Discovering Dragon Fruit

Botanical name: Hylocereus undatus

What Is Dragon Fruit Good For?

Who knew there was a plant with a flower like an explosion of flame, which produces a beautiful but short-lived fruit with the appearance of a brilliant pink rosebud? This is the pitya – dragon fruit – indigenous to Central America but is also grown and exported from several Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand and Vietnam. Obtained from several cactus species, its succulent stem provides the uniquely delicious fruit with moisture in the arid climates where it grows.

Some dragon fruits have red or yellow skin (which looks a little like a soft pineapple with spikes) and white or red flesh, but always the beginnings of overlaid leaves, similar to an artichoke, and an abundance of small, black, edible seeds. The flavor is mildly sweet, like a blend of kiwifruit and pear, and it has a crunchy texture.

While it may seem a little strange at first, it's easy to get to the fruit. Simply slice lengthwise and either scoop out the flesh, or quarter it and peel back the leathery skin. Eat only the white part with seeds, removing any residual pink parts, which are bitter.

Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit

Dragon fruits have a surprising number of phytonutrients. Rich in antioxidants, they contain vitamin C (equivalent to 10 percent of the daily value), polyunsaturated (good) fatty acids, and several B vitamins for carbohydrate metabolism, as well as carotene and protein. Calcium is present for strong bones and teeth, iron and phosphorus for healthy blood and tissue formation. The benefits are realized in a number of ways, from a strengthened immune system and faster healing of bruises and wounds to fewer respiratory problems.

Dragon fruits have zero complex carbohydrates, so foods can be more easily broken down in the body, helped by vitamin B1 (thiamin) and other B vitamins. The phytochemical captin, used as a medication to treat heart problems, is present in the fruit itself, and an oil in the seed operates as a mild laxative.

The seeds of dragon fruits are high in polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) that reduce triglycerides and lower the risk of cardiovascular disorders. Eating dragon fruit can help the body maintain such normal function as ridding the body of toxic heavy metals and improved eyesight. Lycopene, responsible for the red color in dragon fruit, has been shown to be linked with a lower prostate cancer risk.

However, consume dragon fruit in moderation because it contains fructose, which may be harmful to your health in excessive amounts.

Dragon Fruit Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 3.5 ounces (100 grams), fresh

  Amt. Per Serving % Daily Value*

Calories 60  

Calories from Fat 0  

Total Fat 1.5 g  

Saturated Fat  

Trans Fat  

Cholesterol 0 mg 0%

Sodium  

Total Carbohydrates 9 g  

Dietary Fiber 1 g  

Sugar 9 g  

Protein 2 g  

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Studies Done on Dragon Fruit

Detailed studies aimed at determining the relationship between a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, lifetime physical activity, and oxidative DNA damage with prostate cancer were measured. Many details were telling, such as the fact that men between 45 to 54 years of age who did not engage in physical activity had three times the risk of prostate cancer. The conclusion was that a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those containing lycopene, such as dragon fruit, and exercise were found to be protective against the disease.1

Since limited information on the capacities of tropical fruits is available, one study explored with positive results the ability of tropical fruits such as dragon fruit to inhibit human cytochrome P450, which is highly expressed in the liver, but also known to be present other tissues such as in the small intestine, lung, and kidney, and especially linked to congenital glaucoma.2

Dragon Fruit Healthy Recipe:

Truly Tropical Fruit Bowl

Ingredients:

1½ cups fresh papaya, cubed

1 cup pineapple chunks

1 banana, sliced

1 cup mango, cubed

1 cup strawberries, sliced or cut into quarters

1 cup dragon fruit

Garnish: starfruit slices

Fruit Salad Dressing:

1 cup strawberries, sliced or cut into quarters

1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice

2 Tbsp. stevia

Procedure:

1. Stir fruit salad dressing ingredients together in a cup until stevia dissolves. Set aside.

2. Place all the fresh fruit in a mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss well to mix.

3. Pour or scoop the fruit salad into a serving bowl, or into a prepared pineapple boat. Garnish just before serving with a few star fruit slices drizzled with fresh lime juice to prevent browning. Ready for the luau!

Dragon Fruit Fun Facts

The main reason for dragon fruit's preciousness is that it lives only one night! First, a climbing cactus produces a beautiful pink or yellow flower. Sometimes called "moonflower" or "Queen of the night," the plant blooms from evening to midnight, only to wither in strong sunlight. During the night, the pungent flowers are pollinated by moths and bats. Although the flower dies, the cactus bears pitya fruit about six times every year.

Summary

It could easily be called a "crazy" fruit, as its appearance is so improbable. Dragon fruit is low in calories yet offers numerous nutrients, including vitamin C, B vitamins, phosphorus, protein, calcium, fiber, captin, and antioxidants. It's proven to lower blood sugar levels as well as blood pressure, strengthen bones and teeth, promote healthy blood and tissue formation, strengthen the immune system, heal bruises and wounds faster and prevent respiratory problems.

Like other red fruits, dragon fruit contains lycopene, which helps protect against cancer and heart disease. How can all these benefits be taken advantage of in this visually beautiful, exotic fruit? It's best eaten chilled, chopped into cubes and added to fruit salad or blended into a refreshing drink or smoothie. This may become your new favorite fruit, and you don't even have to slay a dragon.

Is dragon fruit is good for diabetes?

Dragon fruit contains a high amount of fiber that helps a person stabilize his blood sugar levels. It also avoids sugar spikes that are often observed after eating high glycemic index foods. Therefore, it is good for a diabetic patient to incorporate into their diet. Dragon fruit is low in calories.

Is dragon fruit Pitaya?

Pitaya was first discovered in Central America, centuries ago, and has traveled to all corners of the globe. Early missionaries brought Pitaya to Asia where it has since been renamed and is more commonly known as, Dragon Fruit.

Now let’s examine the nutritional value of dragon fruit.

This fruit has a surprising number of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, polyunsaturated fatty acids, carotene, and proteins. They also have zero complex carbohydrates and thiamine that assist in the easy breakdown of food in our system. Dragon fruit also has a phytochemical captin that is essential for a healthy heart.

Is Dragon Fruit Good For You And Why?

Benefits of dragon fruit for skin, hair health are surplus. Here you will learn what is dragon fruit good for.

Skin Benefits

Fights Signs Of Aging

Treats Acne

Soothes Sunburned Skin

Promotes Skin Health

Provides Essential Moisture To Dry Skin

Hair Benefits

Treats Colored Hair

Promotes Healthy Hair

Health Benefits

Lowers Cholesterol

Helps With Stomach Ailments

Lowers Blood Sugar

Improves Cardiovascular Health

Cuts Low Hemoglobin Risk

Helps In Weight Management

Prevents Cancer

Prevents Congenital Glaucoma

Boosts Immunity

Helps Suppress Arthritis Pain

Dragon Fruit During Pregnancy

Prevents Renal Bone Disease

Stronger Teeth And Bones

Is Good For Dengue Patients

Repairs Body Cells

Improves Appetite

Improves Vision

Boosts Brain Function

Cures Respiratory Disorders

Healthy Snack Option For Kids

Skin Benefits Of Dragon Fruit

 ⇑benefits of dragon fruit 

This strange looking fruit is the answer to all your skin woes. It helps treat even the serious cases of sunburns and acne, making your skin like never before.

Here’s how you can incorporate dragon fruit in your daily skincare regime:

1. Fights Signs Of Aging

Wrinkles, sagging skin, fine lines, dullness—all these signs appear when your skin starts aging. It’s an embarrassing phase that can make you seek refuge in cosmetic brands that make tall claims.

But why trust a chemical solution when you have a natural remedy in hand?

Aging is caused by cellular damage done by the free radicals loitering in our body. While this is a natural process (you are bound to get old one day, fellas), its untimely attack is what makes us worry this much. Who would like to look older than they actually are? Absolutely none. And this is where natural ingredients like dragon fruit come into play.

