Want to stave off diabetes? Eat a diet rich in coconut oil, for a new study has found that it protects against insulin resistance in muscles and fat.

An international team has also found that the diet avoids the accumulation of body fat caused by other high fat diets of similar calorie content, making weight gain and high blood sugar less likely, the ‘Diabetes’ journal reported.

The study has also showed that those who incorporate medium chain fatty acids, such as those found in coconut oil, into their diets can lose body fat. In their study, researchers, led by Dr Nigel Turner of Garvan Institute of Medical Research, compared f at metabolism and insulin resistance in mice fed coconut oil and lard-based diets to reach the conclusion.

Mr Turner said: The medium chain fatty acids, such as those found in coconut oil, are interesting to us as they behave very differently to the fats normally found in our diets.

“Unlike the long chain fatty acids contained in animal fats, medium chain fatty acids are small enough to enter mitochondria -- the cells’ energy burning powerhouses -- directly, where they can then be converted to energy.