| Coconut is extracted from coconuts, the coconut palm | | | | fatty acids do not have the same effect, and those |
| often being called the tree of life and for good reason. | | | | that are affected frequently find that their thyroid |
| However, its benefits were lost to America for many | | | | problem is cured and their blood cholesterol reduces. |
| years due to the politics of the vegetable oil industry | | | | This is not to infer that all hypothyroidism can be cured |
| claiming that all saturated fats are bad. This is not | | | | through the use of coconut oil, only those cases |
| based on scientific or medical fact, and coconut oil | | | | caused by consumption of excessive amounts of |
| was recently rediscovered in the USA, and the health | | | | polyunsaturated fats. Although this is refuted by some |
| benefits enjoyed by the rest of the world are once | | | | medical practitioners that are against the use of |
| again available to Americans. | | | | supplements in general, it has been supported by |
| Coconut palms grow in most tropical climates such as | | | | medical evidence. |
| Southern California and Florida, the Philippines and the | | | | Coconut oil is also good for the digestion, and helps the |
| Caribbean. Refined coconuts oils are mass produced | | | | cure of many digestive problems including Crohn's |
| and much of the beneficial nutrients are lost by the | | | | Disease. It helps to build lipoproteins, fats and bile in the |
| refining process. Virgin coconut oil is by far the better | | | | liver, the latter being essential for digestion. It helps to |
| form, though is a slower process. It is generally | | | | create a much healthier digestive tract that makes for |
| obtained by shredding and dry milling the meat, and | | | | generally better digestion and more efficient use of the |
| then cold pressing to produce the milk. The milk is | | | | foods you eat. Absorption of the nutrients is |
| fermented for a day or so and the separated oil | | | | maximized and you feel altogether better in yourself |
| collected. | | | | when you take a small amount of coconut oil daily. |
| Such oils are analyzed to contain over 50% lauric acid | | | | You can have sugar cravings for a number of |
| and high levels of phenolic antioxidants. Much higher | | | | reasons, and taking coconut oil can reduce these |
| than from refined oils. It is said to be the healthiest oil | | | | quickly and effectively, irrespective of their cause. The |
| on earth. So why did the American authorities legislate | | | | medium chain fatty acid breaks down and is rapidly |
| against its use? It is because of the bad press | | | | metabolized to glucose thus providing a source of the |
| received by saturated fats and oils. | | | | energy your craving is telling you that you lack. It is |
| You can have saturated, monounsaturated and | | | | very useful in reducing sugar cravings without you |
| polyunsaturated fats. The majority of the fats and oils | | | | having to eat excess sugar that can create yeast |
| in our diet are composed of long chain fats and oils. | | | | problems. |
| The chain length refers to the length of the | | | | If you replace the fats you are currently eating with |
| hydrocarbon chain, whether saturated or unsaturated. It | | | | coconut oil, it will not only act as an appetite |
| is long chain saturated acids that are bad for your | | | | suppressant but can also help you to lose weight. The |
| cardiovascular system, and that should be avoided. | | | | fatty acids in coconut are absorbed immediately and |
| However, there are also short chain and medium chain | | | | converted to energy thus reducing your immediate |
| fatty acids that are more easily metabolized by the | | | | need for food and hence your appetite. If you eat the |
| body. Coconut oil consists predominantly of medium | | | | saturated fat in coconut oil rather than the |
| chain fatty acids that help to protect against heart | | | | polyunsaturated fats in vegetable oils, then you can |
| disease and cholesterol rather than promote it. | | | | lose weight. |
| The highest levels of medium chain fatty acids are | | | | Many of the benefits of coconut oil are due to the |
| found in coconut oils and palm kernel oils, and these | | | | speed with which the lauric acid is absorbed and |
| are far more nutritious than the saturated long chain | | | | metabolized in comparison to the long chain |
| fatty acids found in animal fats and just about all | | | | polyunsaturated fats. It is the chain length of the |
| vegetable fats. The main MCFA in coconut oil is lauric | | | | hydrocarbon tail that is important here rather than the |
| acid. | | | | number of double bonds in that chain that determines |
| Lauric acid is generally regarded as being responsible | | | | the degree of unsaturation. |
| for the vast majority of the health benefits of coconut | | | | Make sure that it is virgin coconut that you use since |
| oil. The only other source of this fatty acid other than | | | | that is the most nutritious form. Do not be misled by |
| coconut oil is in human breast milk. After absorption, | | | | labels claiming the contents to be extra virgin oil, since |
| lauric acid is metabolized into monolaurin that is the | | | | that is a term borrowed from the olive oil industry, and |
| monoglyceride used by the human body to destroy | | | | there is no such thing as extra virgin in relation to |
| viruses and microbes, and attack the fat coated | | | | coconut oil. Never use refined coconut oil since that will |
| viruses that cause such diseases as HIV. It destroys | | | | just as bad for you as other saturated oils. Not even |
| flu viruses, a number of dangerous bacteria and | | | | 'Extra Virgin Refined Coconut Oil' in the mistaken belief |
| protozoa such as giardia lamblia. | | | | that such a label must indicate that the oil is extra |
| However, let's have a look at some of the lesser | | | | good. It does not - it simply indicates that the supplier is |
| known effects of coconut oil, such as its effects on | | | | a charlatan deliberately trying to mislead you into |
| the thyroid. Anything that blocks the efficient operation | | | | paying a premium price for a useless product. |
| of the thyroid and secretion of the thyroid hormones | | | | Coconut oil may promote a healthy thyroid and |
| can lead to excess estrogen in the body that can | | | | digestive function, and all the medical tests indicate that |
| contribute to excessive blood cholesterol. There is a | | | | it does. People that use it regularly swear by it and if |
| body of evidence that polyunsaturated fats and oils, | | | | you have a problem that virgin coconut oil might help, |
| such as soy, can have this effect is many people. | | | | then one thing is sure: it will certainly do you no harm, |
| When coconut oil is used instead, the medium chain | | | | and all indications are that it will do you a lot of good. |