This exotic fruit is a rich source of antioxidants which helps fight the free radicals and slows down the aging process (1). This makes your skin look younger and smoother.

Use the following face pack once every week to get tighter and fuller skin devoid of any wrinkles and lines.

What You Need

1/2 dragon fruit

1 tablespoon yogurt

What You Have To Do

1. Scoop out the pulp of the dragon fruit and make a smooth paste from it.

2. Add the yogurt to the paste.

3. Apply the pack to your face and neck, and keep it on for 20 minutes.

4. Rinse it off with lukewarm water. Pat dry with a soft towel.

5. Repeat this process once a week for two months to get rid of all those signs of aging.

2. Treats Acne

Acne—Another gift from oily skin that gets tagged along in the early years of puberty, sometimes not leaving you until you turn thirty. It’s annoying really, but mourning over the unexpected pop-outs is no solution, neither is going after one market product to another.

The solution comes in the form of an exotic fruit which when applied topically can reduce acne. This is due to the abundance of vitamin C in dragon fruit (2), (3).

Here’s how you can use this amazing fruit for your pimples.

What You Need

¼ dragon fruit

3-4 cotton balls

What You Have To Do

1. Scrape out the pulp of the dragon fruit, and mash it into a smooth paste using a fork.

2. Using a cotton ball, dab it on the affected area. To apply it on another area, use a fresh cotton ball so that you don’t spread the bacteria.

3. Rinse off with lukewarm water after 20 minutes. Let it air dry.

4. Repeat this process twice every week for a flawless and acne-free skin.

3. Soothes Sunburned Skin

While basking in the warmth of the precious sun is a pleasant treat, its unprotected acquaintance can cause severe blisters. In such cases, a pack made of dragon fruit can help soothe the redness and inflammation.

As mentioned earlier, dragon fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C. A combination of vitamins E and C has been proven to protect your skin against UV rays and soothe sunburns (4).

What You Need

¼ dragon fruit

1 vitamin E capsule

What You Have To Do

1. Scoop out the pulp of the dragon fruit and mash it with a fork to make a puree.

2. Puncture the vitamin E capsule and add it to the dragon fruit.

3. Apply the pack to the sunburned area. Keep it on for 30 minutes for it to be effective.

4. Rinse it off with cold water and let it air dry.

5. Use this pack every alternate day until the symptoms subside.

4. Promotes Skin Health

Attaining a healthy and glowing skin is no longer a tough task. Just keep a watch on what you eat and exercise more, and you will witness a change for yourself.

Adding dragon fruit to your diet too can do a lot good to your skin.

Drinking one glass of tangy dragon fruit juice is a good way to start your mornings. It will not only make you healthy but will also help release all the toxins from the body, leaving behind a glowing skin.

This fruit has a very high antioxidant content which works well in scavenging the free radicals, saving you from the sagging and dull skin. Additionally, dragon fruit is rich in vitamin C that helps brighten the skin.

5. Provides Essential Moisture To Dry Skin

Dragon fruit also has an incredibly high water content (a whopping 90%) which is essential in providing hydration to your skin, especially when you have dry skin (5).

So make it a point to include dragon fruit in your diet during winters to save yourself from the perils of the season.

Hair Benefits Of Dragon Fruit

Strong and healthy hair is not that easy to attain and maintain. Trust me; I tried and failed.

But that was when I was busy experimenting with almost every new brand in the market after paying heed to the words of almost every other person. Sounds familiar? Then you must read what I did next…

I continued the practice leading that did more harm than good until I discovered this wonder fruit. Agree that the fruit costs more than any other fruit, but it’s far lesser than any of your cosmetic products. If you are looking forward to know what are the benefits of dragon fruit for your hair, Watch out?

6. Treats Colored Hair

Trends always have a great impact on our life. Fashion, accessories, footwear, gadgets—we choose these based on what’s in vogue, right? And Same is the case with hair color too.

Remember wanting those Shakira blonde streaks back in the mid-2000s? Or the bottom half dye of Kylie Jenner that hit the trending chart in 2014?

But with every hair color comes hell lot of care. From fading to damage and dryness, unattended colored mane can bring about a ton of hair troubles. And who is to deny the side effects posed by the handful of chemical compounds fed to your hair roots?

The chemicals that lend your hair color also leave it dry and dull. Using dragon fruit for your hair can mitigate some of the damage done.

How?

Dragon fruit is rich in nutrients, which is why it works really well on hair that has been colored or chemically treated (6).

What You Need

1 dragon fruit

What You Have To Do

1. Scoop out the flesh of the dragon fruit and process in a blender to make a smooth paste.

2. Apply this paste to your hair and scalp.

3. Keep it on for 15-20 minutes, and wash it off with a mild shampoo.

4. Repeat this process once a week and see the change yourself.

7. Promotes Healthy Hair

As explained earlier, dragon fruit can bring in health and shine to your dull and lifeless hair.

All you need is to become a devoted and loyal dragon fruit juice drinker. It might be a bit tangy and different, but nothing comes easy in life, right?

Not a big fan of exotic drinks and fruits? No problem, we have a solution for you too. Simply apply some dragon fruit pulp to your hair and scalp. Yep, just like a hair mask. It might be a little bit runny and gooey, so wearing a shower cap is the best solution for making the mask stay till the required time. Oh yeah, keep it on your head for at least 20 minutes and then wash it off with plain water at first. You can use a mild shampoo later. No need to use this mask every time you wash your hair, though doing it once a week is fine too. Repeat this process for a few months and you will see a drastic change in your hair texture.

Alternatively, you can make use of that dragon fruit juice as well. It works the same as the pulp.

Why it works?

Dragon fruits, especially the red variety, contain abundant antioxidants and enzymes that can make your hair smoother and healthier.

Health Benefits Of Dragon Fruit

After beauty comes health. I know this topic technically should be on the top, health comes first as they say, but the list is quite long and descriptive and nothing you ever expected the humble dragon fruit to do.

So without further ado, I will start with this surprising list of dragon fruit health benefits. I bet it will make you love it even more.

8. Lowers Cholesterol

Okay, what do you think is the most common disorder in today’s time?

No idea? Well, let me give you a hint; it is related to lifestyle and bad food choices.

There you got it. It is high cholesterol. I’m sure you won’t be surprised if I tell you that more than 39% of the world population is under its sharp claws. The rate is even higher in women; 40% to 37% of the male population. It is also said to cause approximately 2.6 million deaths every year.

Sounds scary, right?

But no worries, certain lifestyle changes and including certain fruits and veggies in your diet can save you from this disorder. Dragon is one of the most trusted ones.

And lowering cholesterol levels doesn’t mean totally cutting off on all the fats. In fact, some fats are absolutely essential for proper function of our body system, just like unsaturated fats. Dragon fruit seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fats, omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids that help lower cholesterol (7).

All this, with the addition of abundant antioxidants, make dragon fruit a good weapon to fight dangerous levels of LDL.

9. Helps With Stomach Ailments

 benefits of dragon fruits

This special fruit can help in curing several stomach ailments such as indigestion and constipation without harming you.

Dragon fruit is rich in fiber and has high water content, which makes it ideal for people suffering from constipation (8). They help improve our body’s bowel movements by facilitating the proper passing of digested food through the tract. The fiber present also helps bulk up the stool, further helping in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

10. Lowers Blood Sugar

After cholesterol comes another scary disease, diabetes. Fluctuating blood sugar levels can make you do serious sacrifices—‘no sugar’ and ‘no carb’ diet. This phase can be particularly painful if you have a sweet tooth like me.

Thankfully, there are several fruits which are helpful in keeping your blood sugar level from reaching the ‘danger mark’ so you can enjoy your life without any deprivation.

