Coconut Oil Diet:
Helpful or Harmful?

Coconut oil does not harm you at all for it is the healthiest dietary oil on earth.

Is coconut oil healthy and how do I eat coconut oil each day are two questions I often get.

For me, a diet with coconut oil means taking 4 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil (VCO) daily. But my wife and relatives always make sure that I get even more with their excellent coconut recipes.

Coconut oil is helpful, not harmful. In fact, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) includes coconut oil or coconut butter on its list of foods Generally Regarded As Safe or GRAS. Only foods that have passed rigorous testing and have a history of risk-free usage can qualify for admission on this list.

Some prefer taking coconut oil capsules as their version of a coconut oil diet. If you're seriously considering this approach, there are pros and cons you should know.

Heart Friendly

The biggest lie about coconut oil or a typical coconut diet is that it promotes atherosclerosis. Several studies have already shown that coconut oil, at worse, is neutral in the development of heart disease. In reality, it can even prevent heart problems.

Coconut oil is a 92% saturated fat. Detractors say that it is just like beef tallow and lard, so it must be atherogenic.

Not All Saturated Fats are The Same

It's true that coconut oil, lard and beef tallow are all saturated fats. But coconut oil is primarily medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). Beef and lard are composed entirely of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA).

MCFAs do not circulate in your bloodstream, like LCFAs do. MCFAs go directly to your liver and are instantly transformed into energy.

Much of the health benefits of coconut oil are powered by these virtually rare MCFAs.

Stop Overeating

Coconut oil gives a feeling of satiety quicker so you won't overeat. Its polyunsaturated counterparts such as soybean, canola and corn oils, don't make you feel full as quickly.

Because they don't give a feeling of satiety the way coconut oil does, polyunsaturated oils make you eat more than you really should. The result is even more excess fat to be needlessly stored away in your body.

An Oil-Change Can Do Wonders

Like a car engine in excellent shape, the human body needs healthy oils to keep running efficiently.

A study conducted at McGill University, Canada has demonstrated that by simply replacing your polyunsaturated dietary oils with coconut oil, you can lose up to almost 40 pounds of unwanted body fat yearly. You don't even have to decrease calorie intake or change anything else in your diet.

Cooking with coconut oil is a super easy way to ensure that your body is getting the right kinds of fats. Hmmm, which reminds me... Time to watch some DVD. Coconut oil popcorn anyone?

Give Your Liver a Break

A liver cleanse diet with coconut oil is guaranteed to revitalize your body. Your liver is a very important organ as it detoxifies, builds proteins and fats, and performs a multitude of other functions vital to maintaining ideal health.

A coconut oil diet helps your liver take a much needed break. MCFAs protect your liver from free radicals and provide it an immediate energy source to fuel metabolism.