Benefits of Coconut Oil

Before World War II, coconuts and coconut oil were the mainstay of the diet in the Philippines. Such diseases as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, thyroid problems etc.  were unheard of.  The main illnesses they had to contend with were the common tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue fever etc.  Coconut oil was also the oil of choice in the Western hemisphere, including the United States, for baking and cooking.
After World War II Western medical scientists mistakenly identified saturated fat, the main fat in coconut oil, as a health hazard and, without the benefit of long term testing,  promoted the use of vegetable oils in order to prevent heart disease.  To give these oils a longer shelf life and to provide the same consistency as saturated fats for baking, the oils were hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated.

As heart disease and diabetes increased in the Western hemisphere, more tests and studies were conducted and found that hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil formed trans fatty acids.  Trans fatty acids are not found in nature, they are manmade and they adversely affect the human body and its health.  Further studies showed that the vegetable oils provided an undesirable Omega 6 fatty acid  ratio to Omega 3 fatty acid, which is a further threat to health and can cause weight gain as well as deterioration in heart health and the immune system.

Saturated fats were found to contain medium chain fatty acids or medium chain triglycerides (MCTs for short) as opposed to the long chain fatty acids contained in vegetable oils.  The body uses MCT’s for energy, but stores long chain fatty acids as fat.  This may well be the reason people in the tropics who eat a diet high in coconut oil are not prone to obesity or diabetes.

“The medium-chain fats in coconut oil are similar to fats in mother’s milk and have similar nutriceutical effects. These health effects were recognized centuries ago in Ayurvedic medicine. Modern research has now found a common link between these two natural health products----their fat or lipid content. The medium chain fatty acids and monoglycerides found primarily in coconut oil and mother’s milk have miraculous healing power.” Outside of a human mother’s breast milk, coconut oil is nature’s most abundant source of lauric acid and medium chain fatty acids.” The Health Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil

*   Saturated fatty acids constitute at least 50 percent of cell membranes. They give our cells necessary firmness and integrity.
* They play a vital role in the health of our bones. For example, at least 50 percent of our dietary fats need to be saturated for calcium to be effectively incorporated into the skeletal structure.
* They lower Lp(a), a substance in the blood that indicates proneness to heart disease.
* They protect the liver from the toxic effects of alcohol and certain drugs.
* They enhance the immune system.
* They are needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids. Elongated omega-3 fatty acids are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated fats.
* Saturated 18-carbon stearic acid and 16-carbon palmitic acid are the preferred foods for the heart, which is why the fat around the heart muscle is highly saturated. The heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of stress.
* Short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids have important antimicrobial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.

In addition to all this, coconut oil makes a great moisturizer.  It is soothing and emollient to the skin, absorbs completely without leaving an oily film, and may even have some degree of SPF.

Before you go out and buy coconut oil for your healthy diet, here’s one word of caution.  The coconut oil must be either virgin coconut oil, or if you don’t like the taste of coconut, expeller pressed coconut oil.  If the oil remains solid in temperatures up to 92 degrees F it is hydrogenated and not advisable for human consumption.  Also avoid refined coconut oil as it is extracted with toxic chemicals.  Even though most of the chemical is removed after refining, some can remain and over time will build up in your system.  The refining process may also change the molecular structure of the oil, although I don’t have any research to prove that.