In fact, several studies have demonstrated that the dragon fruit can actually help regulate the blood sugar levels in diabetics.

But, what are dragon fruit benefits for diabetes?

This is simple. Dragon fruit is a rich source of polyphenols, carotenoids, thiols, tocopherols, and glucosinolates, all of which help lower blood sugar (9). Additionally, they have a high fiber content, which helps inhibit the sugar spikes that happen after every high glycemic index meal.

One study published in the journal of Pharmacognosy Research showed that dragon fruit also has a valuable effect on the oxidative stress from aortic stiffness which is commonly seen in the diabetics.

11. Improves Cardiovascular Health

Eating dragon fruit can help in keeping your heart healthy.

The first reason comes in the form of point No. 8, the cholesterol factor (10). It also controls the oxidative damage caused by free radicals and reduces the stiffness of arteries, which lowers the risk of a heart attack, a point that we already discussed in the previous point (11).

Additionally, this fruit is rich in the correct amount of monosaturated fats that is essential to keep your heart in a healthy shape.

12. Cuts Low Hemoglobin risk

Anemia, a common disorder amongst women, should never be ignored. While you may think less about the fluctuating levels of your hemoglobin, dangerously low levels can even lead to kidney failure.

Dragon fruit is a good option to beat the chances of anemia.

It is rich is iron, meeting approximately 8% of our daily iron requirements. On top of that, dragon fruit has plentiful vitamin C, an agent that enhances our body’s ability to absorb more iron. So what are you still waiting for, go on, test this incredible fruit.

13. Helps In Weight Management

Weight watchers, this point is especially for you.

We know and deeply understand the whole concept behind bringing in a change of taste on our regular meals, without compromising on the weight factor. Obviously, it’s a big deal to stay loyal to one or two diet plans all throughout your fat loss regime, and most of us really can’t stay loyal to it. Two words—repetitive and boring.

Add some spark to your weight loss diet plan by adding dragon fruit or dragon fruit tea to it.

Apart from being lip-smackingly delicious, this fruit is also considerably low in calories (60 calories in every 100 gram), which makes it a perfect replacement for your regular fruit diet. Additionally, this fruit is approximately 90% water and has a high amount of fiber. This property makes you feeling full for a longer period, preventing overeating (12).

14. Prevents Cancer

It might sound pretty far-fetched, but studies have shown that dragon fruit has the ability to curb the multiplication of dangerous cancer cells.

Dragon fruit is rich in an enzyme called lycopene, in addition to the essential vitamin C and carotene, which is said to have anti-carcinogenic qualities (13). They together help prevent the formation of tumors.

Additionally, the peels of the dragon fruit are full of polyphenols, chemicals that may protect us from certain cancers.

15. Prevents Congenital Glaucoma

One published study has shown that having dragon fruit can help prevent congenital glaucoma.

It stated that this fruit has the power to inhibit human cytochrome P450, a protein usually found in the liver, and can help proper functioning of lungs and kidney. This protein is also linked to the possibilities of congenital glaucoma (14).

16.  Boosts Immunity

The immunity boosting property of dragon fruit is a given because of its high vitamin C content.

Dragon fruits also help stimulate the activity of other antioxidants, and the presence of several essential and strong vitamins and minerals like niacin, vitamin B1, pytoalbumin, calcium, phosphorus, iron makes it an even powerful weapon against any bacterial and viral attacks.

17. Helps Suppress Arthritis Pain

Arthritis often leads to serious pain, irritation and immobility, all due to its direct effect on our joints. Thankfully, several fruits and veggies can help you fight these ailments, including our fruit of the day.

In fact, dragon fruit has a huge hand in easing arthritis pain that it often dubbed as the ‘anti-inflammatory fruit’ (15).

So start including this amazing fruit in your daily routine to bid farewell to arthritis pain within no time.

18. Is Good During Pregnancy

 

Benefits of dragon fruit.

Expecting mothers should most definitely include dragon fruit

in their diet. Have patience, we have a long list on what makes this fruit a valuable addition to the pregnancy diet.

This fruit has iron essentials required for the production of red blood cells (RBCs). If the present disturbing trend is any indication, six in every ten women tend to have some anemia experience during her nine months. Dragon fruit, with its rich source of iron, is a good way to beat the dropping hemoglobin levels. And not only the mother, this is also essential for the growing fetus as RBCs also have a big role in providing them with the much-needed oxygen and nutrients.

Next, comes the presence of carbohydrates. You might know this, but a ‘would be’ is needed to have as much as carbs as possible. It helps provide the much-needed energy boost to the mothers.

Another essential requirement for pregnant women is folate. This vitamin, apart from assisting in the formation of RBCs, help prevent the baby from the neural tube defects.

The presence of high content of fiber helps prevent the common digestion troubles during pregnancy.

All in all, introducing dragon fruit to expecting mothers is a great idea. Don’t you think?

19. Prevents Renal Bone Disease

This particular disease is associated with kidney failure wherein the bones start becoming weak and fragile. This is because a weak kidney or renal system cannot activate vitamin D to absorb calcium, which is most essential for the maintained strength of the bones.

Having dragon fruit is a good way to prevent this pretty scary disease as it is high in calcium. Every 100 grams of this fruit contains 8.8 grams of calcium, which is a good amount to beat this bone disease.

20. Stronger Teeth And Bones

Dragon fruit is rich in calcium and phosphorus, the most essential nutrients for strong bones and teeth.

Both these nutrients are highly co-dependent on each other, which means that having a calcium-rich diet alone can’t fight serious bone and teeth disorders. This is why dragon fruit is a good solution; it literally provides you best. It helps increase the bone density and mass while strengthening the roots of the teeth.

21. Is Good For Dengue Patients

Those suffering from the vector-borne disease like dengue see a serious dip in their platelet count, which can even cause death if not treated in time.

While a normal person has a platelet count of 150,000-450,000 for every microlitre of blood, dengue patients can have as little as 10,000.

The primary function of these platelets is to stop the bleeding by clotting the blood vessels injuries, and their depletion can cause hemorrhage.

Don’t worry; you can increase your platelet count by simply adding some special fruits and vegetables in your diet. Dragon fruit helps improve the platelet count in dengue patients due to its strong antioxidant properties.

22. Repairs Body Cells

Dragon fruits have special proteins and enzymes that can help our body in regenerating and repairing cells.

This property comes handy during the treatment of burns and injuries. And trust dragon fruit for its impressive healing properties.

23. Improves Appetite

Don’t feel like eating?

It might be because of certain diseases and disorders like fever and anemia that just killed your appetite. Good news, a certain fruit can bring back your desire to eat and enjoy.

Dragon fruit helps treat stomach ailments, further increasing your appetite. On top of that, the heavenly odor will certainly lure you.

24. Improves Vision

Those complaining of blurry vision and pain in the back of their eyes should include dragon fruit in their diet.

This fruit is a boon for your eyes—courtesy the presence of beta-carotene and other essential plant pigments. These elements can protect our precious orbs from the harmful effects of free radicals, further preventing eye diseases like cataract and macular degeneration.

25. Boosts Brain Function

Undoubtedly, brain holds the top position on the list of vital organs in the body. Therefore, its proper working is most essential for the proper functioning of the rest of our organs.

Dragon fruit, with its ability to boost the RBC production in the body, contains essential vitamins and minerals that can protect our precious brain from any damage. These nutrients also promote healthy nerve function, further boosting our brain function.

26. Cures Respiratory Disorders

Respiratory disorders such as asthma or a cough, caused by the common flu can be annoying to deal with on a daily basis. Seriously, who likes a blocked nose, or troubled breathing which generally arrives with the winter season?

The solution is vitamin C, my friend. And dragon fruit, being super-high in this essential nutrient, automatically qualifies to be the most trustworthy choice for beating respiratory disorders. Additionally, vitamin C can also keep the loitering infections at bay.

