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13 Evidence-Based Medicinal Properties of Coconut Oil
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/13-evidence-based-medicinal-properties-coconut-oil
While coconut oil has dragged itself out of the muck of vast misrepresentation over the past few years, it still rarely gets the appreciation it truly deserves. Not just a "good" saturated fat, coconut oil is an exceptional healing agent as well, with loads of useful health applications.
Some examples of "good" saturated fat include
Fat-burning: Ironic, isn't it? A saturated fat which can accelerate the loss of midsection fat (the most dangerous kind). Well, there are now two solid, human studies showing just two tablespoons a day (30 ml), in both men and women, is capable of reducing belly fat within 1-3 months.
Brain-Boosting: A now famous study, published in 2006 in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, showed that the administration of medium chain triglycerides (most plentifully found in coconut oil) in 20 subjects with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment, resulted in significant increases in ketone bodies (within only 90 minutes after treatment) associated with measurable cognitive improvement in those with less severe cognitive dysfunction.
Clearing Head Lice: When combined with anise spray, coconut oil was found to be superior to the insecticide permethrin (.43%).[ii]
Healing Wounds: Coconut has been used for wound healing since time immemorial. Three of the identified mechanisms behind these healing effects are its ability to accelerate re-epithelialization, improve antioxidant enzyme activity, and stimulate higher collagen cross-linking within the tissue being repaired.[iii] Coconut oil has even been shown to work synergistically with traditional treatments, such as silver sulphadizine, to speed burn wound recovery.[iv]
NSAID Alternative: Coconut oil has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and fever-reducing properties.[v]
Anti-Ulcer Activity: Interestingly, coconut milk (which includes coconut oil components), has been shown to be as effective as the conventional drug sucralfate as an NSAID-associated anti-ulcer agent.[vi]
Anti-Fungal: In 2004, 52 isolates of Candida species were exposed to coconut oil. The most notorious form, Candida albicans, was found to have the highest susceptibility. Researchers remarked: "Coconut oil should be used in the treatment of fungal infections in view of emerging drug-resistant Candida species."[vii]
Testosterone-Booster: Coconut oil was found to reduce oxidative stress in the testes of rats, resulting in significantly higher levels of testosterone.[viii]
Reducing Swollen Prostate: Coconut oil has been found to reduce testosterone-induced benign prostate growth in rats.[ix]
Improving Blood Lipids: Coconut oil consistently improves the LDL:HDL ratio in the blood of those who consume it. Given this effect, coconut oil can nolonger be dismissed for being 'that saturated fat which clogs the arteries.'
Fat-Soluble Nutrient Absorption: Coconut oil was recently found to be superior to safflower oil in enhancing tomato carotenoid absorption.[x]
Bone Health: Coconut oil has been shown to reduce oxidative stress within the bone, which may prevent structural damage in osteoporotic bone.[xi] [Note: Osteoporosis is a Myth, as presently defined by the T-Score]
Sunscreen: Coconut oil has been shown to block out UV rays by 30%. Keep in mind that this is good, insofar as UVA rays are damaging to the skin, whereas UVB rays are highly beneficial (when exposure is moderate). Make sure to check this list of other sun-blocking oils.
Of course, when speaking about coconut oil, we are only looking at one part of the amazing coconut palm. Each component, including coconut hull fiber, coconut protein and coconut water has experimentally confirmed therapeutic applications.
References
Mark A Reger, Samuel T Henderson, Cathy Hale, Brenna Cholerton, Laura D Baker, G S Watson, Karen Hyde, Darla Chapman, Suzanne Craft . Effects of beta-hydroxybutyrate on cognition in memory-impaired adults. Neurobiol Aging. 2004 Mar;25(3):311-4. PMID: 15123336
[ii] Ian F Burgess, Elizabeth R Brunton, Nazma A Burgess . Clinical trial showing superiority of a coconut and anise spray over permethrin 0.43% lotion for head louse infestation, ISRCTN96469780. Eur J Pediatr. 2010 Jan ;169(1):55-62. Epub 2009 Apr 3. PMID: 19343362
[iii] K G Nevin, T Rajamohan . Effect of topical application of virgin coconut oil on skin components and antioxidant status during dermal wound healing in young rats. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2010 ;23(6):290-7. Epub 2010 Jun 3. PMID: 20523108
[iv] Pallavi Srivastava, S Durgaprasad. Burn wound healing property of Cocos nucifera: An appraisal. Indian J Pharmacol. 2008 Aug;40(4):144-6. PMID: 20040946
[v] S Intahphuak, P Khonsung, A Panthong. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of virgin coconut oil. Pharm Biol. 2010 Feb;48(2):151-7. PMID: 20645831
[vi] R O Nneli, O A Woyike. Antiulcerogenic effects of coconut (Cocos nucifera) extract in rats. Phytother Res. 2008 Jul;22(7):970-2. PMID: 18521965
[vii] D O Ogbolu, A A Oni, O A Daini, A P Oloko. In vitro antimicrobial properties of coconut oil on Candida species in Ibadan, Nigeria. J Med Food. 2007 Jun;10(2):384-7. PMID: 17651080
[viii] Graciela E Hurtado de Catalfo, María J T de Alaniz, Carlos A Marra. Dietary lipids modify redox homeostasis and steroidogenic status in rat testis. Phytother Res. 2010 Feb;24(2):163-8. PMID: 18549927
[ix] María de Lourdes Arruzazabala, Vivian Molina, Rosa Más, Daisy Carbajal, David Marrero, Víctor González, Eduardo Rodríguez. Effects of coconut oil on testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia in Sprague-Dawley rats. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2007 Jul;59(7):995-9. PMID: 17637195
[x] Lauren E Conlon, Ryan D King, Nancy E Moran, John W Erdman. Coconut Oil Enhances Tomato Carotenoid Tissue Accumulation Compared to Safflower Oil in the Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Aug 7. Epub 2012 Aug 7. PMID: 22866697
[xi] Mouna Abdelrahman Abujazia, Norliza Muhammad, Ahmad Nazrun Shuid, Ima Nirwana Soelaiman. The Effects of Virgin Coconut Oil on Bone Oxidative Status in Ovariectomised Rat. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012 ;2012:525079. Epub 2012 Aug 15. PMID: 22927879
Good post...Great information..Thanks..PP
Hurricane Isaac Gave Me
Floating Coconuts
from an email
I feel like I did back in my college days when I was a windsurfer. I used to chase hurricanes down for a thrill ride. I’m still adventurous, but if I did that today I’d probably break something. And now, one of those storms found me.
The wind wasn’t so bad, but we got 15 inches of rain where I live in South Florida. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen that much rain, but I have a 2½ acre yard, and about 2 acres of it is a lake. And there are coconuts floating in it.
The silver lining is that since they blew down, I don’t have to climb all the way up the palm trees to get them. I consider myself to be in pretty good shape, but I can’t climb those trees very well.
In Jamaica they seem to be able to literally run up the palm trees. It’s a lot harder than it looks. I’ve tried it when I’ve been there because we gather coconuts constantly, since they use coconuts for everything. In fact, I think of them as a staple now.
Jamaicans especially use coconut oil, both internally and externally. They use it in makeup as a base and as a skin and hair conditioner. Warm coconut oil can cure dried out and damaged hair.
They also flavor foods with it, and use it as cooking oil. It’s always around the house... it’s in every kitchen and probably every bathroom.
My friend in Jamaica, I call him “Rasta,” showed me how to scrape the coconut out of the shell and mash it up. We used a grater like you would use for cheese and scraped it off that way.
Then I put the shredded coconut in a big pot of water – a lot of water, like maybe ten times as much as the coconut – and Rasta and I boiled it.
It looked to me like kind of a coconut stew and bubbled like a cauldron. It eventually looked like lava bubbling slowly. When it stopped bubbling, that meant all the water was gone.
What’s left afterwards is the coconut oil. Then we put it into jars to cool it, and it’s solid at room temperature.
To make it a liquid again we just put the jar outside in the heat, then you can use it for just about anything.
I like nuts cooked in coconut oil. Peanuts are really good. Almonds are very popular in Jamaica, too. Almond trees are all over the place. They take the almonds, dry them in the oven and then kind of char them a little in coconut oil.
Coconut oil is also useful when you cook with it because it slows down the digestion of food, which helps you feel fuller after you eat.
In my next letter to you, I’ll tell you a bit more about my own “island” in the middle of the storm..
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
Al Sears, MD
Antibacterial Action of Coconut Oil Combats Tooth Decay When Consumed
http://preventdisease.com/news/12/090212_Antibacterial-Action-of-Coconut-Oil-Combats-Tooth-Decay-When-Consumed.shtml?utm_source=090312&utm_campaign=090312&utm_medium=email
The human body converts the lauric acid found in coconut oil into an amazing monoglyceride called monolaurin which is only found in abundance in one other liquid--breast milk. It has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoa properties. Lauric acid is a powerful virus and gram-negative bacteria destroyer, and coconut oil contains the most lauric acid of any substance on earth. It is able to attack the bacteria that cause tooth decay say scientists presenting their work at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn Conference at the University of Warwick.
The team from the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland tested the antibacterial action of coconut oil in its natural state and coconut oil that had been treated with enzymes, in a process similar to digestion. The oils were tested against strains of Streptococcus bacteria which are common inhabitants of the mouth. They found that enzyme-modified coconut oil strongly inhibited the growth of most strains of Streptococcus bacteria including Streptococcus mutans -- an acid-producing bacterium that is a major cause of tooth decay.
Coconut oil is:
Anti-bacterial (kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum diseases, and other bacterial infections)
Anti-carcinogenic (coconut oil has antimicrobial properties so it effectively prevents the spread of cancer cells and enhances the immune system)
Anti-fungal (kills fungi and yeast that lead to infection)
Anti-inflammatory (appears to have a direct effect in suppressing inflammation and repairing tissue, and it may also contribute by inhibiting harmful intestinal microorganisms that cause chronic inflammation.)
Anti-microbial/Infection Fighting (the medium-chain fatty acids and monoglycerides found in coconut oil are the same as those in human mother's milk, and they have extraordinary antimicrobial properties. By disrupting the lipid structures of microbes, they inactivate them. About half of coconut oil consists of lauric acid. Lauric acid, its metabolite monolaurin and other fatty acids in coconut oil are known to protect against infection from bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi and parasites. While not having any negative effect on beneficial gut bacteria, coconut oil inactivates undesirable microbes.)
