Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which have been linked to a large variety of health benefits. This oil packs tremendous thermogenic power when compared calorie for calorie to long chain fats. One study demonstrated how just 1 to 2 tablespoons of MCFAs per day can increase energy expenditure by 120 calories per day. Diabetics and pre diabetics are encouraged to consume foods that have a low glycemic index. The higher the glycemic index, the greater impact the food has on increasing blood sugar. The body knows that elevated blood sugar is a bad thing, and to counterbalance, it starts pumping insulin into the bloodstream to get things under control. If sufficient insulin is produced in a timely fashion, all is good and blood sugar goes back down. However, what happens to most people is that insulin does not get produced quickly enough, or the cells become desensitized to the insulin, which causes blood sugar to remain high over a long period of time. Consuming foods that are rich in coconut fiber helps to slow the rapid rise of blood sugar because this fiber absorbs some of the sugar from the blood.
