Science has taken one more food item off the villains' and into the good guys’ list. Recent studies show that coconut in its different forms helps you lose weight, in addition to enhancing the body’s defenses and making skin and hair look better.

Water, pulp and husk. Everything from this tropical fruit can be used. There are also a large number of benefits: hydration, rejuvenation, feeling full and (who would have thought) weight loss! Of course, beneficial results depend on the amount of each part of the coconut that is ingested. A number one fan, pop star Madonna drinks coconut water daily as an elixir of youth. Could this be true? BOA FORMA decided to investigate this and other promises so you can also take advantage of everything that coco-da-baía (cocos Nucifera) - the most consumed and studied - has to offer.

Water provides super-hydration

Without a doubt, the liquid obtained from the fruit while it is still green is a gift of nature. Rich in vitamins and minerals, it hydrates and nourishes the body in the first gulp. “This happens because the composition of coconut water is close to that of blood plasma and it is easily transported into the cells", explains dietitian Erika Almeida of Ação Nutri Consultoria in São Paulo.  The result shows on the skin: “It is a drink that helps prevent wrinkles, spots and ageing signs” states public health physician and Nutrology graduate student Marcio Bontempo, from Brasília. He is the author of the book O Poder medicinal do Coco e do Óleo de Coco Extravirgem (TN: The Medicinal Power of Coconuts and Extra-virgin Coconut Oil, published by Alaúde). He highlights that coconut water contains vitamin E, an anti-oxidant that can fight excessive free radicals, the feared enemies of a smooth skin.

There is another good reason for you to become faithful to coconut water: it is diuretic and reduces water retention and bloating. This also helps to rejuvenate. But take it slow: although it has few calories (46 in a 200ml glass), it should not replace pure water. Drink at the most three glasses (600ml) a day. Water in cartons is a good alternative as long as it is free from food colorings and preservatives.

The pulp gives extra energy

When it is consumed after exercising, coconut water replaces minerals you lose when you sweat, especially potassium - a glass (200ml) contains 500 milligrams of the mineral used in muscle contraction and relaxation. This is why many people who exercise usually adopt it as a natural sports drink.

The ripe pulp is another great part for people who work out. A warning, though: it should be eaten before training because it has a lot of calories (354 in 100 grams). “The advantage of the pulp is that it works as a source of fast energy and improves physical performance” says Marcio Bontempo. Dry grated coconut (300 calories in 50 grams) is often used for preparing recipes and coconut milk (87 calories - its light version has 44 - in 50 milliliters) should also be included moderately in the menu, especially if you are struggling to lose weight.

Oil dries up fat

Like the pulp, coconut oil is contains a lot of fat. There are 126 calories in one tablespoon (15 milliliters). Bu take a look at this: it is said to work as a great supporting agent in weight loss. Research conducted by Columbia University in the United States has shown that combining the product with a low calorie diet will increase abdominal fat elimination six fold. The secret? Extracted from the ripe pulp, it carries mainly saturated fat. That is right: saturated!

Most of it, though, is made of medium-chain triglycerides - a type of fat that is transformed into energy very quickly after it reaches the liver and therefore is not stored as fat. As for lauric acid (another oil compound), it has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, leaving the body less resistant to weight loss. “Coconut oil also increases satiety, decreases the excessive release of insulin and favors good bowel functioning" states dietitian Lucyanna Kalluf of the Institute for Personalized Prevention (Instituto de Prevenção Personalizada) in São Paulo.

Is that all? Coconut oil is also thermogenic - that is, it speeds up burning of stored fat. And it soothes the obsession with sweets. An interesting detail: you should favor the cold pressed version. “This manufacturing process conserves the oil’s beneficial properties. It is considered a functional food that nourishes in addition to preventing illnesses” says Marcio Bontempo.  But it can be used for cooking. Even when exposed to intense heat, its therapeutic properties remain intact. Use up to two dessert spoons a day to prepare food instead of regular oil. You can use it raw in fruit salad or even mixed with juice, yoghurt or shake, giving them a soft coconut flavor. Would you rather not take a chance? There is the option of taking the oil in capsules - the recommendation is to have two to four units a day.

Flour is a fiber champion

Rich in fibers (2.5 grams in a tablespoon/10 grams), coconut flour will also make you feel full and sweeps the toxins out of the body, favoring your diet. It is made from the brown skin that is part of the husk and some of the pulp. It has a smaller dose of lauric acid compared with the oil, but it is another coconut product that is able to keep the bowels healthy. It is gluten-free, there are 54 calories in a tablespoon and it can partially replace wheat flour recommended for making bread, cakes and pies, without any risk of making recipes heavy or overly dry. Quite the contrary: “Coconut flour is slightly humid, it makes the dough light and soft” states Erika. You can also use pure flour mixed with juice or sprinkled over fruits.
Additional effects

Another kind of beneficial substance in coconut oil is capric acid, which has anti-microbial properties. “Taking one dessert spoon in the morning works as a medicine against intestinal
worms” says Marcio Bontempo.  Free from those enemies, you will keep not only your bowels but also your entire body healthy. Here are other benefits that coconut in its various forms
(water, pulp, oil and wheat) can bring.

• It enhances the immune system.
• Decreases bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and increases good cholesterol levels (HDL). This helps protect the heart's health. “The oil will mainly perform a type of blood fat detox" states Christine Erika Vogel, dietitian and researcher of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
• Favors good thyroid functioning, avoiding an unbalanced metabolism.
• Keeps bones strong preventing osteopenia and osteoporosis.
• Protects the liver from toxic alcohol effects reducing hangover symptoms.
• May help prevent breast cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. This is thanks to the presence of phytohormones (kinetine and trans-zeatin), especially in the water. "But scientific studies are still under way” warns dietitian Erika Almeida.

Source: Boa Forma Magazine