If you have visited a tropical country and enjoyed their wonderful cuisine, there’s a large possibility that you have tasted dishes that contain coconuts or have been cooked with coconut oil. Eating coconuts is already a way of life for a lot of people around the world, especially in places with tropical climate. The coconut is known as the “tree of life” because of its many uses. In fact, you’ll probably see this delicious fruit or its other forms — especially coconut oil — in the kitchens of people who live in tropical countries.
Coconut oil benefits are widely appreciated today. In fact, coconut oil is even incorporated into the diets of people who are trying to lose weight. One particular example is the Coconut Diet, a low-carb diet plan that is focused on using coconut oil and other coconut products to speed up your metabolism and help you achieve weight management goals. According to the creators of the Coconut Diet, virgin coconut oil helps people not only to lose weight, but also to get rid of certain health problems. Many celebrities who have tried this diet have reported positive results.
How Does the Coconut Diet Work?
The Coconut Diet is said to be beneficial because coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCAs) and medium chain triglycerides, which help jumpstart a metabolic process called “thermogenesis.” These healthy components replace the unhealthy trans fat found in vegetable oils. In addition, vegetable oil contains long-chain fatty acids, which cause your body to produce fat, as well as triglycerides. The long-chain types can cause your body to produce fat, while the medium-chain types can jumpstart a process known as thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is what gets your metabolism working. This is why coconut oil benefits you better.
The Four Phases of the Coconut Diet
If you want to try the Coconut Diet and reap virgin coconut oil benefits, you must familiarize yourself with the four phases of this diet:
- Phase 1: This is known as the “21-day kickoff,” where you will be required to avoid alcohol, fruit, dairy, caffeine, grain-based products, and all forms of sugar. You will need to eat three meals a day (all prepared with coconut oil). Your meals must include lean protein from beef, fish, chicken, and eggs, vegetables, and nuts. Snacking once or twice during the diet is allowed, but make sure you consume only healthy foods like nuts, small amounts of fruit, and celery sticks.
- Phase 2: This lasts for four weeks. You will need to add liquid concoctions to help purify and cleanse your organs.
- Phase 3: Add starchy vegetables, whole grains, and fruits into your meals.
- Phase 4: This is the maintenance period, where you are supposed to reach your target weight again. You can add a few more foods to your diet, but make sure you still avoid certain fruits, alcohol, and sugar.
Aside from consuming coconut oil during the entire diet, you will also need to follow an exercise program, such as aerobic exercise or weight training.
Is the Coconut Diet Effective or Not?
Many health experts refute the effectiveness of the Coconut Diet, saying that there is no concrete scientific evidence to back up these claims. Others also say that the Coconut Diet’s eating requirements are a bit challenging, which may entail many dieters to give up even before the phase is finished.
Nevertheless, incorporating coconut oil and other coconut products into your diet in place of unhealthy vegetable oils is a good move. If you are having doubts about the effectiveness of the Coconut Diet, then start with something simpler, such as adding coconut oil to your meals. You may not see weight loss results immediately, but at least you’re using a healthy cooking product.
About the Author:
A long-time user of virgin coconut oil, Mishka Thomas recently tried the Coconut Diet, and reaped wonderful results from it. She lost almost 10 pounds in just three months. She now makes sure to get more coconut oil benefits by using this product for her hair and skin. She also plans to put up a blog that will feature her favorite coconut oil recipes.