An Antioxidant (protects against free-radical formation and damage)
Anti-parasitic (fights to rid the body of tapeworms, lice and other parasites)
Anti-protozoa (kills giardia, a common protozoan infection of the gut)
Anti-retroviral (kills HIV and HLTV-1)
Anti-viral (kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other viruses)
Infection fighting
Has no harmful for discomforting side effects
Known to improve nutrient absorption (easily digestible; makes vitamins and minerals more available to the body)
Nontoxic to humans and animals
Many previous studies have shown that partially digested foodstuffs are active against micro-organisms. Earlier work on enzyme-modified milk showed that it was able to reduce the binding of S. mutans to tooth enamel, which prompted the group to investigate the effect of other enzyme-modified foods on bacteria.
Further work will examine how coconut oil interacts with Streptococcus bacteria at the molecular level and which other strains of harmful bacteria and yeasts it is active against. Additional testing by the group at the Athlone Institute of Technology found that enzyme-modified coconut oil was also harmful to the yeast Candida albicans that can cause thrush.
The researchers suggest that enzyme-modified coconut oil has potential as a marketable antimicrobial which could be of particular interest to the oral healthcare industry. Dr Damien Brady who is leading the research said, "Dental caries is a commonly overlooked health problem affecting 60-90% of children and the majority of adults in industrialized countries. Incorporating enzyme-modified coconut oil into dental hygiene products would be an attractive alternative to chemical additives, particularly as it works at relatively low concentrations. Also, with increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection."
Type of Coconut oil to use:
Virgin (unrefined) coconut oil tastes and smells coconutty and is great for cooking and baking where you want that flavor. You can use it for anything but it will impart a coconut taste (mild) and odor (pleasant in my book)! Unrefined coconut oil retains the most nutritional value and is superior to refined oil.
Expeller pressed (refined) coconut oil can be used for anything. It does not have a coconutty smell or taste. It is still outstanding to use but does lose some of it’s health properties during the refining process.
The work also contributes to our understanding of antibacterial activity in the human gut. "Our data suggests that products of human digestion show antimicrobial activity. This could have implications for how bacteria colonize the cells lining the digestive tract and for overall gut health," explained Dr Brady. "Our research has shown that digested milk protein not only reduced the adherence of harmful bacteria to human intestinal cells but also prevented some of them from gaining entrance into the cell. We are currently researching coconut oil and other enzyme-modified foodstuffs to identify how they interfere with the way bacteria cause illness and disease," he said.
Natasha Longo has a master's degree in nutrition and is a certified fitness and nutritional counselor. She has consulted on public health policy and procurement in Canada, Australia, Spain, Ireland, England and Germany.
Did you know that dietary changes can virtually
eliminate Thyroid issues? Have your doctor read this:
http://www.naturalhealth365.com/food/coconut.html
Many Americans suffer from hypothyroidism and the uncomfortable symptoms that accommodate it such as cold hands and feet, low body temperature, sensitivity to cold, feeling chilled, headaches, insomnia, dry skin, puffy eyes, hair loss, breaking nails, joint aches, constipation, brain fog, fatigue, frequent infections, ringing in the ears, dizziness, loss of libido, depression and weight gain.
The endocrine system is constantly under attack
Thyroid disease is more common than diabetes; the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) has noted that thyroid disease exceeds the number of diabetic cases by more than 40 percent. In fact, it is estimated that 27 million people experience some form of thyroid dysfunction. By the way, nearly 80 percent of all thyroid conditions are hypothyroid related.
The “diet connection” can not be ignored
It is generally accepted in the (integrative) medical community that diet plays a major role in thyroid health. For decades, it has been known that low iodine levels can lead to poor thyroid function and even increase your risk for cancer. Unfortunately, the conventional “solution” of consuming (iodized) salt is NOT the solution. For a more comprehensive plan of action – look up the work of Dr. David Brownstein.
The American diet contains foods that are known as goitrogens. These are naturally occurring substances in certain foods that interfere with the production of thyroid hormones and include healthy foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, radishes, soybeans, peanuts, pine nuts, peaches and millet. Cooking is known to inactivate goitrogens.
Modern farming practices are (slowly) killing the population
The real culprit is the rise of industrialized corporate farming, and a drastically changed food supply. Two goitrogens that are quite prevalent in the American diet are peanuts in the form of peanut butter and soybeans used in prepared foods as textured vegetable protein and soybean oil.
Many of the oils used today can negatively affect thyroid health. These oils are plentiful in commercially prepared food. Expelled-pressed are solvent-extracted oils and are now a major part of the American diet. But, they are the worst things for the thyroid gland. In other words, limit or avoid vegetable oils – which many people are brainwashed into believing are “good for you”.
NOTE: Unsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its circulation, and the response of tissues to the hormone. When there is a deficiency of the thyroid hormone – the body can be exposed to increased levels of estrogen.
A new level of respect for the Thyroid gland
The thyroid hormone is essential for making the protective hormones progesterone and pregnenolone and these hormones are lowered when anything interferes with thyroid function. The thyroid hormone is required for using and elimination cholesterol and high cholesterol is sometimes an indicator of hyperthyroidism.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the form of corn and soy beans are fed to pigs to fatten them up and it is the chemically equivalent to vegetable oil. Soy and corn have an anti-thyroid effect causing the animals to gain weight.
Coconut Oil – Supports thyroid health
Coconut oil is a saturated fat made up of mostly medium chain fatty acids, which are know to increase metabolism and raise basal body temperatures. Dr. Bruce Fife, a past guest on the NaturalNews Talk Hour has written extensively about the health benefits of coconut oil.
Coconut oil is both saturated and stable (unrefined coconut oil has a shelf life of three plus years at room temperature); this means it does not cause oxidative stress like vegetable oils. It also doesn’t cause enzyme stress that vegetable oils do – which prevents the much needed hormone conversion of Thyroxine (T4) to Triiodothyronine (T3). The liver is where much of the conversion of T4 to T3 takes place, and this is the organ where damage occurs from free radical induced oxidation. By the way, rancid vegetable oils create free radicals.
Since the unsaturated oils block protein digestion in the stomach, we can be malnourished even while “eating well.” With at least a dozen vitamins and minerals that work to prevent low thyroid function, it is essential that we absorb them. Since zinc, vitamins B2, B3, B6, B12 and the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E improve thyroid function the best way back to health means using cold-pressed oils. Coconut oil is a wise choice. Do you use coconut oil? (post your comments – below)
About the author: Blanche Levine has been a student of natural healing modalities for the last 25 years. She had the privilege of working with some of the greatest minds in Natural Healing including Naturopaths, Scientist, and Energy Healers. Having seen people miraculously heal from all kinds of dis-ease through non-invasive methods, her passion now is to help people become aware of what it takes to be healthy.
Sources:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=47
http://www.herbcompanion.com/cooking/Smart-foods-for-hypothyroidism.aspx?page=2
http://coconutdiet.com/thyroid_health.htm
Action Alert regarding genetically modified foods?
California Citizens for Health freedom
As you probably know proposition 37 is on the ballot in California for us to vote on in November. This proposition if passed will require that all genetically modified foods and ingredients have to be labeled in California. Please vote yes on this proposition and tell your friends.
Click on http://www.labelgmos.org/events for events in your area. Jeffrey M. Smith and Pamm Larry are touring California, they are great, very inspiring - a must see.
Also your help is needed to stop riders that have been attached to the House Farm Bill
The following has been taken from Organic Bytes http://www.organicconsumers.org/bytes/ob337.htm
"New Monsanto Rider in the House Farm Bill
Monsanto has launched a series of sneak attacks on organic and non-GMO farmers and consumers. They began by attaching a rider to the U.S. House of Representatives' 2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill that would allow new genetically engineered crops to be planted even when courts rule that the US Department of Agriculture has approved them illegally. This would result in, as one federal judge described it, "the potential elimination of a farmer's choice to grow non-genetically engineered crops, or a consumer's choice to eat non-genetically engineered food."
Rep. Peter DeFazio is going to try to remove the appropriations rider through an amendment, with a vote expected the week of July 23rd.
Now, Monsanto has slipped a similar provision into the House version of the Farm Bill.
In addition to eliminating judicial review, this even more dangerous provision would also stop the EPA from regulating new and expanded uses of pesticides (often caused by the introduction of new herbicide-resistant GMO crops) and require the USDA to make the approval of new genetically engineered crops easier and faster.
Please contact your Member of Congress today to get this free pass for Monsanto out of the House Farm Bill.
Just go tohttp://www.capwiz.com/grassrootsnetroots/issues/alert/?alertid=61552966&type=TA and fill in your address info and hit send. The program does the rest for you.
Please forward this to anyone you think would be interested.
more good coconut info
Coconut Palm Trees
http://www.augmentinforce.50webs.com/Coconut%202.htm#Coconut%202
Coconut
(mg of Substance per 100 grams)
http://www.augmentinforce.50webs.com/COCONUT%201.htm#COCONUT%201
Amino Acids: 3,300
Carbohydrates: 15,000
Lipids: 33,000 Saturated: 30,360 Lauric Acid 16,000
Capric Acid 6,500
Unsaturated: Linoleic Acid 330
Monounsaturated: Oleic Acid 1,980
Minerals: Calcium 14 Iron 2.4
Phosphorus 113 Zinc 1.1
Manganese 1.5 Magnesium 32
Copper 0.4 Potassium 440
Vitamins: Vitamin B1 0.1 Vitamin B2 0.02
Vitamin B3 0.5 Vitamin B5 0.3
Vitamin C 3.3
Health Benefits of Coconut Milk
The majority of the health benefits associated with Coconut Milk are attributable to its high content of Lauric Acid and Capric Acid.
Immune System
Coconut Milk inhibits/kills many types of Detrimental Bacteria, including:
- Chlamydia trachomatis
- Helicobacter pylori references
- Hemophilus influenzae
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Staphylococcus epidermidis
- Streptococcus agalactiae
Coconut Milk inhibits/kills some types of Detrimental Fungi, including:
- Aspergillus niger
- Candida albicans
Coconut Milk deactivates (lipid-coated) Viruses, including:
- The HIV virus (which causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- Herpes Simplex Viruses:
- Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1
- Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2
- Measles Virus
Coconut Milk Contain these Substances
(mg of Substance per 100 grams)
Lipids: 24,000 Lauric Acid 12,000 Capric Acid 6,500
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
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 cannot contain Trans-Fatty Acids (due to its very low content of Unsaturated Fatty Acids).