27. Healthy Snack Option For Kids

The next time you run out of ideas for sending healthy snacks in your kid’s dabba, think of dragon fruit. Not only is it a healthy option but tasty too.

Selection And Storage

 

Dragon fruit is not available easily. As its cultivation is limited to tropical and subtropical areas, it needs to be imported by other countries.

When selecting a dragon fruit, look for uniformity in color, and avoid the ones that have spots or have started browning. Also, see if the fruit has filled out properly. How to store dragon fruit? Dragon fruit should be stored in the refrigerator, where it stays fresh for two to three weeks. It should be stored in a cool place, else it may rot.

How to eat dragon fruit? The most popular way of eating dragon fruit is by cutting it in half, and eating it right out of the rind.

Dragon Fruit Nutrition Facts

Dragon fruit, which is a rich source of nutrients including vitamins C and B, iron, calcium, and potassium, is extremely beneficial for our health.

NUTRITIVE VALUE PER 100 G OF DRAGON

PRINCIPLE NUTRITIVE VALUE

Total Fat 0.61g

Protein 0.229g

Ashes 0.68g

Water 83.0 g

Potassium 436 mg

Calcium 8.8g

Cholesterol 0 mg

Dietary Fiber 0.9g

Calories 99

A Word Of Caution

Every natural substance has a flip side, and this is also true for our precious dragon fruit.

Here are a few dragon fruit side effects which when ignored can cause serious damage.

First of all, dosage is the key. Avoid over consumption of dragon fruit as it contains fructose, which can add flab to your body and come in the way of your weight loss goals.

Avoid having the outer skin of this fruit, as it may contain pesticides which can harm your health.

And that’s it. Keep these pointers in mind, and you will do well.

Expert’s Answers For Readers’ Questions

How many calories in dragon fruit?

One cup of dragon fruit contains about 91 calories which is a fair amount if you want to use it for weight loss.

How to peel dragon fruit?

The easiest way is to cut the fruit into two halves and then scooping out the flesh with the help of a spoon.

I understand how confusing it is to choose the perfect food item, amongst the limitless and promising possibilities offered by the grocery stores and supermarkets. I hope this article convinced you to pick this incredible exotic fruit seeing the plethora of health and beauty benefits of dragon fruit.

Herbal Healing for Men

Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Healing for Men: Remedies and Recipes for Circulation Support, Heart Health, Vitality, Prostate Health, Anxiety Relief, Longevity, Virility, Energy & Endurance. Paperback 224 Pages – June 13, 2017


Rosemary Gladstar ↑

Click here to look inside this book.

Tonic & Formulas

FOR MALE VITALITY

Following are some of my favorite herbal recipes formulated especially foe men's health and well-being. most of these recipes are tonic ― that is, herbs and formulas that help nourish and tone the body's systems and can be used on a regular basis to promote vibrant, long-lasting health. Tonics can also be incorporated into protocols to address specific health issues. 

TURMERIC-GINGER DARK CHOCOLATE CANDY

This is how real medicine should taste !  Turmeric, a well-known anti-inflammatory herb, is renowned for its benefits for joint and muscle health, heart health, and fighting infections and lingering illness. You can often buy fresh turmeric , but for this recipe dried, finely ground turmeric works best.

This is the basic formula. You can use other herbs with or in place of the turmeric ― for example, hawthorn for heart health, rhodiola for energy, and maca or ashwagandha for sexual health and vitality. Just be sure all the herbs are finely powdered. 


CHOCOLATE ⬆


TURMERIC ⬆


GINGER ⬆

Ingredients:
16 ounces bittersweet dark chocolate, roughly chopped (organic and fair trade if you can swing it)

8 ounces coconut oil (preferably unrefined)

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

½ - ¾ cup ground turmeric

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

¼ - ½ teaspoon coarsely ground salt

¼ cup freshly grated ginger

Dried cranberries, goji berries or raisins (optional)

COMBINE the chocolate and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler. 
Bring an inch or two of water in the lower pan to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. 
Heat stirring, until the chocolate and coconut oil are melted and well combined.
Remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients.
Pour the mixture into candy molds or onto a thin baking tray.
Let cool.
When firm but not fully hard, cut into squares. 
Because of coconut oil, this chocolate will melt if it gets warm. Store in the refrigerator or a cool place. 

TO USE: Have one or two small piece a day. 




28 Science-Verified Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
To begin with, coconuts are considered drupes – they have three layers, the exocarp, the endocarp, and the mesocarp, which are the thick, cream-colored insides.



Amazingly, coconuts are probably one of the most versatile foods because they have evolved into numerous forms and functions.

Once such form that coconuts exhibit is coconut water.

Coconut water is the extracted liquid from young, green coconuts and has a distinct sweet, nutty taste to it.

Fortunately, this beverage is extremely low in calories, incredibly hydrating, and has an abundance of potassium in just one drink – more potassium than that of four bananas.

The combination of low calories, low sugar, and low sodium compared to commercial sports drinks makes it a first choice for many athletes who sweat by the drink because of its incredible hydrating potential.

Additionally, although sometimes confused with coconut water, coconut milk is an entirely separate creation.

To make coconut milk, the fleshy, white portion of a coconut is grated and soaked in searing water until the cream rises and can be skimmed off the top.

The liquid that remains is squeezed through a cheesecloth to separate the milk from the coconut residue.

By repeating the process over and over, the liquid becomes thinner until it has a milky consistency.

Because the milk comes straight from the “meat” of the coconut, this beverage contains all the health benefits generated from eating pure coconut, such as its significant amount of medium-chain saturated fatty acids, resulting in a boosted metabolism.

However, besides using coconut solely for health benefits, many countries around the world utilize various other elements of coconuts as well.

In fact, many countries do not let any part of the coconut go to waste, thereby utilizing the meat, husk, water, leaves, trunk, and even the roots.

Many cultures even consider the coconut tree to be the “tree of life”. The parts of its fruit like coconut kernel and tender coconut water have numerous medicinal properties such as antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic, antidermatophytic, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, immunostimulant. Coconut water and coconut kernel contain microminerals and nutrients, which are essential to human health, and hence coconut is used as food by the peoples in the globe, mainly in the tropical countries. The coconut palm is, therefore, eulogised as ‘Kalpavriksha’ (the all giving tree) in Indian classics, and thus the current review describes the facts and phenomena related to its use in health and disease prevention.

 Nutritional values
 Coconut has multifarious utility. The tender coconut
water (TCW), the liquid endosperm, is an excellent natural
soft drink. It has a caloric value of 17.4/100 g. Coconut
water contains vitamin B, namely, nicotinic acid B3 (0.64 µg/mL),
pantothenic acid B5 (0.52 µg/mL), biotin (0.02 µg/mL),
riboflavin B2 (trace amount of thiamine B1 and pyridoxine B6. Besides coconut water contain sugars, sugar alcohols, vitamin
C, folic acid, free amino acids, phytohormones (auxin,
1, 3-diphenylurea, cytokinin), enzymes (acid phosphatase,
catalase, dehydrogenase, diastase, peroxidase, RNA
polymerases) and growth promoting factors.
 Copra, the dried kernel, which is mainly used for oil
extraction, contains about 65% to 75% oil. The unopened
spathe is tapped for toddy, which is converted into jaggery,
vinegar and sugar. The kernel (wet meat) is mainly used
in making curries, chutney, toffee, sweet and for other
cooking purposes. The composition of desiccated coconut
has been documented by Bawalan and Chapman; herein
the important nutrition components are depicted in Figure
3. Whereas, the nutritional components of coconut milk
extracted from freshly shredded meat are different as
recorded by Bawalan and Chapman[; Figure 4 and 5
represent the composition of fresh coconut milk. Coconut
oil is one of the most important edible oil for domestic use.
The fatty acid composition and triacylglycerol combinations
of VCO has been studied and recorded by Marina et al.




