The notion of
‘healthy fats' is becoming increasingly acknowledged. The idea that some
fats may actually help you loose weight is a little further-fetched,
yet It appears this seeming paradox is indeed the case. As will be
explored, both coconut oil and omega-3 oil can speed up metabolism and
accelerate the burning of fats in the body.
Distinguishing
between fats is imperative for optimum health and weight. Saturated
animal fats are notoriously linked to obesity, heart disease and cancer.
Hydrogenated fats as found in many processed foods, bakery products and
margarines are even worse and contain trans fats, the most harmful fats
of all. Refined cooking oils are also detrimental, with harsh
processing methods altering oil molecules and creating toxins and free
radicals.
Natural cold-pressed oils such as nut, seed, olive and
fish oils, contain healthy essential fatty acids, monounsaturated fats,
nutrients and phytochemicals that serve the body.
Coconut oil is
also supremely healthy; a saturated fat structurally different from
animal saturated fats containing medium-chain as opposed to long-chain
fatty acids. These molecules are small enough to be absorbed directly
into the liver and used as an immediate source of energy by the body.
They place no strain on the digestive system and their availability for
metabolism means they are not likely to be stored as fat (unlike
high-calorie cholesterol-heavy long-chain animal fats).
Coconut
oil has a plethora of noted health benefits. It houses lauric acid, an
antimicrobial fatty acid that fights bacteria, viruses and fungi. Some
more surprising benefits include an ability to lower cholesterol, reduce
the risk of heart disease and actually stimulate weight loss. It has
also been found to benefit conditions such as diabetes, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, digestive disorders and thyroid imbalances.
Dr. Weston A Price, the Darwin of nutrition
writes: ‘Replacing the fats you now eat with coconut oil may be the
wisest decision you can make to lose excess body fat...Yes, there is a
dietary fat that can actually help you take off unwanted pounds. Coconut
oil can quite literally be called a low-fat fat.'
In the 1940's
farmers discovered that attempts to fatten up their animals with coconut
oil produced the opposite effect; they became leaner and more active.
Ironically, with the demand for leaner meat today, they are now using
coconut oil for this very purpose.
Raymond Peat MD, author of
Coconut Oil and Its Virtues concludes, ‘The anti-obesity effect of
coconut oil is clear in all of the animal studies, and in my friends who
eat it regularly.'
Omega-3 oil is another virtuous fat that can
actually speed up the burning of fats in the body and hence aid weight
loss. Omega-3 oil serves numerous bodily processes and is particularly
beneficial to the immune system and heart as well as arthritis, skin
conditions, pre-menstrual tension, mental function, improving memory and
reducing depressive symptoms.
One of the main reasons omega 3 oil
increases fat metabolism is because of its effects on insulin,
significantly reducing it's levels in the body. Insulin inhibits the
enzyme lipase which breaks down fat for use as energy and activates an
enzyme that converts carbohydrate into fat.
Insulin promotes the use of
fat for storage and reduces the use of fat for fuel, hence lower insulin
levels mean a greater conversion of fat for energy rather than storage.
Omega-3
oil is found in cold-water fish such as sardines, salmon, herring and
mackerel as well as plant sources such as flax seeds (the richest plant
source), walnuts, pumpkin seeds, mustard seeds, green-leafed vegetables
and spirulina.
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