Can coconut oil help you lose weight?

Coconut oil in the recent past has gained a lot of attention in the world of healthy diet trends. Cooking in coconut oil is considered much better than using other highly refined oils like canola and vegetable oil. However, this is not the first time when the world has come to realise the health benefits of coconut oil. It has been in use for past many centuries for keeping the skin soft and nourishing the hair.

Many people started adding this tropical oil to their meals, snacks, and beverages when trying to shed kilos because it is a healthy fat. But is this oil really that effective? We tried to unveil the truth behind it.

The health benefits of coconut oil are mainly because of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) found in it. Our body can metabolise medium-chain fatty acids easily and differently than long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), which is found in foods like olive oil and nut butter. They are not stored in the adipose tissues like long-chain fatty acids. Rather it is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and transported to the liver. Our liver metabolises the small chains into energy, helping us to manage our weight. The likelihood of MCT to be stored in the body is very less. Apart from this, there are some other health benefits of consuming coconut oil as well.

As coconut oil is basically composed of MCT it may help your burn more calories in a day, which may be beneficial when trying to shed kilos. Our body uses the short-chain MCT immediately, which in turn may produce a thermogenic effect in the body.

Coconut oil may make you feel fuller for a longer period of time and even regulate your appetite. Studies suggest that having a meal cooked in coconut oil may increase the sensation of fullness as compared to eating low-fat meals. However, some studies contradict this claim and believe that feelings of fullness aren’t influenced by fatty acid saturation levels.

There is evidence that proves coconut oil is healthy for consumption and is better than other long chair oils. However, it cannot be said with surety that consuming coconut oil can speed up your weight loss process. There are contradicting views on this matter. More research is needed in this area.