5. Medicinal values

5.1. As an electrolyte
 It is highly rich in inorganic ions such as K (290 mg %), Na
(42 mg %), Ca (44 mg %), Mg (10 mg %), P (9.2 mg %) etc..
The concentration of these electrolytes in TCW generates
an osmotic pressure similar to that observed in blood
and does not affect plasma coagulation. The high amount
of K in TCW is reported to lower the blood pressure. The
ethanolic extract of C. nucifera endocarp was found to have
a vasorelaxant and antihypertensive effect, through nitric
oxide production in a concentration and endotheliumdependent
manner, due to direct activation of nitric oxide/
guanylate cyclase pathway, stimulation of muscarinic
receptors and/or via cyclooxygenase pathway.


5.2. Antidote effect
 TCW is found to eliminate poisons in case of mineral
poisoning, and ameliorate drug induced over dosage
toxicity. The TCW aids the quick absorption of drug and
makes their peak concentration in the blood easier by its
electrolytic effect, which is similar to fructose coupled faster
absorption into the cells and body.

5.3. Antioxidant effect
 A free amino acid, L-arginine (30 mg/dL), is present
in TCW which significantly reduce the free radical
generation[10]. TCW also contain vitamin C (15 mg/100mL)
that significantly reduce lipid peroxidation when introduced
in rats. VCO is capable of increasing antioxidant enzymes
when supplemented with diets in rats.

5.4. Cardioprotective effect

 Coconut is composed of the fatty acids caprylic acid C-8:0 (8%), capric acid C-10:0 (7%), lauric acid C-12:0 (49%),
myristic acid C-14:0 (18%), palmitic acid C-16:0 (8%),
stearic acid C-18:0 (2%), oleic acid C-18:1 (6%), linoleic
acid C-18:2 (2%). It is abundantly (65%) endowed with
medium chain saturated fatty acids (MCFAs), which allows
them to be directly absorbed from the intestine and sent
straight to the liver to be rapidly metabolized for energy
production and thus MCFAs do not participate in the
biosynthesis and transport of cholesterol. Coconut water
has cardioprotective effects in myocardial infarction due to
rich content of mineral ions, especially potassium. Nevin
and Rajamohan showed that VCO lowered total cholesterol,
triglycerides, phospholoipids, low density lipoprotein
(LDL), very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and increased
high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels. The
polyphenol fraction of virgin coconut oil was found to
prevent in vitro LDL-oxidation.

5.5. Antithrombotic effect
 VCO has significant antithrombotic effect over copra
oil. A coconut oil-based diet high saturated fatty acid
(HSAFA)-diet lowers postprandial t-PA (tissue plasminogen
activator) antigen concentration, and this may favorably
affect the fibrinolytic system and the Lp(a) (lipoprotein-a)
concentration compared with the high mono and
polyunsaturated fatty acid (HUFA)-diet. The proportions of
dietary saturated fatty acids more than the percentage of
saturated fat energy seem to have a beneficial influence on
Lp(a) levels.

5.6. Antiatherosclerotic effect
 Chlamydia pneumoniae, is suspected of playing a role
in atherosclerosis by provoking an inflammatory process
that result in the oxidation of lipoproteins with induction of
cytokines and production of proteolystic enzymes, a typical
phenomena in atherosclerosis. Some of the pathogenic
gram-negative bacteria with an appropriate chelator have
been reported to be inactivated or killed by lauric acid and
monolaurin as well as capric acid and monocaprin.
 Besides causing viral infection, the herpes simplex virus
(HSV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
have a role in the in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic
plaques after angioplasty and the presence of viral DNA
in the grafts used for bypass surgery constitute a potential
risk for atherosclerosis or restenosis. The components
catechin, epicatechin along with condensed tannins (B-type
procyanidins) were present in the water extract obtained
from coconut husk fiber, that showed inhibitory activity
against acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus type 1.
In fact, all members of the HSV family are reported to be
killed by the fatty acids and monoglycerides (MG) from
saturated fatty acids ranging from C-6 to C-14, which
include approximately 80% of the fatty acids in coconut
oil. Monolaurin is not formed in the body unless there is a
source of lauric acid in the diet, and coconut is a rich source
of monolaurin.

5.7. Hypolipidemic effect
 VCO is capable of reducing lipid peroxidation content.
The hypolipidemic effect of coconut protein is due to the
high content of L-arginine.Besides the high polyphenol
content in coconut is capable of maintaining the normal
levels of lipid parameters in tissues and serum aided
by trapping of reactive oxygen species in aqueous
components such as plasma and interstitial fluid of the
arterial wall thereby inhibiting LDL oxidation, reversal of
cholesterol transport and reducing intestinal absorption of
cholesterol.

5.8. Anticholecystitic effect
 It is urinary antiseptic and is effective in the treatment
of kidney and urethral stones. Monooctanoin (from
caprylic acid) is a digestion product of medium chain
triglycerides, is a cholesterol solvent that has been used for
the dissolution of retained cholesterol gallstones following
cholecystectomy. Complete gallstone dissolution has
occurred in approximately 50%-75% of patients receiving
monooctanoin; although mechanical stone removal is
still considered to be the treatment of choice for retained
gallstones, monooctanoin use appears promising for stone
dissolution in patients in whom mechanical removal has
been unsuccessful or is impossible.

5.9. Antibacterial activity
 TCW has numerous medicinal properties, according to
Effiong et al[9], including good drink for cholera patients
because of its saline and albumen content; checking urinary
infection, and diarrhea. The most abundant and potent
MCFA in coconut is lauric acid, which comprises nearly 50%
of coconut’s fat content. The MCFAs and their derivatives
e.g., MGs found in coconut are effective in destroying a wide
assortment of lipid-coated bacteria by disintegrating their
lipid membrane. For instance, they can be effective against
bacteria that can lead to stomach ulcers, sinusitis, dental
cavities, food poisoning, and urinary tract infections.
 Monoglycerides, especially Monolaurin, has been used to
protect intravenously administrable oil-in-water emulsion
compositions against growth of Escherechia coli (E. coli),
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), Staphylococcus
aureus (S. aureus) and Candida albicans (C. albicans). The
compositions can be medicaments containing lipophilic
drugs, especially Propofol, and/or total intravenous
nutritional compositions.

 Coconut oil, obtained from its nuts, in concentrations of
5% to 40% (w/w) exhibited bactericidal activity against
P. aeruginosa, E. coli, Proteus vulgaris, and Bacillus
subtilis, which was attributed to monolaurin that enhanced
absorptivity due to the presence of surface active
emulsifying agents used in formulating the cream made from
coconut oil.

 Emulsions of 1.25 mM monocaprin in citrate-lactate buffer
at pH 4 to 5 caused a >6- to 7-log10 reduction in viable
counts of Salmonella spp., E. coli in 10 min and Clostridium
jejuni was also more susceptible to monocaprin emulsions
at low pH. Lauric acid, which is also present in mother’s
milk, helps to protect a delicate nursing baby from harmful
pathogens. Thus, like many other important medicinal
plants having antibacterial property, C. nucifera is
also excellent against different pathogenic bacteria causing

A natural, fibrous substance called coir can be extracted from the outer husk to be used for floor mats, brushes, ropes and strings because of its durable nature.



Additionally, the actual husk and shell is routinely used as pots, or to create bowls and even fuels.

Finally, the use and consumption of coconut oil is essentially one of the most debated health topics out there because nutritionists and dietitians are only starting to understand its nutritional potential.



Coconut oil is uniquely made from the dried “meat” of the coconut called “copra”.

Usually, the copra is mechanically pressed to extract the oil from the “meat” to produce what we consider to be coconut oil .

