A Phil-for-an-ill Blog

October 26, 2008

Coconut Oil – The Healthiest Oil on the Planet

The truth about coconut oil is obvious to anyone who has studied the health of those who live in traditional tropical cultures, where coconut has been a nutritious diet staple for thousands of years.

Those living in tropical populations who follow traditional diets high in coconut oil and coconut products enjoy overall good health.

Back in the 1930’s, a dentist named Dr. Weston Price traveled throughout the South Pacific, examining traditional diets and their effect on dental and overall health. He found that those eating diets high in coconut products were healthy and trim, despite the high fat concentration in their diet.

Similarly, in 1981, researchers studied populations of two Polynesian atolls. Coconut was the chief source of caloric energy in both groups. The results, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, demonstrated that both populations exhibited positive vascular health. There was no evidence that the high saturated fat intake had a harmful effect in these populations.
[…]
Benefits like:

  1. Promoting your heart health
  2. Promoting weight loss when and if you need it
  3. Supporting your immune system health
  4. Supporting a healthy metabolism
  5. Providing you with an immediate energy source
  6. Helping to keep your skin healthy and youthful looking
  7. Supporting the proper functioning of your thyroid gland

[…]
The U.S. Department of Health and the FDA estimate that artificially hydrogenated trans-fats — the type found in fast food, processed foods and your favorite pastries — are ultimately responsible for a huge number of fatal heart attacks every year. These dangerous unsaturated fats are the ones you should ban from your diet, not naturally pure coconut oil, which is a better alternative because it contains very few fats with highly perishable double bonds — and also has NO TRANS-FATS.

Plus, those commonly-used polyunsaturated fats encourage the formation of blood clots by increasing platelet stickiness. Coconut oil helps to promote normal platelet function.
[…]
Coconut oil is comprised of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs.

Coconut oil is nature’s richest source of these healthy MCFAs.

By contrast, most common vegetable or seed oils are comprised of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), also known as long-chain triglycerides or LCTs.

There are several reasons to explain why these long-chain fatty acids are not as healthy for you as the MCFAs in coconut oil:

  1. LCFAs are difficult for the body to break down — they must be packaged with lipoproteins or carrier proteins and require special enzymes for digestion.
  2. LCFAs put more strain on the pancreas, the liver and the entire digestive system.
  3. LCFAs are predominantly stored in the body as fat. (That’s why most people buy into the myth that fats are automatically “fattening”.)
  4. LCFAs can be deposited within arteries in lipid forms such as cholesterol.

On the other hand, however, the MCFAs in coconut oil are more health-promoting, because:

  1. MCFAs are smaller. They permeate cell membranes easily, and do not require lipoproteins or special enzymes to be utilized effectively by your body.
  2. MCFAs are easily digested, thus putting less strain on your digestive system. This is especially important for those of you with digestive or metabolic concerns.
  3. MCFAs are sent directly to your liver, where they are immediately converted into energy rather than being stored as fat.
  4. MCFAs in coconut oil can actually help stimulate your body’s metabolism, leading to weight loss.

http://products.mercola.com/coconut-oil/

Experience the many benefits of coconut oil

Coconut oil is truly the healthiest oil you can consume. It is rich in lauric acid, which is known for being antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal, and contains no trans fat (even olive oil has some trans fat). You can even use it on your skin to help prevent wrinkles.


http://products.mercola.com/coconut-oil/

Super Foods – The Truth about Coconut – Nutrition by Natalie

Super Foods – The Truth about Coconut – Nutrition by Natalie
Top 10 reasons, coconut is a super food.


http://www.nutritionbynatalie.com/

“If there was an oil you could use for your daily cooking needs that helped protect you from heart disease, cancer, and other degenerative conditions, improved your digestion, strengthened your immune system, and helped you lose excess weight, would you be interested? This is what coconut oil can do for you.

What Coconut Oil DOES NOT Do:

  1. Does not increase blood cholesterol level.
  2. Does not promote platelet stickiness or blood clot formation.
  3. Does not contribute to atherosclerosis or heart disease.
  4. Does not contribute to weight problems.

What Coconut Oil DOES Do:

  1. Reduces risk of atherosclerosis and related illnesses.
  2. Reduces risk of cancer and other degenerative conditions.
  3. Helps prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal (including yeast) infections.
  4. Supports immune system function.
  5. Helps control diabetes.
  6. Provides an immediate source of energy.
  7. Supports healthy metabolic function.
  8. Improves digestion and nutrient absorption.
  9. Supplies important nutrients necessary for good health.
  10. Supplies fewer calories than other fats.
  11. Promotes weight loss.
  12. Helps prevent osteoporosis.
  13. Has a mild delicate flavor.
  14. Is highly resistant to spoilage (long shelf life).
  15. Is heat resistant (the healthiest oil for cooking).
  16. Helps keep skin soft and smooth.
  17. Helps prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.
  18. Helps protect against skin cancer and other blemishes.
  19. Functions as a protective antioxidant.”

http://www.coconut-connections.com/healthiest_oil.htm

Also highly informative is the filmed presentation by Jerry Brunetti.

