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Studies that conclude that coconut oil should be recommended for weight loss are in line with the position of the Brazilian Association of Nutrology

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Coconut oil is a vegetable fat extracted from the fruit. Nucifera coconuts and came to be known mainly for its reputation for providing health benefits, including weight loss. However, this fame is controversial, as there are those who question some of its properties - including some health experts. On the other hand, studies suggest that the use of coconut oil to treat and prevent disease should be reconsidered.

Types

Although the best known coconut oil is coconut oil. Nucifera coconuts, which can be extracted from both green coconut and dry coconut (or copra), there are also other types of coconut that give rise to oils, such as babassu coconut - whose scientific name is A. specious -, between others. However, the oil of this type of coconut is more often referred to as “babassu coconut oil”.

Coconut oils available on the market have different compositions - which provides different properties according to each way they were produced.

The extra virgin coconut oil, organic (which does not use pesticides in the planting) and cold pressed is the oil that best maintains the original properties of the fruit and causes less environmental impact. On the other hand, hydrogenated coconut oil is unanimously harmful to health. To better understand about the extraction processes and how they affect the properties of vegetable oils take a look at the article: “Vegetable oils: know the benefits, forms of extraction and properties”.

Controversy

Coconut oil has scientifically proven benefits. Studies suggest that it is used to care for hair, prevent Alzheimer's, treat skin diseases, among other positive properties that you can see in the article: "Coconut oil: benefits, what it is for and how to use it". Using coconut oil to lose weight, however, is controversial.

After it started to be recommended by doctors and nutritionists as a healthy food, some oppositions emerged within the medical and nutrition area. This is because this type of oil is rich in saturated fat, a type of fat that, until then, was considered a cholesterol-raising agent.

Coconut oil to lose weight

The saturated fat present in coconut oil is different from the saturated fat present in foods of animal origin (sausages, creams, cheeses, butters, lard and meat). It has medium-chain fatty acids (such as lauric acid, myristic acid and caprylic acid), which are the only ones that can be absorbed and metabolized by the liver and converted into ketones - important alternative energy sources for the brain. In addition, a study published by the platform US National Library of Medicine suggests that the benefits of coconut oil should be reconsidered. This is because, according to the same study, which was carried out in pre-menopausal Filipino women, coconut oil consumption reduces total cholesterol, which contributes to a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease - being a great substitute for butters and hydrogenated vegetable fats.

The same study presents information that data from the 2003 Philippine National Nutrition Survey show a relatively low incidence of hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), hypertension, stroke and angina (weakening of the heart muscles) in the Bicol region. , where diets have high levels of coconut consumption compared to other regions.

However, despite these aspects considered beneficial to coconut oil, the Brazilian Association of Nutrology (ABRAN) considers that the studies carried out so far are controversial and inconclusive. And recommends that coconut oil should not be prescribed for the prevention or treatment of obesity (to lose weight).

ABRAN also states that:

1. When coconut oil is compared to vegetable oils less rich in saturated fatty acid, it increases total cholesterol.
2. Studies that conclude that coconut oil has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and immunomodulatory activities are predominantly experimental, notably in vitro, with no clinical studies demonstrating these effects.
3. So far, there is no clinical evidence that coconut oil can protect or alleviate neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
4. A very small number of studies, with controversial results, have reported the effects of coconut oil on body weight in humans.

If you are more interested in this subject, check out the video by the doctor Juliano Pimentel questioning ABRAN's position.

If you liked the article about coconut oil to lose weight, take a look at this one: "The 21 foods that help you lose weight with health".