What is coconut oil and how can benefit your health?

Coconut oil is a saturated fat made up of about 40% long-chain triglycerides and 60% medium chain triglycerides. The medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil account for most of the observed health benefits. These benefits include: improvements in fasting blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity; reduction of abdominal obesity; improvements in cognitive function, and improvements in skin and hair conditions. More recently, supplementing with MCTs (coconut oil) has been shown to enhance athletic performance in recreational athletes.

In this video, Dr. Michael Lara reviews a study that examined the effects of 2-weeks of supplementation with 6 grams of MCTs (about one tablespoon) on exercise performance and shares his recommendations about where to find high-quality coconut oil, and how to include it in your diet.