A FAT THAT DOESN’T MAKE YOU FAT

You’ve probably been told before that you are what you eat. You’ve also probably been told that fat is bad for you and should be avoided. You might be surprised to know that this isn’t always the case. Some saturated fats, such as the naturally occurring saturated fats found in coconut oil, are actually good for you.

This is why USANA’s MySmart™Bars are a great way to get the nutrition you need. These delicious foods contain coconut oil, an excellent source of naturally occurring saturated fats, and contain a beneficial balance of other macronutrients to fuel your body and leave you feeling satisfied.

Coconut Oil: MySmart™ Choice!

Not all fats are created equal. Coconut oil is primarily made up of medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCTs). These types of fatty acids are processed differently by the body than its cousin the long-chain triacylglycerols (LCTs), which are found primarily in animal foods (saturated fat). Coconut oil doesn’t seem to raise your cholesterol and is more likely to be burned as energy than stored as blubber. Why? Because MCTs are oxidised to a greater degree and more efficiently than are LCTs, and have less of an opportunity for deposition into adipose (fatty) tissue.

 A fat that doesn’t make you fat. Consumption of MCT’s from coconut oil has been shown to increase metabolism through an increase in thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is the body’s ability to produce heat which therefore allows the body to utilise more energy.

Coconut oil can be used as a tool in weight reduction. An increase in metabolism and energy utilisation means the body burns more fuel, ie. fat. This demonstrates coconut oil’s utility as a novel weight reduction tool. A study of 30 men in the journal Pharmacology found that just 2 tablespoons per day reduced waist circumference by an average of 1.1 inches over the course of a month.

Coconut oil keeps you fuller for longer. Feeling full is another benefit of consuming coconut oil, this also adds to the oil’s ability to help reduce weight.

How to get more coconut oil into your diet

Besides eating our MySmart™Bars, there are heaps of ways you can use coconut oil. Try adding it your coffees, salad dressing and use it when baking. At roughly 117 calories per tablespoon, coconut oil is a near identical caloric swap for olive oil. It also has a high smoke point makes coconut oil great for just about every dish, from eggs to stir-frys.

It’s a fat that can help you lose weight, get a smaller waist line, plus it keeps you fuller for longer. What more could you want!

References:

Weight-loss diet that includes consumption of medium-chain triacylglycerol oil leads to a greater rate of weight and fat mass loss than does olive oil Marie-Pierre St-Onge and Aubrey Bosarge Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Mar; 87(3): 621–626. Effects of Margarine Containing Medium-chain Triacylglycerols on Body Fat Reduction in Humans Naohisa Nosaka, Hideaki Maki, Yoshie Suzuki, Hirofumi Haruna, Atsushi Ohara, Michio Kasai, Hiroaki Tsuji, Toshiaki Aoyama, Mitsuko Okazaki, Osamu Igarashi and Kazuo Kondo Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis Vol. 10 (2003) No. 5 P 290-298 Thermic effect of medium-chain and long-chain triglycerides in man.Seaton TB, Welle SL, Warenko MK, Campbell RG.  Am J Clin Nutr November 1986 vol. 44 no. 5 630-634 Thermogenesis in humans during overfeeding with medium-chain triglycerides. Physiological effects of medium-chain triglycerides: potential agents in the prevention of obesity. St-Onge MP1, Jones PJ. J Nutr. 2002 Mar;132(3):329-32. Weight-loss diet that includes consumption of medium-chain triacylglycerol oil leads to a greater rate of weight and fat mass loss than does olive oil.  St-Onge MP Bosarge A. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Mar;87(3):621-6. Effects of dietary coconut oil on the biochemical and anthropometric profiles of women presenting abdominal obesity. Assunção ML, Ferreira HS, dos Santos AF, Cabral CR Jr, Florêncio TM. Lipids. 2009 Jul;44(7):593-601. doi: 10.1007/s11745-009-3306-6. Epub 2009 May 13 An Open-Label Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Virgin Coconut Oil in Reducing Visceral Adiposity Kai Ming Liau,  Yeong Yeh Lee, Chee Keong Chen,  and Aida Hanum G. Rasool  ISRN Pharmacol. 2011; 2011: 949686.  doi:  10.5402/2011/949686 Covert manipulation of the ratio of medium- to long-chain triglycerides in isoenergetically dense diets: effect on food intake in ad libitum feeding men. Stubbs RJ, Harbron CG. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1996 May;20(5):435-44. Substrate oxidation and control of food intake in men after a fat-substitute meal compared with meals supplemented with an isoenergetic load of carbohydrate, long-chain triacylglycerols, or medium-chain triacylglycerols. Van Wymelbeke V, Louis-Sylvestre J, Fantino M. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Nov;74(5):620-30. Influence of medium-chain and long-chain triacylglycerols on the control of food intake in men. Van Wymelbeke V, Himaya A, Louis-Sylvestre J, Fantino M. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Aug;68(2):226-34. Impact of medium and long chain triglycerides consumption on appetite and food intake in overweight men. St-Onge MP, Mayrsohn B, O’Keeffe M, Kissileff HR, Choudhury AR, Laferrère B. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014 Oct;68(10):1134-40. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2014.145. Epub 2014 Jul 30. http://www.eatthis.com/10-daily-habits-blast-belly-fat http://www.doctoroz.com/gallery/99-amazing-uses-coconut-oil