Immune System
Coconut Oil inhibits/kills some types of Detrimental Bacteria (due to its high content of Medium-Chain Saturated Fatty Acids), including:
- Helicobacter pylori
Coconut Oil inhibits/kills some types of Detrimental Fungi (due to its high content of Medium-Chain Saturated Fatty Acids), including:
- Aspergillus niger
Coconut Oil may delay the shrinkage (atrophy) of the Thymus that occurs with the progression of the Aging Process and may restore the function of the Thymus. research
Coconut Oil inactivates some types of Viruses (due to the high Lauric Acid content of Coconut Oil) including: references
- HIV virus (which causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). references
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Metabolism
Coconut Oil increases the body’s Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). references
Coconut Oil lowers elevated total serum Cholesterol levels (it is speculated that this occurs from Coconut Oil stimulating the conversion of Cholesterol to Pregnenolone).
Coconut Oil facilitates weight loss in persons afflicted with Obesity. references
Skin
Coconut Oil (applied topically) alleviates Dry Skin. research
Coconut Oil Enhances the Function of these Substances
Hormones
Coconut Oil is speculated to facilitate the conversion of Cholesterol to Pregnenolone.
Coconut Oil Contains these Substances
(mg of Substance per 100 grams)
Fatty Acids: Saturated - Medium Chain: 62,000 Capric Acid 7,000
Caprylic Acid 7,000
Lauric Acid 48,000
Saturated - Long Chain: 23,000 Myristic Acid 16,000
Palmitic Acid 7,000
Monounsaturated: 6,600 Oleic Acid 6,600
Polyunsaturated: 1,800 Linoleic Acid 1,800
Vitamins: Vitamin E: 1.1 Alpha Tocopherol 0.5
Delta Tocopherol 0.6
Tocotrienols: 3.1 Alpha Tocotrienol 0.5
Delta Tocotrienol 0.6
Gamma Tocotrienol 2.0
Storage
Coconut Oil is more resistant to rancidity (i.e. Lipid Peroxidation) than most other edible oils and hence has a much longer shelf life compared to other dietary Oils. Coconut oil that has been kept at room temperature for a year has been tested for rancidity, and showed no evidence of it.
Myths Dispelled
Cardiovascular System
Unlike many other Dietary Oils, Coconut Oil does NOT contribute to the development of Cardiovascular Diseases.
Coconut
Preparing Coconut Milk from Fresh Coconuts
Pierce the eyes of a fresh coconut, drain the liquid inside and place the coconut on a rack and bake in a 325F pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the coconut from the oven, let it cool a bit and crack it with a hammer so that the shell breaks into several pieces. Remove all the coconut meat from the shell, peel off the brown skin and cut the meat into very small cubes. Place the meat in a blender, add hot water to just cover all of the meat and blend until finely grated. Place a sieve covered with cheese cloth over a bowl and pour the coconut meat and water into the sieve squeezing handfuls of the coconut meat to extract as much liquid as possible into the bowl. Discard the squeezed coconut meat and refrigerate the coconut milk that has been extracted into the bowl. Refrigerate the milk and use within 1 or 2 days. B: Preparing Coconut Milk from Desiccated coconut.
Empty an 8 oz package of unsweetened desiccated coconut into a blender and add 1 cup boiling water. Blend for about 30 seconds and allow the mixture to cool a bit. Place a sieve over a bowl lined with cheese cloth. Ladle the mixture into the cheese cloth, fold the edges over the coconut meat and twist the ends to extract as much milk as you can into the bowl. Discard the squeezed coconut meat and refrigerate the coconut milk that has been extracted into the bowl. Refrigerate the milk and use within 1 or 2 days."
Coconuts: In Support of Good Health,
"Coconuts: In Support of Good Health in the 21st Century", presented by Dr Mary Enig at the Asian Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) meeting held in Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia in 1999. Note that it does make several references to animal experiments, and that NEXUS does not condone animal experimentation. --Editor)
ABSTRACT
Coconuts play a unique role in the diets of mankind because they are the source of important physiologically functional components. These physiologically functional components are found in the fat part of whole coconut, in the fat part of desiccated coconut and in the extracted coconut oil.
Lauric acid, the major fatty acid from the fat of the coconut, has long been recognised for the unique properties that it lends to nonfood uses in the soaps and cosmetics industry. More recently, lauric acid has been recognised for its unique properties in food use, which are related to its antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoal functions. Now, capric acid, another of coconut's fatty acids, has been added to the list of coconut's antimicrobial components. These fatty acids are found in the largest amounts only in traditional lauric fats, especially from coconut. Also, recently published research has shown that natural coconut fat in the diet leads to a normalisation of body lipids, protects against alcohol damage to the liver and improves the immune system's anti-inflammatory response.
Clearly, there has been increasing recognition of the health-supporting functions of the fatty acids found in coconut. Recent reports from the US Food and Drug Administration about required labelling of the trans fatty acids will put coconut oil in a more competitive position and may help its return to use by the baking and snack-food industry, where it has continued to be recognised for its functionality. Now it can be recognised for another kind of functionality: the improvement of the health of mankind. . These benefits stemmed from coconut's use as a food with major functional properties for antimicrobial and anti-cancer effects.
II. FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF LAURIC FATS AS ANTIMICROBIALS
Earlier this year, at a special conference entitled "Functional Foods For Health Promotion: Physiologic Considerations" (Experimental Biology '99, Renaissance Washington Hotel, Washington, DC, April 17, 1999), which was sponsored by the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) North America, Technical Committee on Food Components for Health Promotion, it was defined that "a functional food provides a health benefit over and beyond the basic nutrients".
This is exactly what coconut and its edible products such as desiccated coconut and coconut oil do. As a functional food, coconut has fatty acids that provide both energy (nutrients) and raw material for antimicrobial fatty acids and monoglycerides (functional components) when it is eaten. Desiccated coconut is about 69% coconut fat, as is creamed coconut. Full coconut milk is approximately 24% fat.Approximately 50% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are lauric acid. Lauric acid is a medium-chain fatty acid which has the additional beneficial function of being formed into monolaurin in the human or animal body. Monolaurin is the antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoal monoglyceride used by the human (and animal) to destroy lipid-coated viruses such as HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, various pathogenic bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes and Helicobacter pylori, and protozoa such as Giardia lamblia. Some studies have also shown some antimicrobial effects of the free lauric acid. Also, approximately 6 - 7% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are capric acid. Capric acid is another medium-chain fatty acid which has a similar beneficial function when it is formed into monocaprin in the human or animal body. Monocaprin has also been shown to have antiviral effects against HIV and is being tested for antiviral effects against herpes simplex and for antibacterial effects against Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted bacteria (Reuters, London, June 29, 1999). The antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoal properties of lauric acid and monolaurin have been recognised by a small number of researchers for nearly four decades. This knowledge has resulted in more than 20 research papers and several US patents, and last year it resulted in a comprehensive book chapter which reviewed the important aspects of lauric oils as antimicrobial agents (Enig, 1998). In the past, the larger group of clinicians and food and nutrition scientists has been unaware of the potential benefits of consuming foods containing coconut and coconut oil, but this is now starting to change. Kabara (1978) and others have reported that certain fatty acids (FAs) (e.g., medium-chain saturates) and their derivatives (e.g., monoglycerides, MGs) can have adverse effects on various micro-organisms. Those micro-organisms that are inactivated include bacteria, yeast, fungi and enveloped viruses. Additionally, it is reported that the antimicrobial effects of the FAs and MGs are additive, and total concentration is critical for inactivating viruses (Isaacs and Thormar, 1990). The properties that determine the anti-infective action of lipids are related to their structure, e.g., monoglycerides, free fatty acids. The monoglycerides are active; diglycerides and triglycerides are inactive. Of the saturated fatty acids, lauric acid has greater antiviral activity than caprylic acid (C-8), capric acid (C-10) or myristic acid (C-14). In general, it is reported that the fatty acids and monoglycerides produce their killing/inactivating effect by lysing the plasma membrane lipid bilayer. The antiviral action attributed to monolaurin is that of solubilising the lipids and phospholipids in the envelope of the virus, causing the disintegration of the virus envelope. However, there is evidence from recent studies that one antimicrobial effect in bacteria is related to monolaurin's interference with signal transduction (Projan et al., 1994), and another antimicrobial effect in viruses is due to lauric acid's interference with virus assembly and viral maturation (Hornung et al., 1994). Recognition of the antiviral aspects of the antimicrobial activity of the monoglyceride of lauric acid (monolaurin) has been reported since 1966. Some of the early work by Hierholzer and Kabara (1982), which showed virucidal effects of monolaurin on enveloped RNA and DNA viruses, was done in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control of the US Public Health Service. These studies were done with selected virus prototypes or recognised representative strains of enveloped human viruses. The envelope of these viruses is a lipid membrane, and the presence of a lipid membrane on viruses makes them especially vulnerable to lauric acid and its derivative, monolaurin. The medium-chain saturated fatty acids and their derivatives act by disrupting the lipid membranes of the viruses (Isaacs and Thormar, 1991; Isaacs et al., 1992). Research has shown that enveloped viruses are inactivated in both human and bovine milk by added fatty acids and monoglycerides (Isaacs et al., 1991) and also by endogenous fatty acids and monoglycerides of the appropriate length (Isaacs et al., 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992; Thormar et al., 1987). Some of the viruses inactivated by these lipids, in addition to HIV, are the measles virus, herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), visna virus and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Many of the pathogenic organisms reported to be inactivated by these antimicrobial lipids are those known to be responsible for opportunistic infections in HIV-positive individuals. For example, concurrent infection with cytomegalovirus is recognised as a serious complication for HIV-positive individuals (Macallan et al., 1993). Thus, it would appear to be important to investigate the practical aspects and the potential benefits of an adjunct nutritional support regimen for HIV-infected individuals, which will utilise those dietary fats that are sources of known antiviral, antimicrobial and antiprotozoal monoglycerides and fatty acids such as monolaurin and its precursor, lauric acid.Until now, no one in the mainstream nutrition community seems to have recognised the added potential of antimicrobial lipids in the treatment of HIV-infected or AIDS patients. These antimicrobial fatty acids and their derivatives are essentially nontoxic to man; they are produced in vivo by humans when they ingest those commonly available foods that contain adequate levels of medium-chain fatty acids such as lauric acid. According to the published research, lauric acid is one of the best "inactivating" fatty acids, and its monoglyceride is even more effective than the fatty acid alone (Kabara, 1978; Sands et al., 1978; Fletcher et al., 1985; Kabara, 1985). The lipid-coated (enveloped) viruses are dependent on host lipids for their lipid constituents. The variability of fatty acids in the foods of individuals, as well as the variability from de novo synthesis, accounts for the variability of fatty acids in the virus envelope and also explains the variability of glycoprotein expression - a variability that makes vaccine development more difficult. Monolaurin does not appear to have an adverse effect on desirable gut bacteria but, rather, only on potentially pathogenic micro-organisms. For example, Isaacs et al. (1991) reported no inactivation of the common Escherichia coli or Salmonella enteritidis by monolaurin, but major inactivation of Hemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus epidermidis and group B gram-positive Streptococcus. The potentially pathogenic bacteria inactivated by monolaurin include Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, groups A, F and G streptococci, gram-positive organisms, and some gram-negative organisms if pretreated with a chelator (Boddie and Nickerson, 1992; Kabara, 1978, 1984; Isaacs et al., 1990, 1992, 1994; Isaacs and Schneidman, 1991; Isaacs and Thormar, 1986, 1990, 1991; Thormar et al., 1987; Wang and Johnson, 1992).Decreased growth of Staphylococcus aureus and decreased production of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 was shown with 150 mg monolaurin per litre (Holland et al., 1994). Monolaurin was shown to be 5,000 times more inhibitory against Listeria monocytogenes than is ethanol (Oh and Marshall, 1993). Helicobacter pylori was rapidly inactivated by medium-chain monoglycerides and lauric acid, and there appeared to be very little development of resistance of the organism to the bactericidal effects of these natural antimicrobials (Petschow et al., 1996). A number of fungi, yeast and protozoa have been found to be inactivated or killed by lauric acid or monolaurin. The fungi include several species of ringworm (Isaacs et al., 1991). The yeast reported is Candida albicans (Isaacs et al., 1991). The protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia is killed by free fatty acids and monoglycerides from hydrolysed human milk (Hernell et al., 1986; Reiner et al., 1986; Crouch et al., 1991; Isaacs et al., 1991). Numerous other protozoa were studied with similar findings, but these have not yet been published (Jon J. Kabara, private communication, 1997). Research continues in measuring the effects of the monoglyceride derivative of capric acid, monocaprin, as well as the effects of lauric acid. Chlamydia trachomatis is inactivated by lauric acid, capric acid and monocaprin (Bergsson et al., 1998). Hydrogels containing monocaprin are potent in vitro inactivators of sexually transmitted viruses such as HSV-2 and HIV-1 and bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Thormar, 1999).
