In a world that’s filled with processed foods and tempting treats that aren’t particularly good for you, it can be hard to stick to maintain a balanced diet all the time. And for that reason, many of us turn to supplements as a way of making sure we get all the essential minerals and vitamins we need to remain strong and healthy.
One supplement that’s gained a lot of popularity recently is coconut oil. If you don’t know much about coconut oil then keep reading, as by the time you’ve finished this article you’ll be an expert (well, almost).
In this article, we’re going to take you through some of the many health benefits of this wondrous substance as well as touch on the different forms it comes in. We’ve also put together a short buyers guide of things to look for when buying coconut oil pills or capsules and lastly, a list of some of the most popular brands selling at the moment.
- 3 softgels per serving is a little extreme
- 120 softgels capsules
- $$
- Good value for money
- 120 softgels capsules
- $$$
- Good value for money and only 1 softgel per serving
- 120 softgels capsules
- $$$
What Are the Benefits of Taking Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil is becoming more and more widely used across the world as people begin to realize just how good the benefits of taking it are. The following list is just some of the amazing health benefits that have been experienced by taking coconut oil as a supplement:
Coconut Oil for Weight Loss
Coconut oil is 50% lauric acid made of a 12-carbon atom chain. These fatty acids can actually help in weight reduction. It’s a much easier oil to digest than other edible oils and helps to promote health functioning within the endocrine and thyroid system.
The way it works is by increasing the body’s metabolic rate. This removes some of the stress on the pancreas and as a result, burns even more energy, helping overweight people sheds those extra pounds.
Skin Care
If you suffer from dry skin, coconut can do wonders for you. It’s a very effective moisturizer that’s suitable for many types of skin (though not all types, it can clog pores for some people). Using pure coconut oil avoids the potential side effects one may get from additives and preservatives in standard oil-based moisturizers.
Coconut oil has been used by many to treat various skin conditions including dermatitis, sunburn, diaper rash, stretch marks, psoriasis, and eczema. It’s even been known to delay the onset of wrinkles thanks to its antioxidant properties.
Hair Care
Coconut oil is very effective in reducing protein loss and as a result, helps to keep your hair healthy and shiny. It’s also a great conditioner that can accelerate the growth of damaged hair.
Boosting Immunity
Coconut oil contains many special ingredients that make it great for boosting immunity, but the two that are most important in this area are lauric acid and caprylic acid. Lauric acid is an antiviral property that the body converts into monolaurin, an antiviral agent responsible for fighting off a number of different viruses and pathogens.
Some of the viruses and pathogens that have been prevented thanks to coconut oil include influenza, HIV, herpes, Listeria monocytogenes, and cytomegalovirus. Caprylic acid is rich in antifungal and antimicrobial properties.
Improving Digestion
Many people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other digestion-related issues use coconut oil to help their symptoms. The saturated fats found in coconut oil have antimicrobial properties that work wonders in fighting the various parasites, fungi, and bacteria that are known to cause indigestion. And, it also helps the body absorb other vital nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, and amino acids.
Important Note on Digestion
For the coconut oil to be effective for IBS, it must be placed in enteric capsules. Otherwise, the pH within the gut breaks down the gel capsules before reaching the lower bowels where IBS is active.
Supporting Diabetics/Controlling Blood Sugar
People with diabetes find coconut useful as it helps control one’s blood sugar levels by promoting the effective use of blood glucose. It also improves the secretion of insulin within the body.
Improving Bone Strength
The reason why coconut oil is good for improving bone strength is that it improves our body’s ability to absorb certain minerals. Some of these minerals, including magnesium and calcium, are vital for the development of bones.
Stress/Anxiety Relief
Coconut oil is great for using as a stress or anxiety reliever as it’s so soothing. This may be down to its antioxidant properties. To help rid mental fatigue simply massage a few drops of coconut oil onto the head, relax, and wait for the tension to disappear.
And those are just some of the benefits of taking coconut oil!
Liquid vs Pills
Now that you know just how wonderful coconut oil is for your body we’ll take a look at some of the pros and cons of taking it in liquid form vs pill form.
Liquid Coconut Oil
Pros
Cons
Coconut Oil Pills or Capsules
Pros
Cons
How to Choose the Right Coconut Oil Pill
There’s quite a lot of choice out there when it comes to coconut oil pills and capsules and knowing which brand to go for can be confusing if you don’t know what to look for. A lot of the packaging looks the same, so what do you look for?
The first thing you want to take a look at is the list of ingredients. Upon comparing several different coconut oil pills side by side, you’ll find that many of them have the exact same ingredients in the exact same doses. This is usually an indication that they’ve all come from the same factory and simply had different labels put on.
Another thing that’s worth looking at is the recommended dose. However, don’t panic if you see a massive variation across manufacturers. Coconut oil (even in pill or capsule form) is still technically a food, so there is no official recommended dosage. In which case it’s always best to start with a low dose and increase it as and when needed.
The only other thing you can really look out for is how much you’re getting for your money. If three different manufacturers are all selling coconut capsules with the exact same level of ingredients but one is half the price, what’s the point in buying one of the more expensive products? Remember, good research always pays off.
Coconut Oil Supplements
Below is our assessment of some of the top coconut oil capsules on the market and how they differ.
- Good value for money
- 120 softgel capsules
- $$$
- Good value for money and 100% money back guarantee
- 120 softgel capsules
- $$$
- Good value for money and only 1 softgel per serving
- 180 softgel capsules
- $$$
- Pure vegetarian product but poor value for money
- 100 softgels capsules
- $
- 3 softgels per serving is a little extreme
- 120 softgels capsules
- $$
- Good value for money
- 120 softgels capsules
- $$$
- Excellent value for money
- 120 softgels capsules
- $$$$
- 4 softgels per serving is very extreme and value for money is poor
- 120 softgels capsules
- $
- Good value for money and only 1 softgel per serving
- 180 softgels capsules
- $$$
- Good value for money and only 1 softgel per serving
- 120 softgels capsules
- $$$
We hope you found the above article both informative and helpful. Whichever form you choose to go for in the end, the benefits of taking coconut oil will become apparent almost instantly. It’s a safe and natural supplement that can help eliminate a whole range of health concerns. And for the sake of a few dollars, what have you really got to lose?