Benefits of Coconut Oil for Your Brain

Learn about the benefits of coconut oil, how it can improve cognitive functioning, and how it can help fight dementia.

By James Adisa
Joel Taylor
Edited by Joel Taylor

Published February 28, 2022.

Your diet plays a vital role in your health.

Recently, everyone seems to talk about the need to add coconut oil to your diet because of its benefits for your brain. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of fat that the body breaks down into ketones instead of glucose.

Under normal circumstances, glucose powers the brain, while ketones are the backup fuel. The brain relies on ketones to function correctly in the absence of glucose. However, recent studies show that ketones play a vital role in brain health and improve cognitive functions.

Benefits of Coconut Oil

  • Excellent moisturizer with anti-fungal properties that can be mixed with turmeric for a highly effective skincare ointment
  • Improves cognitive function and shows promising results in treating dementia
  • Coconut oil in keto diets is helpful for therapeutic purposes, such as managing epilepsy
  • Protects your hair from damage
  • Oil pulling—a method of using coconut oil as your mouthwash—is a cost-effective way to improve your oral hygiene.

How Can Coconut Oil Fight Against Dementia?

Coconut oil keeps receiving a great deal of attention in preventing dementia naturally.

If you can tolerate pure MCT oil or coconut oil, it's a good idea to use it. The oil is rich in cytokinins and plant phenols that reduce the accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brain. The accumulation of beta-amyloid has been linked to brain deterioration in the most common form of dementia.

According to research, coconut oil can help prevent obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure, all of which raise the risk of dementia. Despite the limited research, the potential of coconut oil as a remedy for memory disorders is high.