III. ORIGINS OF THE ANTI - SATURATED FAT, ANTI - TROPICAL OILS AGENDA
The coconut industry has suffered more than three decades of abusive rhetoric from the consumer activist group Centers for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), from the American Soybean Association (ASA) and other members of the edible oil industry, and from those in the medical and scientific community who learned their misinformation from groups like CSPI and ASA. I would like to review briefly the origins of the anti - saturated fat, anti - tropical oil campaigns and hopefully give you some useful insight into the issues. When and how did the anti - saturated fat story begin? It really began in part in the late 1950s, when a researcher in Minnesota announced that the heart disease epidemic was being caused by hydrogenated vegetable fats. The edible oil industry's response at that time was to claim it was only the saturated fat in the hydrogenated oils that was causing the problem. The industry then announced that it would be changing to partially hydrogenated fats and that this would solve the problem. In actual fact, there was no change because the oils were already being partially hydrogenated and the levels of saturated fatty acids remained similar, as did the levels of the trans fatty acids. The only thing that really changed was the term for "hydrogenation" or "hardening" listed on the food label. During this same period, a researcher in Philadelphia reported that consuming polyunsaturated fatty acids lowered serum cholesterol. This researcher neglected, however, to include the information that the lowering was due to the cholesterol going into the tissues such as the liver and the arteries. As a result of this research report and the acceptance of this new agenda by the domestic edible oils industry, there was a gradual increase in the emphasis on replacing "saturated fats" in the diet and on consuming larger amounts of the "polyunsaturated fats". As many of you probably know, this strong emphasis on consuming polyunsaturates has backfired in many ways. The current adjustments, being recommended in the US by groups such as the National Academy of Sciences, replace the saturates with mono-unsaturates instead of with polyunsaturates and replace polyunsaturates with mono-unsaturates. Early promoters of the anti - saturated fat ideas included companies such as Corn Products Company (CPC International), through a book written by Jeremiah Stamler in 1963, with the professional edition published in 1966 by CPC. This book took some of the earliest pejorative stabs at the tropical oils. In 1963, the only tropical fat or oil singled out as high in saturated fats was coconut oil. Palm oil had not entered the US food supply to any extent, had not become a commercial threat to the domestic oils and was not recognised in any of the early texts. The editorial staff of Consumer Reports noted that "...in 1962...one writer observed, the average American now fears fat [saturated fat, that is] 'as he once feared witches"'. In 1965, a representative of Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals told the American Heart Association to change its diet/heart statement to remove any reference to the trans fatty acids. This altered official document encouraged the consumption of partially hydrogenated fats. In the 1970s, this same Procter & Gamble employee served as nutrition chairman in two controlling positions for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Lipid Research Clinic (LRC) trials and as director of one of the LRC centres. These LRC trials were the basis for the 1984 NIH Cholesterol Consensus Conference, which in turn spawned the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). This program encourages consumption of margarine and partially hydrogenated fats, while admitting that trans should not be consumed in excess. The official NCEP document states that "coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil...should be avoided". In 1966, the US Department of Agriculture documents on fats and oils talked about how unstable the unsaturated fats and oils were. There was no criticism of the saturated fats. That criticism of saturated fats was to come later to this agency when it came under the influence of the domestic edible fats and oils industry and when it developed the US Dietary Guidelines. These Dietary Guidelines became very anti - saturated fat and remain so to this day. Nevertheless, as we will learn later in my talk, there started some reversal of the anti - saturated fat stance in the works of this agency in 1998. In the early 1970s, although a number of researchers were voicing concerns about the trans fats, the edible oil industry and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were engaging in a revolving-door exchange that would promote the increasing consumption of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, condemn the saturated fats and hide the trans issue. As an example of this "oily" exchange, in 1971 the FDA's general counsel became president of the edible oil trade association, the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils (ISEO), and he in turn was replaced at the FDA by a food lawyer who had represented the edible oil industry. From that point on, the truth about any real effects of the dietary fats had to play catch-up. The American edible oil industry sponsored "information" to educate the public, and the natural dairy and animal fats industries were inept at countering any of that misinformation. Not being domestically grown in the US, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil were not around to defend themselves at that time. The government agencies responsible for disseminating information ignored those protesting "lone voices", and by the mid-1980s American food manufacturers and consumers had made major changes in their fats and oils usage - away from the safe, saturated fats and headlong into the problematic trans fats. Enig and Fallon (1998 - 99) have reviewed the above history in "The Oiling of America", published in Nexus Magazine [see 6/01 - 2]. This article can be viewed and downloaded from the NEXUS website at www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/oilingamerica.1.html and www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/oilingamerica.2.html.
IV. THE DAMAGING ROLE OF THE US CONSUMER ACTIVIST GROUP CSPI
Some of the food oil industry members - especially those connected with the American Soybean Association and some of the consumer activists (particularly the Centers for Science in the Public Interest and also the American Heart Savers Association) further eroded the status of natural fats when they sponsored the major anti - saturated fat, anti - tropical oils campaign in the late 1980s. Actually, an active anti - saturated fat bias started as far back as 1972 at the CSPI. But beginning in 1984, this very vocal consumer activist group started its anti - saturated fat campaign in earnest. In particular at this time, the campaign was against the "saturated" frying fats, especially those being used by fast-food restaurants. Most of these so-called saturated frying fats were tallow-based, but also included was palm oil in at least one of the hotel/restaurant chains. Then, in a critical "News Release" in August 1986 - "Deceptive Vegetable Oil Labeling: Saturated Fat Without The Facts" - CSPI referred to "palm, coconut and palm kernel oil" as "rich in artery-clogging saturated fat". CSPI further announced that it had petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to stop allowing labelling of foods as having "100% vegetable shortening" if they contained any of the "tropical oils". CSPI also asked for the mandatory addition of the qualifier, "a saturated fat", when coconut, palm or palm kernel oil was named on the food label. In 1988, CSPI published a booklet called "Saturated Fat Attack". This booklet contains lists of processed foods "surveyed" in Washington, DC, supermarkets. The lists were used for developing information about the saturated fat in the products. Section III is entitled "Those Troublesome Tropical Oils" and it contains statements encouraging pejorative labelling. There were lots of substantive mistakes in the booklet, including errors in the description of the biochemistry of fats and oils and completely erroneous statements about the fat and oil composition of many of the products. At the same time that CSPI was conducting its campaign in 1986, the American Soybean Association began its anti - tropical oils campaign by sending inflammatory letters, etc., to soybean farmers. The ASA took out advertisements to promote a "[tropical] Fat Fighter Kit". The ASA hired a Washington, DC, "nutritionist" to survey supermarkets to detect the presence of tropical oils in foods.
Then, early in 1987, the ASA petitioned the FDA to require labelling of "tropical fats". In mid-1987 the Soybean Digest was continuing an active and increasing anti - tropical oils campaign.
At about the same time, the New York Times (June 3, 1987) published an editorial, "The Truth About Vegetable Oil", in which it called palm, palm kernel and coconut oils "the cheaper, artery-clogging oils from Malaysia and Indonesia" and claimed that US federal dietary guidelines opposed tropical oils, although it is not clear that this was so. The "artery-clogging" terminology was right out of CSPI.
Two years later, in 1989, the ASA held a press conference with the help of the CSPI in Washington, DC, in an attempt to counter a press conference held on March 6 by the palm oil group. The ASA "Media Alert" stated that the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and National Research Council "recommend consumers avoid palm, palm kernel and coconut oils".
Only months before these press conferences, millionaire Phil Sokolof, the head of the National Heart Savers Association (NHSA), purchased the first of a series of anti - saturated fats and anti - tropical fats advertisements in major newspapers. No one has found an overt connection between Sokolof (and his NHSA) and the ASA, but the CSPI bragged about being his adviser.