This oil has been proven to provide a multitude of health benefits such as reducing inflammation, protecting hair damage, and supporting almost all processes of the body.

Coconut oil is over 80% saturated fat, which mainly consists of medium-chain fatty acids, rather than the long-chain fatty acids that most people consume regularly.

Whereas long-chain fatty acids must be broken down before the body can absorb them, the short and medium-chain fatty acids abundant in coconut oil are easy for the body to digest and  are consequently sent straight to the liver in order to produce energy .

The most critical fatty acid, which constitutes approximately 45-55% of the saturated fats in coconut oil, is lauric acid.

Lauric acid is naturally found in breast milk and is converted to a substance called monolaurin, which aids in increasing the body’s immunity and helping to fight viruses and diseases.

Additionally, coconut oil is notable for its abundance of vitamin E, which makes this oil especially beneficial for your hair and skin.


It acts as a moisturizer and maintains the functionality of your organic system, as most vitamins do.

In general, there are two main categories of coconut oil: oil that is mass produced and is, therefore, in need of extra refinement, and oil that starts with fresh coconut and is substantially less refined.

Many people misinterpret the term “virgin” coconut oil to be oil that is not refined at all; however, all coconut oil is refined considering oil does not actually grow on trees.

Therefore, virgin coconut oil actually refers to oil that is the least refined.

That being said, most nutritionists will, understandably, only recommend virgin coconut oil so as to avoid the adverse affects that refining may have on the final oil product.

Hydrogenated coconut oil is a type of refined oil that has been unanimously proclaimed as the oil you want to avoid due to containing fatty acids that are hydrogenated.

Because of this, it creates trans fats, which are notorious for their detrimental affect on an individual’s health.

One study examined how non-hydrogenated coconut oil supplements were beneficial to the lipid profiles of various women in the Philippines.

The results depicted that the oil actually lowered total cholesterol, lipoproteins, and phospholipids levels in women, mainly caused by the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil .



Coconut Oil Health Benefits

Coconut Oil Can Help Brain Disorders

One of the most beneficial properties of coconut oil is the large quantity of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) that it contains, as opposed to the long-chain fatty acids that many other foods contain.

The reasoning behind the benefits of this type of acid is that medium-chain fatty acids are not only absorbed easily by the liver, but they are also metabolized quickly.

This means they can further be converted into ketones.

Ketones are utilized by the brain as an important energy source and have been shown to have possible therapeutic effects on people suffering from memory loss, such as in case of Alzheimer’s disease .

Additionally, unique phenolic compounds and hormones found in coconut oil may be able to prevent the aggregation of amyloid beta peptides, which are part of a leading theory concerning the cause of Alzheimer’s.


 Increases Weight Loss

In addition to helping fight against brain and memory disorders, consumption of medium-chain fatty acids, such as those in coconut oil, has been proven to result in increased energy expenditures compared to long-chain fatty acids.

In other words, the body can easily convert this fat into energy for the body to utilize.


Such a method is critical for people trying to lose weight because it, essentially, is helping increase your metabolism.

In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the effects of overweight participants consuming MCFA oils compared to long-chain fatty acids.

The study discovered that subjects ingesting MCFA oils had a lower body weight and more fat loss at the end of the research.

Builds Muscle

According to Iranloye and colleagues (2013), coconut oil is a highly “insulinotropic” substance, meaning it greatly stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin.

The purpose of insulin is to control the blood-sugar levels throughout your body and, additionally, pump nutrients into your muscles.


Therefore, an increased secretion of this hormone is especially pertinent for both bodybuilders and regular citizens trying to increase their muscle mass.

Maintaining steady hormones like insulin is sure to produce beneficial health effects.

Can Help Fight Infections


The most abundant fatty acid comprising nearly 50% of the coconut’s fat content in coconut oil is called lauric acid (1).

This acid is especially effective in eliminating a large variety of bacteria by disintegrating their lipid membrane and destroying the organism.

Specifically, coconut oil and it’s potent lauric acid can help destroy the bacteria leading to stomach ulcers, dental cavities, and food poisoning.

Lauric acid is naturally found in breast milk, which is understandable because newborns need to be highly protected from dangerous infections and pathogens.

Coconut oil helps lose abdominal fat

Helps Lose Abdominal Fat
 It is unanimously accepted that obesity is a growing problem in the Western world because of all the health concerns associated with it.

However, what is lesser known is that certain types of obesity are actually more dangerous than others – abdominal obesity being an especially harmful type.

In fact, abdominal obesity, compared to overall obesity, is a more important factor when determining the risks and likelihood for coronary heart events.

Fortunately, researchers have investigated the effects of coconut oil specifically on women with abdominal obesity.

Randomized control trials presented that treatment groups receiving daily supplements of coconut oil exhibited a significant decrease in waist circumference, while groups receiving soy bean oil or a placebo did not show such a correlation .

Curbs Appetite

An amazing feat that coconut oil also performs is that it has been shown to increase satiety, meaning that it allows you to feel fuller for longer, thereby likely decreasing your daily caloric intake.

In animal studies, researchers have found that diets with long-chain fatty acids are associated with greater food intake, while similar diets with medium-chain fatty acids correlated with lower food intake.

Such a result has been attributed to several hormones that are linked to both satiating effects and MCFA.

Therefore, when MCFAs are consumed, a hormone would be released that makes us feel full.

However, no such hormone has been specifically linked just yet.

Nevertheless, it is still apparent that there is some mechanism, although yet to be identified, that associates the ingestion of MCFAs with a satisfying and full feeling.

Coconut oil Lowers Risk for Heart Disease

Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

According to numerous clinical studies and epidemiological data, increased levels of plasma cholesterol due to high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are correlated to coronary heart disease.

By contrast, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) have been proven to have an inverse relationship with heart disease.

In a controlled study, virgin coconut oil (VCO) was compared to copra oil (CO) on its ability to affect lipid parameters.

Investigators discovered that the “concentration of cholesterol in serum, liver, and heart of the VCO-treated group was significantly lower compared to CO-treated groups.

Furthermore, HDL cholesterol was significantly increased in VCO-fed animals, whereas similar results were not seen in any of the other treatment groups.

This led researchers to believe that there is a positive correlation between coconut oil and HDL cholesterol, thereby allowing coconut oil to help prevent coronary heart events.

Increases Metabolism
 It is definitely apparent that not all fatty acids are made the same.

But the extent of their difference actually has some serious effects on the way our body metabolizes them.

Instead of lingering in our organs like long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) once they are eaten, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) are sent directly from our digestive tract to the liver, where they are then either immediately utilized for energy or transformed into ketone bodies.

That being said, research has extensively explored MCFAs’ effects on metabolism.

One such study went about investigating this concept by overfeeding rats with either LCFAs or MCFAs for six weeks each.

The results determined that the rats fed MCFAs gained 20% less weight and 23% less body fat.

It appears that MCFAs speed up an individual’s metabolism in order to burn more fat and/or calories.

Coconut oil Protect Hair Against Damage


Protects Hair Against Damage
 Oddly enough, coconut oil has been found to have beneficial impacts not only on your internal body, but on your external body as well.

The Journal of Cosmetic Science published a study examining the effects of various oils on protecting hair damage.

The study discovered that coconut oil was able to prevent combing damage to all different hair types.

When compared to various other oils such as sunflower oil and mineral oil, coconut oil had a substantially greater impact on reducing protein loss in hair.

The reasoning behind this certain preventative property lies in the oil’s structure.

Being a linear triglyceride, coconut oil has a strong affinity for hair proteins and is able to penetrate into the hair shaft because of its small size.

Therefore, coconut oil’s perfect combination of linear arrangement, low weight, small size, and high protein affinity makes it an efficient hair protectant.

Anti-dandruff

It may be surprising to find out, but coconut oil is actually widely used as a natural anti-dandruff hair remedy.

