Coconut Oil-Good For Your Mind, Body And Teeth
Coconut oil is officially a "Saturated fat", which usually conjures up fears of obesity and heart disease. This is unfounded in the research literature but has become ingrained in our "conventional wisdom". The main type of fat in coconut oil is Lauric Acid, a Medium Chain Triglyceride that is solid at room temperature and does not go rancid. Don't let the word triglyceride fool you. Coconut oil does not negatively affect your Cholesterol levels. The faulty logic that it is solid so that it must clog your arteries is inaccurate. That means the solid strawberry you recently ate must do the same thing, right? Most other vegetable oils become rancid at room and body temperature and are known to contribute to hardening of the arteries.
The magic of the medium chain fats is that they kill germs by being disruptive to their outer coating. The oil made by your skin is similar and serves to protect us through this function. That is why using coconut oil topically for healthier skin is so popular.
A less well-known use is to swish your mouth with virgin coconut oil. The oil acts to kill germs in your mouth as it does when used on your skin. You will notice that your teeth will feel much cleaner afterwards and remain so for longer periods. I have been doing this for a long time and swear by it. Take a solid teaspoon full and let it melt in my mouth. Swish it around for one minute or longer, and then swallow it afterwards for extra health benefits!
