By: Amber Kingsley.
June 5th, 2015
As animal lovers, we sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to keep our pets, safe, happy and healthy. According to the APPA (American Pet Products Association), we lovingly spend around sixty billion dollars on our pets annually here in the United States. Broken down into these categories, every year, Americans spend cash for their critters in these ways:
- Over $22 billion on food
- Almost $14 billion on various supplies and over-the-counter medications
- More than $15 billion on veterinary care
- Over $2 billion buying new pets
- Around $5 billion for miscellaneous expenditures like grooming and boarding
Caring for our four-legged friends can also include supplements, like glucosamine and chondroitin, which have both been used for many years as an addition to our aging pet’s diet for help with arthritis pain, muscle and joint stiffness. But there’s a relative newcomer to the pet care supplemental marketplace, its coconut and coconut oil, which has many surprising benefits.
Coconut Characteristics
While some may wonder if the coconut is a fruit, nut, seed or all three, it’s actually a “drupe,” which comes from the word “drupa,” meaning overripe olive. All coconuts, and also other members of the drupe family, have three basic characteristics that land them into this category:
- An outer layer called the exocarp
- The fleshy middle section known as the mesocarp
- And a hard, woody layer protecting the seed called the endocarp
Both the oil and meat of this husked tree dweller have remarkable health benefits for both humans and animals alike. Many are calling it the new “superfood” even though Polynesian people have been living longer and healthier lives for many centuries due to the many traits that accompany its consumption. It allows the body an ability for more energy along with increased weight loss from eating the fruit, ingesting and applying this oil.
Good Fat?
How can fat possibly be good for you or your pet? That’s because the fat contained in coconut oil is not saturated fat, but rather something called MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides). In comparison, the type of fat found in things like meats and cheeses are known as long-chain fatty acids and are metabolized by the body differently. MCT fat goes straight into the liver following the digestive tract and gives the body a source of energy that has been shown to have therapeutic value for brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and epilepsy.
Best Friends With Benefits
The list of benefits for using and consuming coconut and its oil is long, but one that our pet receives in addition, is a healthier and shiny coat. While humans may see better hair through using this supplement, both of us should see these many benefits:
- A lower risk of heart disease
- Increased energy along with weight loss
- Less infections, bacterial growth, viruses and fungus
- A decrease in hunger
- Improved cholesterol rates
- Moisturization and protection from harmful UV rays
- Better brain function
Along with other healthy fruits and vegetables, you might be surprised to learn that your pet may actually enjoy eating coconut meat. Some dogs and cats have been known to devour things like carrots and watermelon, it depends on the animal, and eating healthier has many rewards.
Young or old, regardless of breed or origin, we are all finding many different ways to keep our best friends healthier so that they will live longer, happier lives with us. Discover how this tasty, tropical treat will benefit all of us and keep our pets looking and feeling their very best.