Coconut oil is the chameleon of oils, blending into kitchen cupboards and bathroom counters with ease and serving seemingly endless purposes. Its high smoke point makes it perfect for frying, while its properties as a saturated fat make it a go-to dairy-free butter substitute in baking. And the nutty, slightly sweet scent of virgin coconut oil could just as easily belong to a moisturizer as a coffee creamer alternative.

Coconut Oil Can Kill Harmful Microorganisms

The 12-carbon lauric acid makes up about 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil.

When lauric acid is digested, it also forms a substance called monolaurin.

Both lauric acid and monolaurin can kill harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Coconut Oil Can Increase Fat Burning

Obesity is one of the biggest health problems in the world.

While some people think obesity is only a matter of calories, others (myself included) believe that the sources of those calories are important too.

It is a fact that different foods affect our bodies and hormones in different ways. In this regard, a calorie is not a calorie.

The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil can increase how many calories you burn compared to the same amount of calories from longer chain fats.

One study found that 15-30 grams of MCTs per day increased 24 hour energy expenditure by 5%, totalling about 120 calories per day.

Coconut Oil Contains Fatty Acids

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.

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.

Coconut Oil Can Raise The Good HDL Cholesterol

Coconut oil contains natural saturated fats that increase the good HDL cholesterol in your body. They may also help turn the bad LDL cholesterol into a less harmful form.

By increasing HDL, many experts believe that coconut oil could be good for heart health compared to many other fats.

In one study in 40 women, coconut oil reduced total and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL compared to soybean oil.

Another study in 116 patients showed that a dietary program that included coconut oil raised levels of the good HDL cholesterol.

Coconut Oil Can Help You Lose Fat

Given that coconut oil can reduce appetite and increase fat burning, it makes sense that it can also help you lose weight.

Coconut oil appears to be especially effective at reducing belly fat, which lodges in the abdominal cavity and around organs.

This is the most dangerous fat of all and is highly associated with many chronic Western diseases.

Waist circumference is easily measured and is a great marker for the amount of fat in the abdominal cavity.