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
Coconut oil also has a higher cooking temp than olive oil. I’ve also been using coconut oil for oil pulling and making my own toothpaste.
I’ve heard the opposite about olive oil. I can’t find the source right now, but read that if you take a tablespoon or so of olive oil at night before going to bed it will help to burn fat and line your intestines to allow you to “go” better in the am. Thoughts?
I can attest to the weight loss. I lost 14 lbs in 40 days eating a high-fat/grain-free diet. I ate lots of coconut oil and I loved it!
what did your diet consist of? THANKS
I can attest to the weight loss. I lost 14 lbs in 40 days eating a high-fat/grain-free diet. I ate lots of coconut oil and I loved it!
I have read many reports that coconut oil helps people with dementia and Alzheimer’s as well.
i purchase it in 5 gallon buckets too… much more economical.. and no worries about the shelf life.. 5 years or more.
Hi Sarah,
I just wanted to say I hope you have a good time at the convention this weekend, I hope you get some fabulous food and learn lots. You seem very comfortable in front of the camera so I assume you will be comfortable speaking in front of everyone. Do they ever share recipes? I look forward to learning more from you!
Sincerely,
Sarah
Stomp the Weight Loss Accelerator Using Coconut Oil – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/ONHBiayJ
Sarah is so right and I have been doing this also but I want to mention that it is also excellent for a dog with bad thyroid problem. I have a rescue dog with such a problem….. been treating it with natural means so as to not have it shut down completely. I learned that coconut oil may be helpful for thyroid so starting giving it to him in his meal. After about 6 weeks, I am seeing a dog who actually trots across the lawn at the drop of the hat. He used to move so lethargically but now actually has some energy. He doesn’t look any thinner yet but I am hopeful that between the coconut oil and extra movement, we will see a change in his size as well.
Well, I think it’s best to keep in mind there are no real rules that people can expect. I did gain weight eating fat. I gained 40 lbs while pregnant eating only meat, low carb vegetables, grass fed raw dairy and some blueberries and nuts. Not one single time did I eat any grains or sugar the entire pregnancy and for months before getting pregnant. I was also not underweight before getting pregnant. I’ve also not been able to lose weight on a low carb diet after the pregnancy a year and a half ago. I mean I lost an initial 20 and then gained some of that BACK. I also took a minimum of 3 tbps of coconut oil a day for months and didn’t lose a thing. Some of us CAN get fat eating just meat and veg and plenty of fat. Sorry.
I too get fat from eating healthy fats.
Gaining 40 pounds in pregnancy is normal and healthy, and taking it off afterwards is often a long process that can take time. hormones have a big impact on weight gain and loss, especially during and after pregnancy and breastfeeding.
To lose the weight you may have to engage in some calorie restriction.
I agree .. I gained almost 40 lbs with my first 2 children and lost every single pound without dieting or even trying .. I just breastfed and let my body return to normal. It took a full 2 years to completely return to my normal weight which is interestingly EXACTLY the minimum time to get pregnant again (3-4 years between children being ideal according to traditional cultures).
Great article. I’ve always talked about the benefits of coconut oil with people wanting to lose weight. The majority of people have believed saturated fats are link to heart disease and because of this they don’t understand things like coconut oil can help them lose weight. Saturated fats occur naturally in nature so they have to be good, right? Whenever we go against nature we have problems! I was also surprised to see olive oil isn’t as healthy as I previously thought. I will be sure to spread the word about that. Thinks for a great informative article.
“Saturated fats occur naturally in nature so they have to be good, right?”
So does lead, arsenic, radon, etc. Natural occurance is not a very good criteron for a healthy diet, in my opinion. Maybe a scientific, controlled experiment instead?