Suggested Further Reading:

  1. Coconut (Cocos nucifera)
    http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/
  2. Coconut Oil – The Healthiest Oil on Earth by Brian Shilhavy
    http://www.naturodoc.com/library/nutrition/coconut_oil_healthy.htm
  3. A New Look at Coconut Oil
    http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/coconut_oil.html

The list goes on and on. Help yourself 🙂

10 Comments »

  1. You can also use coconut oil as a natural hair conditioner and moisturizer. It works abest after you’ve shampooed and rinsed your hair. While your hair is still wet, rub a sufficient amount of coconut oil between your palms to liquify and then massage through you hair. Try to coat the entire strand of hair, from tip to root. Let the oil sit in your hair for about an hour and then rinse you. You’ll be treated to the most intensive deep conditioning and moisturizing. Studies have shown coconut oil actually penetrates the hair shaft to treat damaged hair.

    Comment by Healthy Oil Guy — October 27, 2008 @ 11:37 am | Reply

    • I find that to be very true, I have been useing pure coconut oil in my hair for over ten years and find my hair to be very healthly.. Some seem to think its just for some hair texture, no it works well in all hair texture…

      Comment by Susan — August 30, 2009 @ 7:39 pm | Reply

  2. Hello Phil! This is one instance wherein I should just shut up and let this great post do all the wonderful work. Excellent job!

    You’ve pretty much covered most of the remarkable health benefits of coconut oil. What else can I say but Keep Up The Good Work! Thank you for helping spread the incredible word about coconut oil!

    Cheers,
    CoconutOilGuy
    http://www.coconut-oil-central.com
    Your Drugstore in a Bottle

    Comment by CoconutOilGuy — October 28, 2008 @ 6:44 am | Reply

  3. I agree with CoconutOilGuy, your blog is very informative. I know that Coconut gives a lot of benefit and I thought I know everything until I read your blog. True, that coconut is the tree of life.

    Comment by Brain Health — November 3, 2008 @ 2:26 pm | Reply

  4. Nice one Phil!… I appreciate these facts. Though, I prefer much of my delicacy food cooked in coconut milk, id est, coco-milked fish, coco-milked vegetables, etc, I know less of facts about coconut oil. But I am aware how healthy it is for the body! Correct me if I’m wrong, it also has nutrients fighting cancer?…

    Well, we still have another oil being developed in my hometown. A friend mentor, I consider a “little scientist,” is making a way to have a better oil extract from pilinut. It is a local nut less popular than coconut. Based on his research and mine as well, its oil is at par with olive oil. And Actually, it was mentioned that pilinut oil is much better than olive oil… I may need more research on this to confirm..

    Comment by Felicissima — November 13, 2008 @ 11:45 pm | Reply

  5. well, when i first heard about this, i got my blood tested b4 i started taking it. my HDL was 1.05 which was very low and should be much higher (1.0 is the recommended minimum). after 6 months of 1 table spoon per day of virgin organic oil/fat, my second blood test showed HDL at 1.4. no other changes to my lifestyle or eating habbits. i also lost 10 kg in those 6 months ! that’s all i need to know. if any quack then tries to state that it does not work, then i know that the so called ‘medical practitioner’ is stupid or biased.

    the other thing, is that u should always cook with coconut oil as it does break down to toxic substances, as easily as other oils when subject to heat, hence better for your health.

    Comment by vasili69 — December 21, 2008 @ 3:15 am | Reply

  6. I seriously cannot wait until the day we walk into a restaurant such as Applebee’s or something like that and on the menu they give you the choice of having your dish cooked in coconut oil. All these restaurants talk about being healty…but why dont any of them offer to cook their products in coconut oil?

    Thanks
    Gabe of Edible Haven
    http://www.ediblehaven.com

    Comment by Coco for Coconut Oil — April 1, 2011 @ 6:29 am | Reply

  7. Coconut is really healthy to eat. It can lower your HDL and that is proven. But we should always remember to eat in moderation. All of your information are facts and awesome. Let us promote healthy living and use coconuts as alternatives.

    Comment by Where to Buy Coconut Oil — April 7, 2011 @ 7:32 am | Reply

  8. Hi, I desire to subscribe for this webpage to obtain newest updates, so where can i do it please help.

    Comment by USDA Organic — August 19, 2013 @ 3:47 am | Reply


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