V. USE OF COCONUT OIL IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF HEART DISEASE
The research over four decades concerning coconut oil in the diet and heart disease is quite clear: coconut oil has been shown to be beneficial in combatting/reducing the risk factors in heart disease. This research leads us to ask the question, "Should coconut oil be used both to prevent and treat coronary heart disease?" This is based on several reviews of the scientific literature concerning the feeding of coconut oil to humans. Blackburn et al. (1988) reviewed the published literature of "coconut oil's effect on serum cholesterol and atherogenesis" and concluded that when "fed physiologically with other fats or adequately supplemented with linoleic acid, coconut oil is a neutral fat in terms of atherogenicity". After reviewing this same literature, Kurup and Rajmohan (1995) conducted a study on 64 volunteers and found "no statistically significant alteration in the serum total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio and LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio of triglycerides from the baseline values". A beneficial effect of adding the coconut kernel to the diet was noted by these researchers. Kaunitz and Dayrit (1992) reviewed some of the epidemiological and experimental data regarding coconut-eating groups and noted that the "available population studies show that dietary coconut oil does not lead to high serum cholesterol nor to high coronary heart disease mortality or morbidity". They noted that, in 1989, Mendis et al. reported undesirable lipid changes when young adult Sri Lankan males were changed from their normal diets by the substitution of corn oil for their customary coconut oil. Although the total serum cholesterol decreased 18.7% from 179.6 to 146.0 mg/dL and the LDL cholesterol decreased 23.8% from 131.6 to 100.3 mg/dL, the HDL cholesterol decreased 41.4% from 43.4 to 25.4 mg/dL (putting the HDL values very much below the acceptable lower limit of 35 mg/dL) and the LDL/HDL ratio increased 30% from 3.0 to 3.9. These latter two changes are considered quite undesirable.
Mendis and Kumarasunderam (1990) also compared the effect of coconut oil and soy oil in normolipidemic young males, and again the coconut oil resulted in an increase in the HDL cholesterol, whereas the soy oil reduced this desirable lipoprotein.
As noted above, Kurup and Rajmohan (1995), who studied the addition of coconut oil alone to previously mixed fat diets, had reported no significant difference from baseline.
Previously, Prior et al. (1981) had shown that islanders with high intakes of coconut oil showed "no evidence of the high saturated fat intake having a harmful effect in these populations". When these groups migrated to New Zealand, however, and lowered their intake of coconut oil, their total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol increased and their HDL cholesterol decreased. Statements that any saturated fat is a dietary problem is not supported by evidence (Enig, 1993).
Studies that allegedly showed a "hypercholesterolemic" effect of coconut oil feeding usually only showed that coconut oil was not as effective at lowering the serum cholesterol as was the more unsaturated fat to which coconut oil was being compared. This appears to be in part because coconut oil does not "drive" cholesterol into the tissues as do the more polyunsaturated fats. The chemical analysis of the atheroma showed that the fatty acids from the cholesterol esters are 74% unsaturated (41% of the total fatty acids is polyunsaturated) and only 24% are saturated. None of the saturated fatty acids was reported to be lauric acid or myristic acid (Felton et al., 1994).
There is another aspect to the coronary heart disease picture. This is related to the initiation of the atheromas that are reported to be blocking arteries. Recent research shows that there is a causative role for the herpes virus and cytomegalovirus in the initial formation of atherosclerotic plaques and the reclogging of arteries after angioplasty (New York Times, January 29, 1991). What is so interesting is that the herpes virus and cytomegalovirus are both inhibited by the antimicrobial lipid monolaurin, but monolaurin is not formed in the body unless there is a source of lauric acid in the diet. Thus, ironically enough, one could consider the recommendations to avoid coconut and other lauric oils as contributing to the increased incidence of coronary heart disease. Chlamydia pneumoniae, a gram-negative bacterium, is another of the micro-organisms suspected of playing a role in atherosclerosis by provoking an inflammatory process that would result in the oxidation of lipoproteins with induction of cytokines and production of proteolystic enzymes - a typical phenomenon in atherosclerosis (Saikku, 1997). Some of the pathogenic gram-negative bacteria with an appropriate chelator have been reported to be inactivated or killed by lauric acid and monolaurin as well as capric acid and monocaprin (Bergsson et al., 1997; Thormar et al., 1999). However, the micro-organisms which are most frequently identified as probable causative infecting agents are in the herpes virus family and include cytomegalovirus, type 2 herpes simplex (HSV-2) and Coxsackie B4 virus. The evidence for a causative role for cytomegalovirus is the strongest (Ellis, 1997; Visseren et al., 1997; Zhou et al., 1996; Melnick et al., 1996; Epstein et al., 1996; Chen and Yang, 1995), but a role for HSV-2 is also shown (Raza-Ahmad et al., 1995). All members of the herpes virus family are reported to be killed by the fatty acids and monoglycerides from saturated fatty acids ranging from C-6 to C-14 (Isaacs et al., 1991), which include approximately 80% of the fatty acids in coconut oil. In spite of what has been said over the past four or more decades about the culpability of the saturated fatty acids in heart disease, they are ultimately going to be held blameless. More and more research is showing the problem to be related to oxidised products. The naturally saturated fats such as coconut oil are one protection we have against oxidised products.
About the Author:
Dr Mary G. Enig holds an MS and PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Maryland in the USA. She is a consulting nutritionist and biochemist of international renown and an expert in fats/oils analysis and metabolism, food chemistry and composition and nutrition and dietetics.
Dr Enig is Director of the Nutritional Sciences Division of Enig Associates, Inc., President of the Maryland Nutritionists Association and a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition. She is also Vice President of the Weston A. Price Foundation and Science Editor of the Foundation's publication. Dr Enig has many years of experience as a lecturer and has taught graduate-level courses for the Nutritional Sciences Program at the University of Maryland, where she was a Faculty Research Associate in the Lipids Research Group, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland. She also maintains a limited clinical practice for patients needing nutritional assessment and consultation.
Dr Enig has extensive experience consulting and lecturing on nutrition to individuals, medical and allied health groups, the food processing industry and state and federal governments in the US. She also lectures and acts as a consultant to the international health and food processing communities. Since 1995 she has been invited to make presentations at scientific meetings in Europe, India, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Micronesia.
Dr Enig is the author of numerous journal publications, mainly on fats and oils research and nutrient/drug interactions. She also wrote the book Know Your Fats (Bethesda Press, Silver Spring, MD, May 2000). She is a popular media spokesperson and was an early critic speaking out about the use of trans fatty acids and advocating their inclusion in nutritional labelling.
One of Dr Enig's recent research topics dealt with the development of a nutritional protocol for proposed clinical trials of a non-drug treatment for HIV/AIDS patients. Her articles, "The Oiling of America" and "Tragedy and Hype: The Third International Soy Symposium", written with nutritionist/ researcher Sally Fallon, were published in NEXUS 6/01 - 2 and 7/03 respectively.
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· Isaacs CE, Litov RE, Marie P, Thormar H. Addition of lipases to infant formulas produces antiviral and antibacterial activity. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 1992;3:304-308.
· Isaacs CE, Kim KS, Thormar H. Inactivation of enveloped viruses in human bodily fluids by purified lipids. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1994;724:457-464.
· Jones PJH. Regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis by diet in humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1997;66:438-446.
· Judd JT, Clevidence BA, Muesing RA, Wittes J, Sunkin ME, and Podczasy JJ. Dietary Trans Fatty Acids: Effects on Plasma Lipids and Lipoproteins of Healthy Men and Women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1994;59:861-868.
· Kabara JJ. Fatty acids and derivatives as antimicrobial agents: A review. In The Pharmacological Effect of Lipids (JJ Kabara, ed), American Oil Chemists' Society, Champaign IL, 1978.
· Kabara JJ. Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus. In The Pharmacological Effect of Lipids II (JJ Kabara, ed), American Oil Chemists' Society, Champaign IL, 1985, pp.71-75.
· Kaunitz H. Toxic effects of polyunsaturated vegetable oils. In Symposium on the Pharmacological Effect of Lipids (JJ Kabara, ed), American Oil Chemists' Society, Champaign, IL, 1978, pp 203-210.
· Kaunitz H, Dayrit CS. Coconut oil consumption and coronary heart disease. Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine 1992;30:165-171.
· Keys A, Anderson JT, Grande F. Prediction of serum-cholesterol responses of man to changes in the diet. Lancet 959;1957.
· Khosla P and Hayes KC. Dietary trans-mono-unsaturated fatty acids negatively impact plasma lipids in humans: critical review of the evidence. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 1996;15:325-339.
· Kohlmeier L, Simonsen N, van't Veer P, Strain JJ, Martin-Moreno JM, Margolin B, Huttunen JK, Fernandez-Crehuet Navajas J, Martin BC, Thamm M, Kardinaal AF, Kok FJ. Adipose tissue trans fatty acids and breast cancer in the European Community Multicenter Study on Antioxidants, Myocardial Infarction, and Breast Cancer. Cancer Epidemiology and Biomarkers Prev 1997;6:705-10.
· Kramer JK, Sauer FD, Farnworth ER, Stevenson D, Rock GA. Hematological and lipid changes in newborn piglets fed milk-replacer diets containing erucic acid. Lipids 1998;33:1-10.
· Kurup PA, Rajmohan T. II. Consumption of coconut oil and coconut kernel and the incidence of atherosclerosis. Coconut and Coconut Oil in Human Nutrition, Proceedings. Symposium on Coconut and Coconut Oil in Human Nutrition, 27 March 1994. Coconut Development Board, Kochi, India, 1995, pp 35-59.
· Lim-Sylianco CY. Anticarcinogenic effect of coconut oil. The Philippine Journal of Coconut Studies 1987;12:89-102.
· Lu Z, Hendrich S, Shen N, White PJ, Cook LR. Low linolenate and commercial soybean oils diminish serum HDL cholesterol in young free-living adult females. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 1997;16:562-569.
· Macallan DC, Noble C, Baldwin C, Foskett M, McManus T, Griffin GE. Prospective analysis of patterns of weight change in stage IV hulman immunodeficiency virus infection. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1993;58:417-24.
· Mann GV. A short history of the diet/heart hypothesis. In Mann GV (ed), Coronary Heart Disease: The Dietary Sense and Nonsense. Janus Publishing, London, 1993, pp 1-17.
· McWhinney VJ, Pond WG, Mersmann HJ. Ontogeny and dietary modulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activities in neonatal pigs. Journal of Animal Science 1996;74:2203-10.
· Melnick JL, Adam E, DeBakey ME. Cytomegalovirus and atherosclerosis. Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis (Wroclaw) 1996;44:297-302.
· Mendis S, Kumarasunderam R. The effect of daily consumption of coconut fat and soyabean fat on plasma lipids and lipoproteins of young normolipidaemic men. British Journal of Nutrition 1990;63:547-52.
· Mendis S, Wissler RW, Bridenstine RT, Podbielski FJ. The effects of replacing coconut oil with corn oil on human serum lipid profiles and platelet derived factors active in atherogenesis. Nutrition Reports International 40:4, Oct 1989.
· Mensink RP and Katan MB. Effect of Dietary Trans Fatty Acids on High-Density and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels in Healthy Subjects. The New England Journal of Medicine 1990;323:439-445.
