes are both very similar. This confuses the microbes and viruses causing them to weaken and become easy prey to white blood cells, which in turn strengthens the body’s immune system.

4) Promotes Heart Health

source: continue here http://www.nutridomain.com/blogs/2013/10/21/5-powerful-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil-you-are-probably-not-aware-of/