4 Reasons Why Coconut Is The Ultimate Fruit For Weight Loss
Coconut can help in effective weight loss and improving your exercise performance.
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Ever wondered what all coconut can do to your body? Of the many health benefits that the fruit offers, it can help in weight loss as well. Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar suggests that coconut is a fruit which can effectively help in improving your exercise performance. Apart from being a wholesome meal, coconuts can help in burning fat, give a boost to our immunity and regulate blood pressure. Another interesting aspect of eating coconuts is that they can be consumed ripe, dry, tender and with water.
Here are the ways in which coconut helps in weight loss:
1. The fruit is low on carbs
Numerous dietitians and nutritionists have suggested eating low-carb foods for quick weight loss. And coconut is a fruit which is low in carbs and can effectively help in weight loss.
Sapna Puri, Delhi-based diet coach says that coconut is an essential part of the very popular ketogenic diet. "In keto diet, you can have coffee with coconut oil as it can help in effective weight loss," she says.
She goes on to explain about the health benefits of having coconut oil on a daily basis. "Coconut has anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It is a healthier version of your regular refined oil. Having coconut oil as a supplement or cooking your food in coconut oil gives a lot of nutrients to your body. Coconut oil prevents acidity in the stomach. It also has anti-bacterial properties. Any skin issues can be addressed by having coconut oil regularly," says Sapna while adding that coconut oil helps in weight loss because it is absorbed by the body in a very healthy manner.
Also read: Here's Why Coconut Oil Is Great For Your Heart!
2. It helps in reducing cravings
Eating coconuts can satiate your hunger and make you feel full for longer. Medium-chain triglyceride fat in coconut helps in achieving satiety. Sugar content in coconut gives instant energy to the body. It prevents repeated hunger and reduces cravings, thereby keeping blood sugar levels under control. You can add fresh coconut to smoothies or coconut flakes in salads and cooked dishes. A good way to include coconut in your diet can be cooking food in edible coconut oil.
Also read: Here's Why Coconut Sugar Is A Healthy Substitute For White Sugar
3. Coconut boosts metabolism
Coconut oil contains most of medium chain fatty acids. These fatty acids are metabolised faster that longer chain fats. Studies say that medium chain fats are stored with lesser efficiency in the body as compared to other fats. They enter the liver directly from the digestive tract, where they are either used as energy or turned into ketone bodies.
Also read: Here's Why You Need To Make Coconut A Part Of Your Daily Diet
4. Coconut oil can help in losing abdominal fat
Because of its properties that reduce appetite and boost metabolism, coconut oil can help in losing fat in the long term. Studies have shown that coconut oil can help in significant reduction in belly fat. Medium chain fats have also been known to help in weight loss and reduce waist circumference.
Coconut can also help in reducing the very difficult to reduce abdominal or belly fat. This fat, which lodges around body organs is known to cause heart diseases, diabetes and inflammation. A reduced belly fat results in better metabolic health and reduced risks of chronic diseases. Eating coconut along with other weight loss strategies such as reducing intake of carbs and increasing intake of protein can significantly trigger the weight loss process.
(Sapna Puri is a Delhi-based diet coach)
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