· Monserrat AJ, Romero M, Lago N, Aristi C. Protective effect of coconut oil on renal necrosis occurring in rats fed a methyl-deficient diet. Renal Failure 1995;17:525-537.
· Nanji AA, Sadrzadeh SM, Yang EK, Fogt F, Maydani M, Dannenberg AJ. Dietary saturated fatty acids: a novel treatment for alcoholic liver disease. Gastroenterology 1995;109:547-554.
· Nelson GJ. Dietary fat, trans fatty acids, and risk of coronary heart disease. Nutrition Reviews 1998;56:250-252.
· Nelson SE, Rogers RR, Frantz JA, Ziegler EE. Palm olein in infant formula: absorption of fat and minerals by normal infants. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1996;64:291-296.
· New York Times, Medical Science, Tuesday, January 29, 1991. Common virus seen as having early role in arteries' clogging (byline Sandra Blakeslee).
· Ng TKW, Hassan K, Lim JB, Lye MS, Ishak R. Nonhypercholesterolemic effects of a palm-oil diet in Malaysian volunteers. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1991;53:1015S-1020S.
· Oh DH and Marshall DL. Antimicrobial activity of ethanol, glycerol monolaurate or lactic acid against Listeria monocytogenes. International Journal of Food and Microbiology 1993;20:239-246.
· Oliart-Ros RM, Torres-Marquez ME, Badillo A, Guerrero OA. Effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids on sucrose-induced cardiovascular syndrome in rats. 89th AOCS Annual Meeting Abstracts, H&N 5: General Health and Nutrition II, p 76, Chicago, IL, May 10-13, 1998.
· Petschow BW, Batema RP, Ford LL. Susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to bactericidal properties of medium-chain monoglycerides and free fatty acids. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 1996;40:302-306.
· Pietinen P, Ascherio A, Korhonen P, Hartman AM, Willett WC, Albanes D, Virtamo J. Intake of fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease in a cohort of Finnish men. The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study. American Journal of Epidemiology 1997;145:876-887.
· Portillo MP, Serra F, Simon E, del Barrio AS, Palou A. Energy restriction with high-fat diet enriched with coconut oil gives higher UCP1 and lower white fat in rats. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders 1998;22:974-9.
· Prior IA, Davidson F, Salmond CE, Czochanska Z. Cholesterol, coconuts, and diet on Polynesian atolls: a natural experiment: the Pukapuka and Tokelau Island studies. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1981;34:1552-1561.
· Projan SJ, Brown-Skrobot S, Schlievert PM, Vandenesch F, Novick RP. Glycerol monolaurate inhibits the production of beta-lactamase, toxic shock toxin-1, and other staphylococcal exoproteins by interfering with signal transduction. Journal of Bacteriology 1994;176:4204-4209.
· Ravnskov U. Quotation bias in reviews of the diet-heart idea. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 1995;48:713-719.
· Raza-Ahmad A, Klassen GA, Murphy DA, Sullivan JA, Kinley CE, Landymore RW, Wood JR. Evidence of type-2 herpes simplex infection in human coronary arteries at the time of coronary artery bypass surgery. Canadian Journal of Cardiology 1995;11:1025-1029.
· Reddy BS, Maeura Y. Tumour promotion of dietary fat in azoxymethane-induced colon carcinogenesis in female F 344 rats. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1984;72:745-750.
· Reiner DS, Wang CS, Gillin FD. Human milk kills Giardia lamblia by generating toxic lipolytic products. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1986;154:825-832.
· Saikku P. Chlamydia pneumoniae and atherosclerosis - an update. Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases Supplement 1997;104:53-56.
· Sircar S, Kansra U. Choice of cooking oils - myths and realities. Journal of the Indian Medical Association 1998;96:304-307.
· Sands JA, Auperin DD, Landin PD, Reinhardt A, Cadden SP. Antiviral effects of fatty acids and derivatives: lipid-containing bacteriophages as a model system. In The Pharmacological Effect of Lipids (JJ Kabara, ed), American Oil Chemists' Society, Champaign, IL, 1978, pp 75-95.
· Smit MJ, Wolters H, Temmerman AM, Kuipers F, Beynen AC, Vonk RJ. Effects of dietary corn and olive oil versus coconut fat on biliary cholesterol secretion in rats. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research 1994;64:75-80.
· Smith RL. The Cholesterol Conspiracy. Warren H Green Inc., St Louis, Missouri, 1991.
· Sugano M, Ikeda I. Metabolic interactions between essential and trans-fatty acids. Current Opinions in Lipidology 1996;7:38-42.
· Sundram K, Hayes KC, Siru OH. Dietary palmitic acid results in lower serum cholesterol than does a lauric-myristic acid combination in normolipemic humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1994;59:841-846.
· Tappia PS, Grimble RF. Complex modulation of cytokine induction by endotoxin and tumour necrosis factor from peritoneal macrophages of rats by diets containing fats of different saturated, mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid composition. Clinical Science (Colch) 1994;87:173-178.
· Tholstrup T, Marckmann P, Jespersen J, Sandstrom B. Fat high in stearic acid favorably affects blood lipids and factor VII coagulant activity in comparison with fats high in palmitic acid or high in myristic and lauric acids. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1994;59:371-377.
· Thormar H, Isaacs EC, Brown HR, Barshatzky MR, Pessolano T. Inactivation of enveloped viruses and killing of cells by fatty acids and monoglycerides. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 1987;31:27-31.
· Trautwein EA, Kunath-Rau A, Dietrich J, Drusch S, Erberdobler HF. Effect of dietary fats rich in lauric, myristic, palmitic, oleic or linoleic acid on plasma, hepatic and biliary lipids in cholesterol-fed hampsters. British Journal of Nutrition 1997;77:605-620.
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· Witcher KJ, Novick RP, Schlievert PM. Modulation of immune cell proliferation by glycerol monolaurate. Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology 1996;3:10-13.
· Zhou YF, Buetta E, Yu ZX, Finkel T, Epstein SE. Human cytomegalovirus increases modified low-density lipoprotein uptake and scavenger receptor mRNA expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. Journal of Clinical Investigation 1996;98:2129-2138.
(The following is the text of a talk and paper, "Coconuts: In Support of Good Health in the 21st Century", presented by Dr Mary Enig at the Asian Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) meeting held in Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia in 1999. Note that it does make several references to animal experiments, and that NEXUS does not condone animal experimentation. --Editor)
VI. THE LATEST ON THE TRANS FATTY ACIDS
Both the United States and Canada will soon require labelling of the trans fatty acids, which will put coconut oil in a more competitive position than it has been in the past decade. (In 2001, Canada published examples of the labels it plans to use, while the US is still to finalise its labels.)
A fear of the vegetable oil manufacturers has always been that they would have to label trans fatty acids. The producers of trans fatty acids have relied on the anti-saturated fat crusade to protect their markets. However, the latest research on saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids shows the saturated fatty acids coming out ahead in the health race. It has taken a decade, from 1988 to 1998, to see changes in perception. During this period, the trans fatty acids have taken a deserved drubbing. Research reports from Europe have been emerging since the seminal report by Mensink and Katan in 1990 that the trans fatty acids raised the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and lowered the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in serum. This has been confirmed by studies in the US (Judd et al., 1994; Khosla and Hayes, 1996; Clevidence, 1997).
In 1990, the Lipids Research Group at the University of Maryland published a paper (Enig et al., 1990) correcting some of the erroneous data sponsored by the food industry in the 1985 review of the trans fatty acids by the Life Sciences Research Office of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (LSRO-FASEB) (Senti, 1985).
In 1993, a group of researchers at Harvard University, led by Professor Walter Willett, reported a positive relationship between the dietary intake of the trans fatty acids and coronary heart disease in a greater than 80,000 cohort of nurses who had been followed by the School of Public Health at Harvard University for more than a decade.
Pietinen and colleagues (1997) evaluated the findings from the large cohort of Finnish men who were followed in a cancer prevention study. After controlling for the appropriate variables including several coronary risk factors, the authors observed a significant positive association between the intake of trans fatty acids and the risk of death from coronary disease. There was no association between the intake of saturated fatty acids or dietary cholesterol and the risk of coronary death. This is another example of the differences between the effects of the trans fatty acids and the saturated fatty acids, and a further challenge to the dietary cholesterol hypothesis.
The issue of the trans fatty acids as a causative factor in cancer remains underexplored, but recent reports have found a connection. Bakker and colleagues (1997) studied the data for the association between breast cancer incidence and linoleic acid status across European countries, since animal and ecological studies had suggested a relationship. They found that the mean fatty acid composition of adipose did not show an association with omega-6 linoleic acid and breast, colon or prostate cancer. However, cancers of the breast and colon were positively associated with the trans fatty acids. Kohlmeier and colleagues (1997) also reported that data from the EURAMIC study showed adipose tissue concentration of trans fatty acids having a positive association with postmenopausal breast cancer in European women.
In 1995, a British documentary on the trans fatty acids was aired on a major television station in the UK. This documentary included an exposé of the battle between the edible oil industry and some of the major researchers of the trans fatty acids. Just this year [1999], this same documentary was aired on television in France, where it had been requested by a major television station. Several of the early researchers into the trans problems, including Professor Fred Kummerow and Dr George Mann, have continued their research and/or writing (Kummerow, 1999, 2000; Mann, 1994, 2000). The popular media have continued to press the issue of the amounts of trans in foods, for which there are still no comprehensive government databases.
A recently published paper from a US Department of Agriculture researcher states: "Because trans fatty acids have no known health benefits and strong presumptive evidence suggests that they contribute markedly to the risk of developing CHD, the results published to date suggest that it would be prudent to lower the intake of trans fatty acids in the US diet" (Nelson, 1998).
Professor Meir Stampfer from Harvard University refers to trans fats as "one of the major nutritional issues of the nation", contending that "they have a large impact" and that "we should completely eliminate hydrogenated fats from the diet" (Gottesman, 1998). Lowering the trans fatty acids in foods in the US can only be done by returning to the use of the natural, unhydrogenated and more saturated fats and oils. Predictions can be made regarding the future of trans fatty acids. Our ability to predict has been pretty good; for example, when Enig Associates started producing the marketing newsletter Market Insights, written by Eric Enig, we predicted that trans fatty acids would eventually be swept out of the market. It appears that this prediction may be close to coming true. Also in the early 1990s, Market Insights predicted that the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) would change its mind about the trans fatty acids, which it had spent years defending. CSPI did change its mind, and in fact went on the attack regarding the trans, but CSPI never admitted that it had originally been promoting trans or that the high levels of trans fatty acids found in the fried foods in fast food and other restaurants and in many other foods are directly due to CSPI lobbying. While its change was welcome, CSPI's revisionist version of its own history of support of partially hydrogenated oils and trans fatty acids would have fitted perfectly into George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.