This specific oil has been proven to improve skin conditions like xerosis, which is characterized by rough, itchy, and dry skin – much like what a dry scalp may be characterized for someone suffering from dandruff .

That being said, coconut oil has a unique ability to improve skin hydration and increase lipid levels on the surface of the skin.

In doing so, this oil is able to basically “moisturize” your head in order to eliminate the scratchy, dry scalp that causes dandruff.

Moisturizes Skin

As mentioned above, coconut oil is highly useful as a topical moisturizer due to its hydrating abilities.

Because of this characteristic, one study decided to investigate the use of coconut oil as a moisturizer treatment for patients with atopic dermatitis – a condition marked by extremely dry skin and is highly prone to Staphylococcus aureus (SA) colonies.

What researchers found was that for 20 AD patients with SA, treatment using virgin coconut oil resulted in only one person remaining positive for SA colonies following the treatment.

Therefore, in addition to fighting the dryness of the skin, coconut oil can also be used as an aid in treating skin infection like atopic dermatitis.

Coconut oil Act as Sunscreen.

Acts as Sunscreen

Recently, researchers have begun to discover that many plants and oils contain natural substances that are able to act as natural “sunscreens.”

One such plant is coconut and the oil that is created from it.

A study published by the Pharmacognosy Review determined that coconut oil, along with peanut, cottonseed, and olive oil, block out about 20% of ultraviolet rays from the sun.

To expand on this idea even further, one study actually calculated the SPF values of a variety of different oils using spectrophotometry.

The researchers concluded that coconut oil had the second highest SPF value (7.119) out of the 16 oils tested, ranking right below olive oil.

Because of how powerfully dangerous the sun’s UV rays can be, it is imperative that people protect their skin in order to avoid skin cancer, diseases, and early wrinkles.

Coconut oil Prevents Gum Disease and Tooth Decay

Prevents Gum Disease and Tooth Decay

As used in many traditional countries, “oil pulling” has been used extensively as a method to prevent tooth decay, bleeding gums, and generally for strengthening teeth, gums, and the jaw.

Studies which tested various types of oil pulling have concluded that the practice is an effective preventative procedure to maintain oral health .

Specifically, research was conducted to analyze how effective coconut oil was at reducing plaque formation and plaque-induced gingivitis.

Over a 30-day matched-pairs control trial, researchers found that there was a statistically significant decrease in the plaque formation for the treatment groups after the seventh day.

That being said, it has become apparent that coconut oil can be an alternative means for a mouthwash due to its antibacterial properties.

 Coconut oil Helps CandidaYeast Infections

Helps Candida/Yeast Infections


Multiple studies have investigated the characteristics of coconut oil which make it an efficient antibacterial agent.

It has been determined that this specific oil is a potent “non-drug” and natural yeast fighter, thereby playing a key role in fighting off yeast infections because all of its MCFAs have anti-fungal effects.

The most abundant and potent MCFA in coconut oil is lauric acid, which is eventually converted into a monoglyceride called monolaurin.

The antibacterial activity of coconut oil has been partially attributed to this compound because monolaurin actually destroys the lipid coating of most bacteria, thus rendering them susceptible for destruction by monolaurin.

Coconut oil was tested with strains of Candida species to determine the bacteria’s susceptibility to the oil.

Researchers discovered that most of the different species were fairly susceptible to the oil, with some strains even being 100% vulnerable.

This depicted this substance’s beneficial properties of protecting against harmful pathogens.

Coconut oil benefits

Protects Your Kidney and Liver


As many doctors are well aware, severe damage to the kidneys has a good possibility of leading to organ failure and, in some cases, death.

While it is vital to make sure all your organs are healthy, the kidney and the liver are two organs that should be especially protected from damage.

Fortunately, coconut oil has been found to be a surprisingly effective preventative treatment for these two organs in particular.

When testing for the oil’s ability to protect against intentional toxic drugs on the liver, scientists concluded that the active components in coconut oil were able to adequately protect the liver from incurring severe damage from the toxins.

Additionally, when inducing renal necrosis in rats, coconut oil was fed to the subjects in differing concentrations.

Results showed that, mostly, the higher concentrations of the oil were able to reduce incidence of renal lesions and/or mortality.

Coconut oil Protects Your Kidney and Liver

Treats Kidney and Bladder Stones

The digestion of the medium-chain fatty acids found in coconuts and coconut oil produces a monoglyceride called Monooctanoin.

Additionally, this substance is also a cholesterol solvent that has been used in the dissolution of gallstones.

50-75% of the patients receiving this substance had complete gallstone dissolution, meaning that the monooctanoin completely rid them of the gallstones left over after cholecystectomy.

For patients in whom mechanical or surgical removal of kidney and bladder stones is not possible, the use of the cholesterol present in coconut is a promising approach to providing noninvasive techniques to rid them of gall stones.

Therefore, the daily ingestion of coconut oil can actually assist in preventing the formation of gallstones as well.

Reduces Inflammation and Arthritis
 A study conducted in India depicted that the high levels of antioxidants in coconut oil actually have the power to reduce inflammation and arthritis.

When compared to leading medications, coconut oil was shown to increase antioxidant enzymes as well as decrease the expression of inflammatory genes like COX-2, iNOS, and IL-6.

The research was conducted using rats that were induced with arthritis.

In general, the results clearly portrayed that virgin coconut oil has a beneficial effect on arthritis due to its abundance of antioxidants, in addition to its anti-inflammatory effects. 

Coconut-different-types-benefits

Cancer Prevention and Treatment
 One of the most significant qualities that allow coconut oil to help aid in the prevention and treatment of cancer is the ketones that are present in the oil.

Tumor cells require glucose in order to proliferate and live, and cannot access the energy in ketones when they need it.

Therefore, ketones act as a barrier against tumor growth .

In fact, a study demonstrated that when natural oils like coconut oil were added to human colon adenocarcinoma cells, they were actually able to inhibit the growth of the cancerous cells without affecting the normal colon cells .

When compared to other oils like vegetable and mineral, coconut oil actually inhibited the growth of HT-29 malignant human colon cells more so than either of the two other oils.

With these results in mind, coconut oil is now a possibly relevant chemotherapeutic agent.

Coconuts-health-benefits

Reduce Seizures
 Similar to its prevention and treatment of cancer, coconut oil also helps reduce seizures because of its abundance of ketones.

One study conducted by the University College London in the United Kingdom determined the efficacy of a ketogenic diet for treatment of epilepsy in children.

They discovered that when compared to epileptic children not consuming a ketogenic diet, the children in the treatment group have a statistically significant lower mean percentage of seizures.

The biological explanation behind this phenomenon is thought to be attributed to the high fat and restricted carbohydrate content of the ketogenic diet.

Therefore, consuming coconut oil alone is not enough to prevent seizures.

Nevertheless, their constituents are one of the vital components needed to reduce the seizures that strike patients with epilepsy. 

Coconut oil Improves Digestion

Improves Digestion

Better digestion means better absorption of minerals, nutrients, and vitamins.

Fortunately, coconut oil does just that.

By helping the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins like magnesium and calcium, coconut oil contributes to an increase in the body’s ability in taking up these valuable nutrients.

Several studies have shown that MCFAs in the form of coconut oil could actually promote the breakdown and complete digestion of lipids by improving the efficiency of enzymes related to metabolism.

Coconut-half-oil-benefits

Reduce Symptoms of Gall Bladder Disease and Pancreatitis

Interestingly, the fatty acids of coconut oil, unlike many other substances, do not require enzymes of the pancreas to be broken down.

By including healthy oils like coconut oil in your diet, you are actually helping to eliminate strain on your pancreas and/or gallbladder.

As mentioned previously, not only can coconut oil help dissolve gallbladder stones, but it can also simply relieve some of the uncomfortable symptoms of gallbladder disease and pancreatitis because of how easily it is digested.

