With summer well and truly here, many are turning to quick fixes to reduce their belly fat, all in the name of achieving the ultimate summer body. Some may choose to cut foods out of their diet, similar to Love Island host Caroline Flack – who ditched sugar and managed to lose over a stone – or they may opt for a more structured diet plan, like the low-carb keto diet or intermittent fasting. On top of diet and exercise, there are other things which have been shown to help speed up the process even more. Using coconut oil can help flatten abs, and by swapping their usual cooking oil for it, slimmers could lose weight and burn belly fat quickly.
How does it work?
Coconut oil is one of the world’s most friendly fats.
It contains a unique combination of fatty acids, which have powerful effects on metabolism.
Several studies show that just by adding coconut oil to your diet, slimmers can lose fat, especially the “dangerous” fat in the abdominal cavity.
Coconut oil is high in Medium Chain Triglycerides, which are fatty acids that are metabolised differently than most other fats, leading to beneficial effects on metabolism.
Many studies show that medium chain triglycerides can boost metabolism, leading to weight loss.
In one study, 15-30 grams (1 to 2 tablespoons) of medium chain fats per day increased energy expenditure by 5 per cent, totalling about 120 calories per day.
As well as its ability to speed up metabolism, coconut oil can also reduce appetite as it makes slimmers feel fuller.
Many studies on medium chain fatty acids show that, compared to the same amount of calories from other fats, they increase feelings of fullness and lead to an automatic reduction in calorie intake.
In order to lose weight, dieters need a calorie deficit, with healtline.com recommending women eat 1500 calories to lose one pound of weight a week, while men can eat 2000.
As coconut oil boosts metabolism and reduces appetite, it can help slimmers lose weight and burn belly fat in the long run.
In one study on obese men, 30 grams of coconut oil for 4 weeks reduced waist circumference by 2.86 cm.
There are also other studies showing that medium chain fats lead to weight loss, reduced waist circumference and various improvements in metabolic health.
Abdominal fat, better known ad belly fat, is the fat that tends to lodge around your organs and cause inflammation, diabetes and heart disease.
Any reduction in abdominal fat is likely to have very positive effects on your metabolic health and drastically reduce risk of chronic disease.
How should it be eaten?
Slimmers will be surprised to know that by consuming just a small amount of coconut oil, they could see improvements to their weight.
Studies have found that two tablespoons seems to be an effective dose.
This has been shown to benefit weight, reduce belly fat and improve other health issues.
There are several ways to eat coconut oil, dieters can take the two tablespoons as is, or they could swap out their usual cooking oil.
Coconut oil is ideal for cooking because almost 90 per cent of its fatty acids are saturated, making it extremely stable at high temperatures.
Try adding it to recipes or hot beverages for a healthier option.