VII. COMPARISON OF SATURATED FATS WITH THE TRANS FATS
The statement that trans fatty acids are like saturated fatty acids is not correct for biological systems. A listing of the biological effects of saturated fatty acids in the diet versus the biological effects of trans fatty acids in the diet is in actuality a listing of the good (saturated) versus the bad (trans).
When one compares the saturated fatty acids and the trans fatty acids, we see that:
1) saturated fatty acids raise HDL cholesterol, the so-called "good cholesterol", whereas the trans fatty acids lower HDL cholesterol (Mensink and Katan, 1990; Judd et al., 1994);
2) saturated fatty acids lower the blood levels of the atherogenic lipoprotein (a), whereas trans fatty acids raise the blood levels of lipoprotein (a) (Khosla and Hayes, 1996; Hornstra et al., 1991; Clevidence et al., 1997);
3) saturated fatty acids conserve the elongated omega-3 fatty acids (Gerster, 1998), whereas trans fatty acids cause the tissues to lose these omega-3 fatty acids (Sugano and Ikeda, 1996);
4) saturated fatty acids do not inhibit insulin binding, whereas trans fatty acids do inhibit insulin binding;
5) saturated fatty acids are the normal fatty acids made by the body and they do not interfere with enzyme functions such as the delta-6-desaturase, whereas trans fatty acids are not made by the body and they interfere with many enzyme functions such as delta-6-desaturase; and
6) some saturated fatty acids are used by the body to fight viruses, bacteria and protozoa and they support the immune system, whereas trans fatty acids interfere with the function of the immune system.
VIII. WHAT ABOUT THE UNSATURATED FATS?
The arteries of the heart are also compromised by the unsaturated fatty acids. When the fatty acid composition of the plaques (atheromas) in the arteries has been analysed, the level of saturated fatty acids in the cholesterol esters is only 26% compared to that in the unsaturated fatty acids, which is 74%. When the unsaturated fatty acids in the cholesterol esters in these plaques are analysed, it is shown that 38% are polyunsaturated and 36% are mono-unsaturated. Clearly, the problem is not with the saturated fatty acids.
As an aside, you need to understand that the major role of cholesterol in heart disease and cancer is as the body's repair substance and that cholesterol is a major support molecule for the immune system, an important antioxidant and a necessary component of neurotransmitter receptors. Our brains do not work very well without adequate cholesterol. It should be apparent to scientists that the current approach to cholesterol has been wrong.
The pathway to cholesterol synthesis starts with a molecule of acetyl CoA [coenzyme A] that comes from the metabolism of excess protein-forming ketogenic amino acids and from the metabolism of excess carbohydrates as well as from the oxidation of excess fatty acids. Grundy in 1978 reported that the degree of saturation of the fat in the diet did not affect the rate of synthesis of cholesterol. However, research reported by Jones in 1997 showed that the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diet increase the rate of cholesterol synthesis relative to other fatty acids. Furthermore, research reported in 1993 (Hodgsons et al.) showed that dietary intake of the omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, linoleic acid, was positively related to coronary artery disease.
Thus, those statements made by the consumer activists in the United States, to the effect that the saturated fatty acids increase cholesterol synthesis, are without any foundation.
What happens when there is an increase or a decrease of cholesterol in the serum is more like a shift from one compartment to another as the body tries to rectify the potential damage from the excess polyunsaturated fatty acids. Research by Dr Hans Kaunitz (1978) clearly showed the potential problems with excess polyunsaturated fatty acids.
IX. RESEARCH SHOWING BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF EATING THE MORE SATURATED FATS
One major concern expressed by the nutrition community is related to whether or not people are getting enough elongated omega-3 fatty acids in their diets. The elongated omega-3 fatty acids of concern are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Some research has shown that the basic omega-3 fatty acid, linolenic acid, is not readily converted to the elongated forms in humans or animals, especially when there is ingestion of the trans fatty acids and the consequent inhibition of the delta-6-desaturase enzyme. One recent study (Gerster, 1998), which used radioisotope-labelled linolenic acid to measure this conversion in adult humans, showed that if the background fat in the diet was high in saturated fat, the conversion was approximately 6% for EPA and 3.8% for DHA; whereas, if the background fat in the diet was high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), the conversion was reduced 40-50%.
Nanji and colleagues (1995) reported that a diet enriched with saturated but not unsaturated fatty acids reversed the alcoholic liver injury in their animals which was caused by dietary linoleic acid. These researchers concluded that this effect may be explained by the down-regulation of lipid peroxidation. This is another example of the need for adequate saturated fat in the diet.
Cha and Sachan (1994) studied the effects of saturated fatty acid and unsaturated fatty acid diets on ethanol pharmacokinetics. The hepatic enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase and plasma carnitines were also evaluated. The researchers concluded that dietary saturated fatty acids protect the liver from alcohol injury by retarding ethanol metabolism, and that carnitine may be involved.
Hargrove and colleagues (1999) noted the work of Nanji et al. and postulated that they would find that diets rich in linoleic acid would also cause acute liver injury after acetaminophen injection. In the first experiment, two levels of fat (15g/100g protein and 20g/100g protein), using corn oil or beef tallow, were fed. Liver enzymes indicating damage were significantly elevated in all the animals except for those animals fed the higher level of beef tallow. These researchers concluded that "diets with high [linoleic acid] may promote acetaminophen-induced liver injury compared to diets with more saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids".
X. RESEARCH SHOWING GENERAL BENEFICIAL EFFECTS FROM CONSUMING COCONUT OIL
Research that compares the feeding of coconut oil with other oils to answer a variety of biological questions is increasingly finding beneficial results from the coconut oil.
Obesity is a major health problem in the United States and the subject of much research. Several lines of research dealing with metabolic effects of high-fat diets have been followed. One study used coconut oil to enrich a high-fat diet and the results reported were that the "coconut oil-enriched diet is effective in...[producing]...a decrease in white fat stores" (Portillo et al., 1998).
Cleary et al. (1999) fed genetically obese animals high-fat diets of either safflower oil or coconut oil. Animals fed safflower oil had higher hepatic lipogenic enzyme activities than did animals fed coconut oil. When the number of fat cells was measured, the safflower oil fed also had more fat cells than the coconut oil fed.
Many of the feeding studies produce results at variance with the popular conception. High-fat diets have been used to study the effects of different types of fatty acids on membrane phospholipid fatty acid profiles. When such a study was performed on mice, the phospholipid profiles were similar for diets high in linoleic acid from high-linoleate sunflower oil relative to diets high in saturated fatty acids from coconut oil. However, those animals fed diets high in oleic acid (from the high-oleate sunflower oil) or high in elongated omega-3 fatty acids (from menhaden fish oil) were not only different from the other two diets, but they also resulted in enlarged spleens in the animals (Huang and Frische, 1992).
Oliart-Ros and colleagues (1998) at the Instituto Tecnológico de Veracruz, Mexico, reported on effects of different dietary fats on sucrose-induced cardiovascular syndrome in rats. The most significant reduction in parameters of the syndrome was obtained by the n-3 PUFA-rich diet. These researchers reported that the diet thought to be PUFA-deficient presented a tissue lipid pattern similar to the n-3 PUFA-rich diet (fish oil), which surprised and puzzled them. When the researchers were questioned, it turned out that the diet was not really PUFA-deficient, but rather just a normal coconut oil (nonhydrogenated) which conserved the elongated omega-3 and normalised the omega-6 to omega-3 balance.
A recent study measured the effect of high-fat diets, fed for more than three months to neonatal pigs, on the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme's function and gave some surprises. There were two feeding protocols: one with the added cholesterol and one without added cholesterol, but both with coconut oil. The hepatic reductase activity, which was the same in all groups at the beginning of the feeding on the third day and similar on the 42nd day, was increased with and without added cholesterol on the 13th day and then decreased on the 25th day. The data were said to suggest that dietary cholesterol suppressed hepatic reductase activity in the young pigs regardless of their genetic background, that the stage of development was a dominant factor in its regulation, and that both dietary and endogenously synthesised cholesterol were used primarily for tissue building in very young pigs (McWhinney et al., 1996). The feeding of coconut oil did not in any way compromise the normal development of these animals.
When compared with feeding coconut oil, feeding two different soybean oils to young females caused a significant decrease in HDL cholesterol. Both soybean oils, one of which was extracted from a new mutant soybean thought to be more oxidatively stable, were not protective of the HDL levels (Lu et al., 1997).
Trautwein et al. (1997) studied cholesterol-fed hamsters on different oil supplements for plasma, hepatic and biliary lipids. The dietary oils included butter, palm stearin, coconut oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil and sunflowerseed oil. Plasma cholesterol concentrations were higher (9.2 millimoles/litre) for olive oil than for coconut oil (8.5 mmol/L), hepatic cholesterol was highest in the olive oil group, and none of the diet groups differed for biliary lipids. Even in this cholesterol-sensitive animal model, coconut oil performed better than olive oil.
Smit and colleagues (1994) had also studied the effect of feeding coconut oil compared with feeding corn oil and olive oil in rats, and measured the effect on biliary cholesterol. Bile flow was not different between the three diets, but the hepatic plasma membranes showed more cholesterol and less phospholipid from corn and olive oil feeding relative to coconut oil feeding.
Several studies (Kramer et al., 1998) have pointed out problems with canola oil feeding in newborn piglets, which results in a reduction in the number of platelets and alteration in their size. There is concern for similar effects in human infants. These undesirable effects can be reversed when coconut oil or other saturated fat is added to the feeding regimen (Kramer et al., 1998).
Research has shown that coconut oil is needed for good absorption of fat and calcium from infant formulas. The soy oil (47%) and palm olein (53%) formula gave 90.6% absorption of fat and 39% absorption of calcium, whereas the soy oil (60%) and coconut oil (40%) gave 95.2% absorption of fat and 48.4% absorption of calcium (Nelson et al., 1996). Both fat and calcium are needed by the infant for proper growth. These results clearly show the folly of removing or lowering the coconut oil content in infant formulas.
