A Spoonful of Coconut Oil A Day...
Healthy skin is all a question of inner and outer beauty. Layering serums and creams, no matter how high the quality, is not enough. You probably already know the impact of eating healthy, fruits and vegetables and the importance of hydration, but there's a shortcut to eating your way to healthy skin, and which gives immediate effects.
Eat spoonfuls of oil. And this doesn't just mean adding more salmon, avocado and nuts to your diet... in the dry winter months, try eating a couple of rice crackers or toast as a vehicle for a good spoonful of coconut oil. It's actually quite delicious, filling, and you'll notice a difference in your skin as early as the next day. For a double impact, seal in other serums and moisturizers with a thin layer of coconut oil. It will sink in after a few minutes and protect your skin from the harsh, dry winter air.
Coconut Oil Nutrition
MCFA's: Coconut oils contain healthy, medium-chained fatty acids, known as MCFA's, including Caprylic acid, Lauric acid, Capric acid. around 62% of the oils in coconut are made up of these 3 healthy fatty acids and 91% of the fat in coconut oil is healthy saturated fat. Most fats take longer to digest, but MCFAs only have to go through a 3 step process to be turned into fuel while other fats have go through a 26 step process.
MCFA Benefits:
Easier to digest
Not readily stored as fat
Anti-microbial and anti-fungal
Smaller in size which allows for easier cell permeability for immediate energy
Processed by the liver, meaning they are immediately converted to energy instead of being stored as fat
Health Benefits
Fights Alzheimers Disease+Memory boosting: Digesting MCFA's by way of the liver creates ketones which supply energy directly to the brain without the need of insulin to convert glucose into energy. The brain creates its own insulin to process glucose, and an Alzheimer's brain is inefficient in this conversion process. Ketones from coconut oil offer a supplementary source (1) and is known to improve memory in the elderly. (2)
Heart Health: Increases healthy cholesterol levels (HDL) which promotes heart health and also helps covert bad cholesterol (LDL) into the good kind. (3)
Kidney+Liver Function: MCFA's act as a natural antibiotic and can help clear urinary tract infections. Studies have shown that it directly protects liver from damage. (4)
Inflammation: High levels of antioxidants found in coconut oil help to reduce inflammation and work to lubricate joints. (5)
Cancer Fighting: Ketones produced during coconut oil digestion cannot be consumed by cancer cells and it is believed that diets high in ketones can help starve the body of "cancer fuel" like processe sugars. And becauce MCFA's digest the lipid wall of bacteria, they can also attack a specific bacteria (helicobacter pylori bacteria) which is known to increase the risk of stomach cancer. (6)
Immune Boost: Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is known to reduce candida, fight bacteria, and create a hostile environment for viruses. (7)
Improves Digestion: Coconut oil helps the body absorb fat-soluable vitamins like calcium and magnesium and if taken at the same time as omega-3 fatty acids, it can make them twice as readily available to be absorbed by the body. Coconut oil can also destroy candida and bad bacteria in the gut which can decrease stomach acid and cause inflammation. (8)
Eases Pancreatitis: The MCFA's of coconut oil do not need pancreatic enzymes to be broken down, so replacing other oils and butters with coconut oil eases strain on the pancreas. (9)
Skin Health: the fatty acids in coconut oil reduce inflammation internally as well as externally. Inflammation is a common root of most skin issues. (10)
Balance Hormones: Studies have found that coconut oil can have positive effects of estrogen. (11)