Diabetes is a lifelong medical condition that happens when a person’s blood sugar becomes too high than the normal blood sugar level. Once you have diabetes, your body loses its capability to produce insulin, or the body’s cell fails to respond to insulin properly. It has been a known condition since a lot of people all over the world suffer from diabetes.
There are two main types of diabetes, Type 1 and 2:
- Type 1 diabetes is where our immune system attacks and terminates the insulin-producing cells.
- While Type 2 diabetes is the kind of diabetes where the body can’t produce insulin or the body cells are nonreactive to insulin.
The more common type of diabetes is Type 2. There’s also a kind of diabetes called gestational diabetes that affects pregnant women.
People diagnosed with diabetes will experience frequent urination, thirst and hunger, and wounds that won’t heal easily. They will undergo a strict diet to maintain their blood sugar. Aside from a balanced diet with less sugar, type 1 and 2 diabetes has different treatments. Type 1 diabetes goes through a series of insulin injections for the rest of its life. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition. It needs daily maintenance of medications in a tablet form.
However, do you know you can add something healthy and a more natural way of balancing your blood sugar levels? Yes, with the help of coconut oil! It can help regulate your blood sugar level, especially for those with Type 2 diabetes.
How can coconut oil help regulate blood sugar levels in Type 2 Diabetes?
Coconut oil is the only type of fat that a diabetic person can take without harming his body.
This is because coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids, unlike other oils with long-chain fatty acids. The medium-chain fatty acids don’t stay long in our bodies. They are broken down quickly. As they enter the bloodstream, they’re immediately taken to the liver, where they are processed to become an energy source.
Medium-chain fatty acids are small enough to enter the cell and mitochondrial membranes freely. So there’s no release of insulin. This process is where coconut oil becomes a fast-absorbing energy fuel low on the glycemic index.
Also, the lauric acid (dominant MCFA in coconut oil), may help lower the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level, which can be beneficial for people with diabetes.
Another benefit of adding coconut oil to your diet when you have diabetes is that it can help heal wounds. Wounds tend to heal slower when you have diabetes, and some even worsen. Since coconut oil has antimicrobial properties, it can help fight against the germs that worsen wounds. It can also suppress hunger which is also a side effect of diabetes.
How to use coconut oil for diabetes?
To add coconut oil to your diet, make sure you’ll use virgin coconut oil. Follow the daily dosage of coconut oil, which is 2-3 tablespoons a day. You can take it orally if you like or use it for cooking instead. Coconut oil is so flexible when it comes to cooking. It’s a good alternative to butter. Another way is to combine coconut oil with your favorite beverages.
Coconut oil can only help regulate your blood sugar level efficiently. But always remember to eat a well-balanced diabetic-friendly diet still. You still must visit your doctor regularly to check your blood sugar level. Especially that low blood sugar level could also be a serious condition.