How to use coconut oil for weight loss, why it’s appetite suppressing effects are so powerful, and how much to take per day for best results.
One key to successful and lasting weight loss is to ensure steady blood sugar so that any extreme ups and downs are avoided. Insulin spikes and crashes cause you to fall off the wagon and make a beeline for the junk food aisle at the supermarket or the jumbo bag of chips in your pantry.
How Coconut Oil Supports Weight Loss
How to best steady the blood sugar over long periods of time and between meals? The answer is regular consumption of healthy, satiating nourishing fats of course! Coconut oil for weight loss is the optimal fat to choose for this purpose. The best of the best in this category is organic virgin coconut oil.
The reasons coconut oil is so effective for losing weight, as well as ongoing weight maintenance, are many. First, the plethora of healthy medium-chain saturated fatty acids (MCT oils) boosts metabolism for immediate energy. Lauric acid is the most notable of these.
Some research suggests that it supports thyroid function as well. A strong thyroid is essential for achieving a healthy weight.
MCTs Don’t Store as Body Fat
As a bonus, the MCTs in coconut oil don’t end up as stored body fat like longer chain monounsaturated fatty acids sometimes can. Hence, beware of scams that promote industrialized oils like the CLA safflower oil diet for weight loss. More on that below.
Finally, coconut oil is highly anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral which discourages pathogens in the gut from usurping roles ideally performed by probiotics. Research has demonstrated that thin people tend to have a more diverse and beneficial intestinal microbiome than overweight and obese individuals. Hence, using coconut oil can help change that microbial balance for the better over the long term.
Countries that consume high amounts of coconut and coconut oil in their diets such as the Philippines, India, and the Pacific Islands have significantly fewer cases of heart disease and obesity. This strong anthropological evidence clearly disproves any agenda-driven smear campaign against this marvelously healthy oil! Sorry American Heart Association. You’ve totally missed the mark when it comes to coconut oil!
Supermodels are already onto the coconut oil for weight loss secret. Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr has been using coconut oil for years to maintain her enviable figure and won’t go anywhere without it!
Why Coconut Oil Helps You Shed Pounds BETTER than Olive Oil
Olive oil, in particular, should be limited or avoided entirely by those wishing to lose weight!
This is surprising to many people as olive oil is typically the first “healthy oil” that they think of due to the heavy promotion of this Mediterranean oil by conventional doctors and nutritionists.
In fact, a 1994 study published in The Lancet noted that the fatty acid most predominantly found in body fat was monounsaturated fat like that found in high amounts in olive oil!
Could this be why those in Mediterranean countries so often gain weight at middle age?
When choosing a fat to speed up weight loss then, it is best to limit the use of olive oil and other predominantly monounsaturated (omega-9) fats. Popular examples include peanut oil and avocado oil. Be sure to avoid canola oil too, which is usually GMO in addition to weight gain promoting.
Coconut oil for weight loss is the far better choice!
How to Use Coconut Oil to Drop Pounds Fast
Coconut oil naturally solidifies at 76 F/ 24 C so it is best to liquefy it in hot water before consuming as a weight loss aid. It is not to be confused with unrefined cocoa butter, another healthy fat that looks similar and is also solid at room temperature.
Twenty minutes before mealtime is the best time to take your coconut oil as it will significantly reduce appetite and help you to feel full more quickly and be satisfied with smaller portions.
To liquefy, mix 1-2 TBL of coconut oil in a mug and add hot water, bone broth or herbal tea (NOT bulletproof coffee!). Stir to melt and drink. Use the following guidelines to determine how much oil to consume before each meal:
- 90-130 lbs, use 1 TBL coconut oil before each meal for a total of 3 TBL per day.
- 131-180 lbs, use 1.5 TBL coconut oil before each meal for a total of 4.5 TBL per day.
- Over 180 lbs, use 2 TBL coconut oil before each meal for a total of 6 TBL per day.
Alternatively, you can simply eat the coconut oil and let it liquify in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing. If you are interested in taking coconut oil capsules instead of off the spoon oil for weight loss, the linked article details how many to take and how effective this approach is.
*If you find that the coconut oil makes you a bit queasy at first, try using herbal bitters (this brand is excellent) as an inexpensive remedy to help your liver and gall bladder adjust.
Gamma-Linolenic Acid Supercharges Effects
Be aware that gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is another critical fat necessary for optimal and sustained weight loss. Be sure to include it along with your coconut oil weight loss efforts!
GLA facilitates the process of flushing fat by speeding metabolism like coconut oil. But, it does this in a very different way. GLA stimulates internal “brown fat”. This is the type of fat that is usually dormant in overweight people. Brown fat is also more prevalent in young people and women. As body mass index (BMI) decreases, metabolically active brown fat levels increase. Use your brown fat to your advantage ladies!
