COCONUT OIL   Don’t be critical about the coconut, the tides are turning for this tropical nut!

The oil, milk and meat of the coconut have been staples of the traditional diet of native populations throughout the South Pacific for generations. The scientific name for coconut is Cocos nucifera. Early Spanish explorers called it coco, which means ‘monkey face’, because the three indentations (eyes) on the hairy nut resemble the head and face of a monkey. Nucifera means ‘nut bearing’.

Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. It is classified as a ‘functional food’ because it actually provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional content.

But it is a rich source of saturated fat …

Correct … but this may not be as much of a problem as once thought. Why? Because not all saturated fat is bad for you. Some saturated fats are made up of long chain triglycerides (LCTs) which are insoluble in water. This means that your body struggles to digest and process them, and they end up stored in the body as fat particles, building up in your arteries, abdomen and thighs. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is made up of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are partly water soluble. So instead of being turned into fat particles, they are transported to the liver and metabolised quite effectively, helping to produce energy for the body, aiding in many bodily functions, and even supporting cardiovascular health and countering weight gain. Another advantage is that MCTs don’t appear to generate as many free radicals in the process of digestion and assimilation (breakdown of food). Coconut oil is one of the few significant plant sources of lauric acid, also found in human milk, that enhances brain function and the immune system.

Most of the health benefits of coconut oil are attributable to its high content of medium-chain saturated fatty acids such as capric acid, caprylic acid and lauric acid.

Unlike most other dietary oils, coconut oil (if not hydrogenated) does not contain trans-fatty acids (due to its very low content of unsaturated fatty acids).

Please note the ‘old’ clinical research that found coconut oil ineffective was referring to hydrogenated coconut oil. Only extra-virgin, unadulterated coconut oil should be used for therapeutic purposes.

THERAPEUTIC USES FOR COCONUT OIL

Cardiovascular system

Unlike many other dietary oils, coconut oil may NOT contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases and may indirectly reduce the risk of many types of cardiovascular diseases (due to the absence of polyunsaturated fatty acids in coconut oil).

• Unlike many other dietary oils, coconut oil may NOT contribute to the development of atherosclerosis (high cholesterol) and may indirectly reduce the risk of atherosclerosis (due to the absence of polyunsaturated fatty acids in coconut oil).
• Coconut oil may help to prevent ischemic heart disease.

Hair

• Coconut oil (applied topically) may improve hair condition.

Immune system

• Coconut oil may inhibit or kill some species of detrimental bacteria (due to its high content of medium-chain saturated fatty acids, especially lauric acid), including:
  • Helicobacter pylori
  • Hemophilus influenzae
  • Listeria monocytogenes
  • Staphylococcus aureus

• Coconut oil may inhibit/kill some types of detrimental fungi (due to its high content of medium-chain saturated fatty acids), including:
  • Aspergillus niger
  • Candida albicans

• Coconut oil may inhibit/kill the Giardia lamblia protozoa that causes Giardiasis.
• Coconut oil may reduce inflammation.
• Coconut oil may facilitate the expulsion of intestinal parasites.
• Coconut oil may facilitate the expulsion of tapeworms.

• Coconut oil may delay the shrinkage (atrophy) of the thymus that occurs with the progression of the ageing process and may restore the function of the thymus.
• Coconut oil may deactivate some types of viruses (due to the high lauric acid content of coconut oil) including:
  • HIV virus (which causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Metabolism

• Coconut oil may increase the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR).
• Coconut oil may lower elevated total serum cholesterol levels. (It is speculated that this occurs from coconut oil stimulating the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone.)
  • Coconut oil may increase HDL cholesterol levels.
  • Coconut oil may lower LDL cholesterol levels.
  • Coconut oil may lower VLDL cholesterol levels.

• Coconut oil may increase the production of energy.
• Coconut oil may facilitate weight loss in persons afflicted with obesity (by increasing the body’s basal metabolic rate).
• Coconut oil may lower elevated serum triglyceride levels.

Sexual system

• Coconut oil may help to prevent enlarged prostate.

Skin

• Coconut oil (applied topically) may alleviate dry skin.
• Coconut oil (applied topically to the hair/scalp) may help to killhead lice.

Adapted from 2008 Hyperhealth Pro

In traditional medicine around the world coconut is used to treat a wide variety of health problems including the following: abscesses, asthma, baldness, bronchitis, bruises, burns, colds, constipation, cough, dropsy, dysentery, earache, fever, flu, gingivitis, gonorrhoea, irregular or painful menstruation, jaundice, kidney stones, lice, malnutrition, nausea, rash, scabies, scurvy, skin infections, sore throat, swelling, syphilis, toothache, tuberculosis, tumours, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach, weakness, and wounds.

Coconut oil is lower in calories than most fats and oils. Use it for baking, sautéing and frying when cooking. Because it is a saturated fat it can tolerate high temperatures, unlike the unsaturated fats (e.g. olive oil and flaxseed oil) that go rancid very quickly and end up doing more harm than good.

RECIPES

Appetite control and weight loss aid:

• Combine 100 ml coconut oil and 50 ml avocado oil with 100 ml apple cider vinegar and 50 ml fennel herbal extract in a lidded jar. Keep at room temperature, and shake well before use.
• Take 15 ml before meals to improve digestion and help to control appetite.

Antiseptic cream:

• Combine 100 ml coconut oil with 50 ml olive leaf herbal extract in a lidded jar and stir well. Apply to cuts, bites, stings, grazes and minor infections to help heal skin.

The saturated fat villain that many thought coconut oil once was, in fact, is actually quite amazing. With all the manufacturers of a wide variety of processed foods being pressured to get rid of trans fats (partially hydrogenated fats), you may be seeing a lot more of coconut oil very soon! Remember – extra virgin, cold pressed and unrefined.

Coconut oil becomes solid at approximately 22°C. In its solid form, coconut oil is known as coconut butter. As it cools from the liquid state (26°) it forms small ‘pearls’ which join together until the whole product is solid at 22°C.

What about coconut flesh and coconut milk?

Research shows that the flesh from the coconut possesses similar immune and metabolic properties to that of the oil. The white flesh may help to prevent colon cancer and it may also lower total serum cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Research shows coconut milk’s health benefits are limited to the immune system. It may inhibit/kill many types of detrimental bacteria including Chlamydia trachomatis, Helicobacter pylori, Hemophilus influenzae, Listeria monocytogenes, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermis and Streptococcus agalactiae, as well as fungi including Aspergillus niger and Candida labicans. Coconut milk may deactivate viruses including the HIV virus, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes Simplex viruses type 1 and 2 and the Measles virus.

GARLIC UNCOVERED   We all know that garlic is supposed to be good for us but did you know that the way you treat this tasty little morsel makes a world of difference to its therapeautic effects.

A study conducted by the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that over-heating garlic (>200 degrees C) for more than 6 minutes completely suppresses the antiplatelet agents found in garlic.

These agents have been shown to have therapeutic effects on the cardiovascular and immune system health.

With that – up the garlic but don’t cook it for too long. Perhaps try adding it to your stir-fries at the end of the cooking process instead and always crush it! Also, don’t be afraid to use it raw – a little goes a long way in salads  and it adds a delicious flavour.

SOURCE: IMgateway

REFERENCES: CAVAGNARO Pf, Camargo A, Galmarini CR, et al. Effect of Cooking on Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Antiplatelet Activity and Thiosulfinates content. J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Feb 21; 55(4):1280–1288.