How Coconut Oil Fights Fatty Liver Disease
Coconut oil is sometimes called the “oil of life.” It’s great for your health inside and out. Believe it or not, it was once viewed as a health risk. Today, many studies have shown that essential fatty acids are great for your overall health. This includes how coconut oil fights fatty liver disease.
In this article, we’ll look at how this oil can help relieve many liver problems. More specifically, we’ll look at how coconut oil fights fatty liver disease.
Coconut oil and liver health
First of all, you should buy coconut oil from a natural foods store or diet shop. This way, you can be sure that it was made naturally and organically.
Coconut oil has been used for centuries in Asia and the Pacific region for a variety of diseases. It has also been used to enhance the appearance of skin and hair.
Today it’s used all over the world, now that we know it doesn’t pose a threat to our heart health. As such, you can use it for many things as long as you take it in moderation.
- Coconut oil is a type of saturated fat that’s great for many bodily functions. It being a “fat” won’t hurt you since your body also needs essential fatty acids.
- Its fatty acids are of medium chain. Most fats are long chain, which can negatively impact your cholesterol levels. Coconut oil on the other hand, helps improve your heart and liver health.
- This oil contains lauric acid, which helps lower cholesterol and balance blood pressure.
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- Coconut oil is packed with antioxidants that protect your liver from free radicals while eliminating toxins.
How coconut oil fights fatty liver disease
Coconut oil reduces the inflammation and swelling that’s common with fatty liver disease. It eases the work your liver has to do while preventing it from storing fat. It’s incredibly effective.Thanks to its antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, it tackles multiple liver problems while accelerating metabolic function.
Other studies have shown that regular consumption of coconut oil (a tablespoon a day) helps prevent alcohol-related liver damage. It heals and nourishes your liver while providing it continuous energy.
Coconut oil provides an energy boost
Coconut oil is able to give you an energy boost when you’re feeling sluggish. Those with liver problems are often tired or experience high levels of apathy.
When your liver stores too much fat it can lead to exhaustion. However, once you start taking a tablespoon of coconut oil regularly, your liver will be able to break down fat much faster. Moreover, it will use it like it does carbohydrates. In other words, it will convert fat into energy.
- In addition, athletes commonly add coconut oil as a natural supplement to their sports drinks and smoothies.
- You should also know that coconut oil can help with weight loss when you incorporate it into a healthy and balanced diet.
- The more energy your body has, the faster your metabolism will work. You’ll have more energy to start the day which will motivate you to exercise more. It will also help you to lose weight by maintaining a healthy diet.
Coconut oil improves your digestion
Coconut oil can improve the function of your digestive system. This means it can better absorb vitamins and soluble fats.
The minerals and amino acids in coconut oil help fight digestive problems like ulcers or even irritable bowel syndrome.
Another interesting fact is that the saturated fat in coconut oil has antimicrobial properties. As such, it helps to eliminate potential bacteria, fungi, and parasites that can cause indigestion and other conditions.
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Recommended daily intake and potential side effects
- Take about one tablespoon of coconut oil on an empty stomach (15 grams per day). You can add it to your juice or smoothies.
- Coconut oil’s main side effects are nausea and an upset stomach. Not everyone has the same reaction, so be sure to pay attention to how you feel.
- If you’d like, you can divide the tablespoon into three servings of one teaspoon (5 grams) throughout the day. Finally, it all depends on what you tolerate best. Still, the key is to be consistent and avoid consuming too much.
In conclusion, we hope you now understand how coconut oil fights fatty liver disease. Be sure to read our other articles on the benefits of coconut oil.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (AESAN) (2020). Informe del Comité Científico de la Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (AESAN) de revisión y actualización de las Recomendaciones Dietéticas para la población española. AESAN-2020-005. https://www.aesan.gob.es/AECOSAN/docs/documentos/seguridad_alimentaria/evaluacion_riesgos/informes_comite/RECOMENDACIONES_DIETETICAS.pdf
- Harvard, T.H CHAN. School of public health. (2023). Coconut Oil. Consultado el día 02 de enero de 2024. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/coconut-oil/
- Narayanankutty, A., Mukundan, D., Kuruvilla, K., Raghavamenon, A. (2018). Virgin coconut oil reverses hepatic steatosis by restoring redox homeostasis and lipid metabolism in male Wistar rats. Journal of the science of food and agriculture; 98(5),1757-1764. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28862329/
- National institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases NIH. (2021) Alimentación, dieta y nutrición para la enfermedad del hígado graso no alcohólica y la esteatohepatitis no alcohólica. Consultado el día 02 de enero de 2024. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/informacion-de-la-salud/enfermedades-higado/esteatohepatitis-no-alcoholica/alimentos-dietas-nutricion
- Perreira, L., Oliveira, R., Bellizzi, B., Payão, P., Afonso, A. (2023). Metabolic Effects of Coconut Oil on Fatty Liver and Oxidative Stress Induced by a High-fat Diet in Rats. Gene Expression; 22(1), 10-18. https://www.xiahepublishing.com/1555-3884/GE-2022-00006
- Santos, G., Et al. (2022). Coconut oil effect in the complications of hepactic disease. In SciELO Preprints. https://preprints.scielo.org/index.php/scielo/preprint/view/4142/version/4379