Coconut oil Prevents Osteoporosis

Prevents Osteoporosis
 As briefly mentioned earlier, coconut oil is extremely beneficial for helping absorb nutrients in the body.

One such nutrient that specifically promotes absorption in the stomach and intestines is calcium.

Most people are aware that consuming calcium leads to stronger bones, which makes coconut oil incredibly helpful in preventing osteoporosis .

Osteoporosis is notable for decreasing bone volume and increasing bone loss.

However, coconut oil allows more calcium to be taken up by the body, which helps in diminishing the effect that osteoporosis has on you bones.

Additionally, free radicals are notorious culprits leading to osteoporosis as well.

Not surprisingly, the antioxidants in coconut oil assist in fighting free radicals so that they do not cause as much harm to your bones and body .

Hormone Balance
 Because of coconut oil’s abundance of saturated fats like lauric acid, this liquid has been seen to help play a role in balancing hormones.

Studies have specifically investigated the effect of coconut oil on the hormones that are prevalent in women during pre-menopause and post-menopause.

One such study concluded that the reduction in the hormone estrogen during menopause has an adverse effect on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in women.

However, high levels of high-density lipoproteins have a protective effect on conserving estrogen.

It should come as no surprise that coconut oil has been shown to have a positive effect on HDLs.

With that being said, coconut oil helps to increase the level of beneficial proteins that conserve estrogen in women during menopause, leading to healthier lipid profiles.

Coconut oil Stress Relief

Stress Relief
 Stress is a feedback tool used by our bodies to strengthen the physical and mental states of individuals.

However, extreme and/or constant stress has been known to cause detrimental effects.

Therefore, relieving stress is a vital component of maintaining a healthy mentality.

Once again, the high medium-chain fatty acid content in coconut oil allows this particular substance to be especially beneficial to stress reduction.

In fact, a group of researchers concluded that daily intake of MCFAs, such as those in coconut oil, assist in preventing the onset of stress-induced depression.

In essence, coconut oil is not only beneficial for your physicality, but your mentality as well.


Coconut oil has Anti-aging Benefits

Anti-Aging Benefits

You may not know this, but your skin cells actually contain fatty acids, just like most other cells in your body.

The special fatty acids in coconut oil naturally balance saturated to unsaturated fatty acids levels in the skin.

In doing so, the skin can heal and repair itself better to prevent wrinkles and sun damage caused by sun exposure.

Additionally, coconut oil has been shown to stimulate collagen production and replacement.

Instead of attempting to mask or dry up wrinkles on the face, the collagen production stimulated by coconuts connects and strengthens tissues, leading to less baggy skin .

Supports Thyroid Functioning

The general purpose of thyroid is to regulate bodily functions including breathing, heart rate, and, most importantly, the production of various hormones.

Two specific hormones produced by the thyroid gland play a vital role in regulating the speed of your metabolism.

When your thyroid is functioning normally, it keeps your resting heart rate low, your body weight steady, and your hormone production balanced.


A study by Siddhanti showed that the components of coconut oil – specifically, capric acid – significantly improve thyroid functioning.

This allows your body to regulate thyroid cell metabolism and maintain a low resting heart rate.

Eliminates Free Radicals Damage

Free radicals are the natural bi-product of cellular respiration, which means that they are produced whenever you work out.

However, if they build up too much, they can easily cause oxidative stress on the body, leading to muscle fatigue and other diseases that will surely inhibit a person’s ability to exercise and stay active .

Nevertheless, coconut oil has been proven to inhibit this oxidative stress because of the oils’ ability to enhance your antioxidant defense system.

In doing so, the oil “mops up” these free radicals and eliminates them from the body.

Helps Improve Type 1 Diabetes
 A study in which rats were induced with Type 1 diabetes was conducted and their fasting blood glucose levels were measured from the tip of the tails.

After four weeks of coconut oil treatment, rats with previous hyperglycemia showed a statistically significant decrease in their blood sugar levels.

These results are thought to occur because of the effect that coconut oil has on insulin secretion, which allows blood glucose levels to be better regulated and balanced by this hormone.

Useful Tips for Using Coconut Oil
 As mentioned previously, there are two main types of coconut oil – refined and unrefined.

Unrefined coconut oil is the most widely recommended type to use when ingesting the oil because it generally means that this oil has not been processed, bleached, or refined in any way.

On the other hand, when using coconut oil for external purposes such as a moisturizer or hair conditioner, refined versions of coconut oil are acceptable because their processing does not affect the function of the oil on external surfaces.

When storing coconut oil, it is important to do so at recommended temperatures to ensure the functionality of the oil.

To allow for the most efficient storing of coconut oil globules, studies have shown that this oil should be chilled at 10°C and frozen at -4°C.

When thawing the oil after freezing, a water bath at 40°C effectively allows the oil to thaw quickly .

Many people are beginning to realize the potential of coconut oil as a healthy substitute for other saturated fats like butter or margarine in endless amounts of recipes.

Many nutritionists describe that choosing what kind of coconut oil to use in cooking largely depends on your personal taste.

Organic, virgin coconut oil is known for having a slight coconut aroma and a more pronounced coconut taste.

On the other hand, refined coconut oil lacks this taste and smell, but provides most of the benefits found in virgin coconut oil.

Some specific recipes that benefit you from using virgin coconut oil include tropically influenced dishes such as coconut roasted sweet potatoes or coconut tofu with spicy pineapple dipping sauce.

Since these dishes are already tropically-inspired, the use of coconut oil only enhances the beauty of the coconut flavor.

Nevertheless, this oil can be used simply to sauté, fry, or bake because it functions similar to vegetable oil while providing many more benefits.

Furthermore, coconut oil is, surprisingly, very useful in bread baking, which includes muffins, cakes, bread, cookies, and pastries.

These coconut oil biscuits utilize both solid coconut oil and liquid coconut milk without inducing an incredibly strong coconut flavor.

The solid coconut oil is mainly used as a substitute for butter, while the coconut milk is utilized as the liquid binding agent to create the bread dough.

Other times when baking with solid coconut oil, you may be required to melt the solid oil, much like you would use melted butter in a recipe.

Many people may dislike using coconut oil in recipes because it is an unfamiliar ingredient to them.


However, as you can see, coconut oil is used in almost exactly the same way as butter in most recipes.

However, it provides numerous additional benefits while also adding a lovely tropical taste and smell, when preferred.

The amount of coconut oil depends largely on the user’s age, health, and other considerations.

As with any other natural product, coconut oil should be consumed or used in moderation.

Eating coconut oil with every meal or using it as a moisturizer three times a day is, most likely, not a beneficial application of the product.

Instead, consult your physician before embarking on any coconut oil-dominated health endeavor to discuss any cautions.

Because coconut oil does have a high fat content, although it consists of beneficial fats, excessive ingestion has been known to cause weight gain and/or cholesterol level increases .

Unfortunately, this mostly includes LDL’s, which are the bad type of cholesterol.

However, this has only been seen when large amounts of coconut are taken .

With that being said, coconut oil has been deemed safe as long as it is consumed in reasonable quantities.


Conclusion

In general, it is obvious that coconut oil contains endless amounts of benefits.

Furthermore, because of its versatility, anyone can find a way to enjoy the benefits that coconut oil brings.

Whether that means using the oil to bake a cake, to moisturize your skin, to treat your eczema, or to help relieve the symptoms of arthritis, coconut oil can fulfill any of these functions.

Asian and Pacific Islanders have been using the coconut for various uses for hundreds of years and they seemed to have the right idea considering their native population contains some of the healthiest people in the world.


Fortunately, Western countries and its citizens are finally being introduced to this amazing substance, which means we can also begin to achieve the remarkable health advantages that coconut oil can provide.