Coconut oil has been used as a nutritious food and skin conditioner for thousands of years. Sadly, it fell out of favor in the 1960s when the food industry and MDs with no nutrition education started making false claims that it contains cholesterol and should be avoided. Yes, it is a saturated fat, but saturated fats do not all contain cholesterol. Saturated fats are, in fact, necessary for optimum health.
Back in the 1930’s, Dr. Weston Price, a dentist, 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 vascular disease was uncommon in both populations. There was no evidence that the high saturated fat intake had a harmful effect in these populations.
Many other studies have confirmed the health benefits of coconut oil. Despite the evidence, the misinformation continues to this day. It is so pervasive that even people living in coconut-growing countries avoid this healthy food and instead use unhealthy vegetable oils. This has taken a toll on their health in the form of increasing rates of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
A few proven benefits of coconut oil:
Weight loss
Improved athletic performance
Reduced risk of heart disease
Immune system support
Reduced cancer risk
A rapid energy source.
Increases energy like carbohydrates, but does not cause wide fluctuations in blood sugar.
Prevents and treats bacterial, viral and yeast infections
Easily digested and assimilated by those with digestive problems
Protects skin from UV light damage and wrinkles.
Are your cooking oils killing you?
Despite the propaganda from the food industry, corn, soy, safflower, sunflower and canola oil are the worst oils for cooking. These polyunsaturated oils are very heat sensitive, breaking down and releasing damaging free-radicals. Free-radicals increase the incidence of cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, obesity, and degenerative disease in general. Saturated fats such as coconut oil are heat stable, making them ideal for cooking.
The Uniqueness of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is comprised of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs. MCTs are healthy oils and coconut oil is the richest source. MCTs are smaller than most fats so pass into membranes without difficulty. They’re also easy to digest and are converted quickly by the liver into energy rather than being stored as fat. This quick energy stimulates metabolism and weight loss.
Back in the 1940’s, farmers found out about the stimulating effect of coconut oil by accident. They tried using the inexpensive coconut oil to fatten their livestock. It didn’t work! Instead, their animals became lean, active and hungry. Every farmer’s nightmare is your dream come true!
While coconut oil acts like carbohydrates in its ability to be “burned” for energy, it does not require insulin. This makes it an excellent choice for diabetes, hypoglycemia, and those with blood-sugar swings. In fact, the ability of MCFAs to be easily digested, stimulate the metabolism and turned into energy has entered the sports arena. Several studies have shown that MCTs enhance physical and athletic performance.
Lauric acid in coconuts has been shown to fight viruses, bacteria, yeast, fungi, and parasites. It can be used internally and locally on skin conditions. Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: Avoid processing and pesticides
Extra Virgin coconut oil is made from fresh coconuts — opened less than 48 hours after they are picked from the trees. These coconuts are grown and processed organically, without harmful fertilizers, additives or chemical solvents. Remember, it is in fat that pesticides and other harmful chemicals are stored. This makes it especially important to eat choose organic when buying fat-rich foods such as coconut, avocados, eggs, dairy and meats.
Taste the value of coconut oil
Extra virgin coconut oil has a fresh, mild, light coconut flavor. Non-greasy. No cholesterol. No trans-fats. Solid at room temperature, so can be used like butter as a spread. Great for stir-fry, sauté’, eggs, fish, chicken. Add to your smoothie or juiced drinks for a delicate flavor and metabolic boost.
More than skin deep
Coconut oil is a favorite with professional massage therapists because of its skin-nourishing effect. It aids in removing the outer layer of dead skin cells, making the skin smoother. Coconut oil prevents formation of destructive free radicals which cause skin aging. This also protects the skin from sun damage and wrinkling. MCTs penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin to strengthen the underlying tissues. Recent research finds that healthy skin has a higher percentage of saturated fat over unsaturated fats.
Filed under: Commentary | Tags: coconut oil, cooking oil, heart disease, skin, vascular, weight loss
Coconut oil has been used as a nutritious food and skin conditioner for thousands of years. Sadly, it fell out of favor in the 1960s when the food industry and MDs with no nutrition education started making false claims that it contains cholesterol and should be avoided. Yes, it is a saturated fat, but saturated fats do not all contain cholesterol. Saturated fats are, in fact, necessary for optimum health.
Back in the 1930’s, Dr. Weston Price, a dentist, 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 vascular disease was uncommon in both populations. There was no evidence that the high saturated fat intake had a harmful effect in these populations.
Many other studies have confirmed the health benefits of coconut oil. Despite the evidence, the misinformation continues to this day. It is so pervasive that even people living in coconut-growing countries avoid this healthy food and instead use unhealthy vegetable oils. This has taken a toll on their health in the form of increasing rates of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
A few proven benefits of coconut oil:
Are your cooking oils killing you?
Despite the propaganda from the food industry, corn, soy, safflower, sunflower and canola oil are the worst oils for cooking. These polyunsaturated oils are very heat sensitive, breaking down and releasing damaging free-radicals. Free-radicals increase the incidence of cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, obesity, and degenerative disease in general. Saturated fats such as coconut oil are heat stable, making them ideal for cooking.
The Uniqueness of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is comprised of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs. MCTs are healthy oils and coconut oil is the richest source. MCTs are smaller than most fats so pass into membranes without difficulty. They’re also easy to digest and are converted quickly by the liver into energy rather than being stored as fat. This quick energy stimulates metabolism and weight loss.
Back in the 1940’s, farmers found out about the stimulating effect of coconut oil by accident. They tried using the inexpensive coconut oil to fatten their livestock. It didn’t work! Instead, their animals became lean, active and hungry. Every farmer’s nightmare is your dream come true!
While coconut oil acts like carbohydrates in its ability to be “burned” for energy, it does not require insulin. This makes it an excellent choice for diabetes, hypoglycemia, and those with blood-sugar swings. In fact, the ability of MCFAs to be easily digested, stimulate the metabolism and turned into energy has entered the sports arena. Several studies have shown that MCTs enhance physical and athletic performance.
Lauric acid in coconuts has been shown to fight viruses, bacteria, yeast, fungi, and parasites. It can be used internally and locally on skin conditions.
Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: Avoid processing and pesticides
Extra Virgin coconut oil is made from fresh coconuts — opened less than 48 hours after they are picked from the trees. These coconuts are grown and processed organically, without harmful fertilizers, additives or chemical solvents. Remember, it is in fat that pesticides and other harmful chemicals are stored. This makes it especially important to eat choose organic when buying fat-rich foods such as coconut, avocados, eggs, dairy and meats.
Taste the value of coconut oil
Extra virgin coconut oil has a fresh, mild, light coconut flavor. Non-greasy. No cholesterol. No trans-fats. Solid at room temperature, so can be used like butter as a spread. Great for stir-fry, sauté’, eggs, fish, chicken. Add to your smoothie or juiced drinks for a delicate flavor and metabolic boost.
More than skin deep
Coconut oil is a favorite with professional massage therapists because of its skin-nourishing effect. It aids in removing the outer layer of dead skin cells, making the skin smoother. Coconut oil prevents formation of destructive free radicals which cause skin aging. This also protects the skin from sun damage and wrinkling. MCTs penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin to strengthen the underlying tissues. Recent research finds that healthy skin has a higher percentage of saturated fat over unsaturated fats.
Thomas Ballard, RN, ND, Medical Director
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