GLA is primarily found in organ meats. As a result, unless you eat liver or heart regularly, it is best to supplement with it. The good news is that you only need small amounts. Combined with daily doses of coconut oil, you will achieve the most effective weight loss results.
The best quality GLA supplement is black currant oil capsules. Black currant oil contains sufficient GLA levels. It is also better tolerated than borage oil and is not estrogenic like evening primrose oil. Finally, it has the best overall fatty acid profile of all GLA supplements.
Another idea for helping the weight loss along is to consider combining your coconut oil protocol with a bone broth fast a couple of days a week.
Best Coconut Oil to Get Leaner
Be aware that not all coconut oil is created equal for weight loss purposes!
While coconut oil is very resistant to heat damage, solvents are frequently used to extract it, so sourcing high-quality oil from a reputable company is of paramount importance to avoid any chemical residues.
Using only organic virgin coconut oil therapeutically for your weight loss efforts is a good idea as all the delicate micronutrients in the oil will be preserved and no chemicals will have been used in processing.
To check out coconut oil sources I trust and that have been vetted for quality, be sure to check out my healthy shopping list.
References
Eat Fat, Lose Fat
The Effect of Coconut Oil on Serum Cholesterol Levels and HDLs, by Dr. Mary Enig
More Information
The Harcombe Diet: Can Real Food Take Off Real Weight?
The Keto Diet
How to Implement High Fat Low Carb for Weight Loss
Dukan Diet
When Coconut Oil May Not Be Right for You
MCT Oil Warning
Coconut Oil at Costco
Hi Sara I wrote you before about this but I can’t remember where and which article but I’m really confused about which coconut oil to use now some are saying not to use cold press you should use steamed or expeller I’ve always used cold pressed but for cooking I use refined coconut oil or butter but for weight loss would it be better for cold press also I use cold press for popcorn so I’m really confused I will check here’s to see if you can clarify or if you have an article to direct me to get my facts right thank you!!
What reasons are you seeing against cold pressed coconut oil?
I’m not sure that coconut oil can help to reduce weight. Anyway, it’s a very healthy product with a wide range of benefits. Thanks for this interesting article.
“Walking and swimming are the best exercises for weight loss…..the dr told me that I need a complete knee replacement so I started doing these two exercises and went from walking with a cane to walking pretty normally.
Any exercise versus no exercise will help just gotta keep putting one foot in front of the other and eventually you will see results
Reply”
There is a blog called Ditch Carb that has copied your article (and many others’), word for word. According to Whois the domain owner is GoDaddy if you would like to submit a copyrite claim. You can find “their” article below” and also on their facebook page.
ditchcarb.com/2017/04/02/how-to-use-coconut-oil-for-weight-loss-diet-program/
How about the coconut oil (extract thru cooking) from the coconut plantation not virgin coconut or what but the natural coconut in our backyards, will this can be use instead of virgin coconut oil?
Yes, I just read coconut oils for weight loss because it contains medium-chain fatty acids which instead of being stored in your body, is processed by the liver and turn into energy.
If is any of help, I have started using coconut oil in January 2018 before then I didn’t know anything about it.
Coconut oil has weight loss benefit only if consume whole food, avoid certain food like processed food and certain fruits.
I hope my response help you to figure out what wrong foods you are consuming . The coconut oil weight loss require you to eat less carbs.
Sarah, you are a pretty small woman. I’ve been following you for years. Do you really use coconut oil for weight loss? Have you ever really needed to lose weight? If one is diligent how much weight can you expect to lose in 30 days? is this a lifestyle thing, once you lose weight you have to keep doing it to keep it off? My sister in law, who is also a big fan of yours and has never carried an extra pound on her, taught this to many of her friends, they all gained weight. I’m afraid to do this? Any fat people ever try this? I’m shocked that there are recommendation for people who weigh 90-130 pounds, few adults who fallen that weight range are over weight unless they are very tiny or small boned or short.
Great article!
Does Black Currant oil need to be refrigerated? I have some I bought about a year ago that doesn’t expire until 10/18. However it’s been opened in my cabinet for a few months.
Yes, it is a good idea to refrigerate as the fatty acids are delicate and subject to rancidity.
No doubt that coconut oil is an extremely healthy oil, , but I’ve been using it (Tropical Traditions Gold) for at least 15 years, and it’s done absolutely nothing to help me lose weight. (I eat grain free and sugar free, only organic foods.) My entire extended family has consumed olive oil for generations, and very few are them are overweight. Go figure.
Are you consuming coconut oil as an appetite suppressant to facilitate portion control as suggested in this post or are you just using it for baking and cooking?