Coconut Oil--Anyone tried this?

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plzlbsbegone
plzlbsbegone Posts: 233
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone here used coconut oil as a supplement to aid in weight loss or to treat hypothyroidism? It's supposedly great for your metabolosm, and I would love to hear if anyone here has used it, and what results they may gotten. Thanks! :drinker:

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  • plzlbsbegone
    plzlbsbegone Posts: 233
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    anyone?
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    Coconut oil is just coconut oil. It's not magic. It's got a reasonably good profile of lipids and it probably taste yum. I can't think of any physiological reason it would help with hypothyroidism. If people claim it helps, it's likely due to a placebo effect. I also can't think of any physiological reason it would improve your metabolism.

    Most foods increase metabolism briefly because they cost energy to digest. There are some MINOR differences in how much energy they might cost, as in protein might cost a tinsy tiny bit more than carbs, but the over-all effect on metabolism is unnoticeable. There are some foods that MIGHT have a slightly greater effect on metabolism because of whatever chemical compounds are contained in those foods (chilli peppers, for example), but again, the effect is tinsy tiny and not something any normal person is going to notice. You'd have to do 'actual science' to notice anything- complete with a large sample size and a control population.

    My advice: Eat coconut oil if it sounds yummy and exotic to you, but don't eat it because you think it's going to help you lose weight faster.

    Also, olive oil and canola oil have a great lipid profile too... and they're cheaper.
  • kkrobins
    kkrobins Posts: 37 Member
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    @ Labrat...Thank alot, this was very informative! A co-worker was just telling me that coconut oil will help me shed pounds. You can't find it in you local grocery, glad I couldn't find it ;-)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,114 Member
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    It is expensive. I use it for cooking and I add it to my morning coffee, and it's great for applying to hair and skin. But a 16 oz jar is about $9.


    I think the claims of helping lose weight or help with hypothyroidism are silly. Unless I see a peer reviewed study, I'm not buying it.

    I do like it for cooking, if you buy the refined version there is virtually no flavor.

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