XI. RESEARCH SHOWING A ROLE FOR COCONUT IN ENHANCING IMMUNITY AND MODULATING METABOLIC FUNCTIONS
Coconut oil appears to help the immune system response in a beneficial manner. Feeding coconut oil in the diet completely abolished the expected immune factor responses to endotoxin that were seen with corn oil feeding. This inhibitory effect on interleukin-1 production was interpreted by the authors of the study as being largely due to a reduced prostaglandin and leukotriene production (Wan and Grimble, 1987). However, the damping may be due to the fact that effects from high omega-6 oils tend to be normalised by coconut oil feeding.
Another report from this group (Bibby and Grimble, 1990) compared the effects of corn oil and coconut oil diets on tumour necrosis factor-alpha and endotoxin induction of the inflammatory prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. The animals fed coconut oil did not produce an increase in PGE2, and the researchers again interpreted this as a modulatory effect that brought about a reduction of phospholipid arachidonic acid content.
Another study from the same research group (Tappia and Grimble, 1994) showed that omega-6 oil enhanced inflammatory stimuli, but that coconut oil, along with fish oil and olive oil, suppressed the production of interleukin-1.
Several recent studies are showing additional helpful effects of consuming coconut oil on a regular basis, thus supplying the body with the lauric acid derivative, monolaurin. Monolaurin and the ether analogue of monolaurin have been shown to have the potential for damping adverse reactions to toxic forms of glutamic acid (Dave et al., 1997). Lauric acid and capric acid have been reported to have very potent effects on insulin secretion (Garfinkel et al., 1992). Using a model system of murine splenocytes, Witcher et al. (1996) showed that monolaurin induced proliferation of T-cells and inhibited the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 mitogenic effects on T-cells.
Monserrat and colleagues (1995) showed that a diet rich in coconut oil could protect animals against the renal necrosis and renal failure produced by a diet deficient in choline (a methyl donor group). The animals had less or no mortality and increased survival time as well as decreased incidence or severity of the renal lesions when 20% coconut oil was added to the deficient diet. A mixture of hydrogenated vegetable oil and corn oil did not show the same benefits.
The immune system is complex and has many feedback mechanisms to protect it, but the wrong fat and oils can compromise these important mechanisms. The data from the several studies show the helpful effects of coconut fat. Additionally, there are anecdotal reports that consumption of coconut is beneficial for individuals with the chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome known as CFIDS.
XII. US PATENTS FOR MEDICAL USES OF LAURIC OILS, MEDIUM-CHAIN FATTY ACIDS AND THEIR DERIVATIVES SUCH AS MONOLAURIN
A number of patents have been granted in the United States for medical uses of lauric oils, lauric acid and monolaurin. Although one earlier patent was granted to Professor Kabara more than three decades ago, the rest of these patents have been granted within the past decade.
In 1989 a patent was issued to the New England Deaconess Hospital (Bistrian et al., 1989) for the invention titled "Kernel Oils and Disease Treatment". This treatment requires lauric acid as the primary fatty acid source, with lauric oils constituting up to 80% of the fat in the diet "using naturally occurring kernel oils".
In 1991 and 1995, two patents were issued to the group of researchers whose work has been reviewed above.
The first invention (Isaacs et al., 1991) was directed to antiviral and antibacterial activity of both fatty acids and monoglycerides, primarily against enveloped viruses. The claims are for "a method of killing enveloped viruses in a host human...wherein the enveloped viruses are AIDS viruses...[or]...herpes viruses...[and the]...compounds selected from the group consisting of fatty acids having from 6 to 14 carbon atoms and monoglycerides of said fatty acids...[and]...wherein the fatty acids are saturated fatty acids".
The second patent (Isaacs et al., 1995) was a further extension of the earlier one. This patent also includes discussion of the inactivation of enveloped viruses, and it specifically cites monoglycerides of caproic, caprylic, capric, lauric and myristic acids. These fatty acids make up more than 80% of coconut oil. Also included in this patent is a listing of susceptible viruses and some bacteria and protozoa.
Although these latter patents may provide the owners of the patents with the ability to extract royalties from commercial manufacturers of monoglycerides and fatty acids, they cannot require royalties from the human gastrointestinal tract when it is the "factory" that is doing the manufacturing of the monoglycerides and fatty acids.
Clearly, though, these patents serve to illustrate to us that the health-giving properties of monolaurin and lauric acid are well recognised by some individuals in the research arena, and they lend credence to our appropriate choice of lauric oils for promoting health and as an adjunct treatment of viral diseases.
XIII. HOW CAN WE GET SUFFICIENT COCONUT FAT INTO THE FOOD SUPPLY?
I would like to review for you my perception of the status regarding the coconut and coconut products markets in the United States and Canada at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century.
Coconut products are trying to regain their former place in several small markets. The extraction of oil from fresh coconut has been reported in the past decade and my impression is that this is being considered as a desirable source of minimally processed oil with desirable characteristics for the natural foods market.
There have been some niche markets for coconut products developing during the past half-decade. These are represented primarily by the natural foods and health foods producers. Some examples are the new coconut butters produced in the US and Canada by Omega Nutrition and Carotec, Inc. And this is no longer as small a market as it has been in past years. Desiccated coconut products, coconut milk and even coconut oil are appearing on the shelves of many of these markets. After years of packaging coconut oil for skin use only, one of the large suppliers of oils to the natural foods and health foods stores has introduced coconut oil for food use, and it has appeared within the last few months on shelves in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, along with other oils. I believe I indirectly had something to do with this turn of events.
XIV. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
There is much to be gained from pursuing the functional properties of coconut for improving the health of humanity.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Asian Pacific Coconut Community, at this 36th meeting of APCC, I wanted to bring you a message that I hope will encourage you to continue your endeavours on behalf of all parts of the coconut industry. Coconut products for inedible and especially edible uses are of the greatest importance for the health of the entire world.
Some of what I have been telling you, most of you already know. But in saying these things for the record, it is my intention to tell those who did not know all the details until they heard or read this paper about the positive properties of coconut.
Coconut oil is a most important oil because it is a lauric oil. The lauric fats possess unique characteristics for both food industry uses and also for the uses of the soaps and cosmetics industries. Because of the unique properties of coconut oil, the fats and oils industry has spent untold millions to formulate replacements from those seed oils so widely grown in the world outside the tropics. While it has been impossible to truly duplicate coconut oil for some of its applications, many food manufacturers have been willing to settle for lesser quality in their products. Consumers have also been willing to settle for a lesser quality, in part because they have been fed so much misinformation about fats and oils.
Desiccated coconut, on the other hand, has been impossible to duplicate, and the markets for desiccated coconut have continued. The powdered form of desiccated coconut now being sold in Europe and Asia has yet to find a market in the United States, but I predict that it will become an indispensable product in the natural foods industry. Creamed coconut, which is desiccated coconut very finely ground, could be used as a nut butter.
APCC needs to promote the edible uses of coconut, and it needs to promote the re-education of the consumer, the clinician and the scientist. The researcher H. Thormar (Thormar et al., 1999) concluded his abstract with the statement that monocaprin "is a natural compound found in certain foodstuffs such as milk and is therefore unlikely to cause harmful side effects in the concentrations used". It is not monocaprin that is found in milk, but capric acid. It is likely safe at most any level found in food. However, the level in milk fat is at most 2%, whereas the level in coconut fat is 7%.
One last reference for the record. Sircar and Kansra (1998) have reviewed the increasing trend of atherosclerotic disease and type-2 diabetes mellitus in the Indians from both the subcontinent of India and abroad. They note that over the time when there has been an alarming increase in the prevalence of these diseases, there has been a replacement of traditional cooking fats with refined vegetable oils that are promoted as heart-friendly, but which are being found to be detrimental to health. These astute researchers suggest that it is time to return to the traditional cooking fats like ghee, coconut oil and mustard oil.
There are a number of areas of encouragement. The nutrition community in the United States is slowly starting to recognise the difference between medium-chain saturated fatty acids and other saturated fatty acids. We predict now that the qualities of coconut, both for health and food function, will ultimately win out.
About the Author:
Dr Mary G. Enig holds an MS and PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Maryland in the USA. She is a consulting nutritionist and biochemist of international renown and an expert in fats/oils analysis and metabolism, food chemistry and composition and nutrition and dietetics.
Dr Enig is Director of the Nutritional Sciences Division of Enig Associates, Inc., President of the Maryland Nutritionists Association and a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition. She is also Vice President of the Weston A. Price Foundation and Science Editor of the Foundation's publication. Dr Enig has many years of experience as a lecturer and has taught graduate-level courses for the Nutritional Sciences Program at the University of Maryland, where she was a Faculty Research Associate in the Lipids Research Group, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland. She also maintains a limited clinical practice for patients needing nutritional assessment and consultation.
Dr Enig has extensive experience consulting and lecturing on nutrition to individuals, medical and allied health groups, the food processing industry and state and federal governments in the US. She also lectures and acts as a consultant to the international health and food processing communities. Since 1995 she has been invited to make presentations at scientific meetings in Europe, India, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Micronesia.
Dr Enig is the author of numerous journal publications, mainly on fats and oils research and nutrient/drug interactions. She also wrote the book Know Your Fats (Bethesda Press, Silver Spring, MD, May 2000). She is a popular media spokesperson and was an early critic speaking out about the use of trans fatty acids and advocating their inclusion in nutritional labelling.
One of Dr Enig's recent research topics dealt with the development of a nutritional protocol for proposed clinical trials of a non-drug treatment for HIV/AIDS patients. Her articles, "The Oiling of America" and "Tragedy and Hype: The Third International Soy Symposium", written with nutritionist/ researcher Sally Fallon, were published in NEXUS 6/01 6/02 and 7/03 respectively.
How to Make Kettle Corn at Home
Posted on October 1, 2011
http://www.joyfulabode.com/2011/10/01/how-make-kettle-corn-at-home/
Whole Foods Adds Creepy Warning Stickers To Their Raw Juices
Whole Foods: Raw Foods May Make You Seriously Sick
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/whole-foods-adds-creepy-warning-stickers-their-raw-juices?utm_source=www.GreenMedInfo.com&utm_campaign=ed47386768-Greenmedinfo&utm_medium=email
After a recent trip to the juice bar at the Naples Whole Foods – a place, mind you, I usually avoid at all costs because they don’t explicitly label the ingredients in their prepared foods as being certified organic – I allowed my good judgment to be euthanized by the sweet-sounding clerk’s assurance that they use "mostly organic" ingredients, with the highly non-binding qualification: "whenever possible."
Of course, my main concern with not buying 100% organic juice is the greater likelihood that the produce was grown in factory-farmed animal manure, or raw-human sewage, which is a breeding ground for serious, even deadly pathogens, and which may contaminate both the food grown in it, and the people who consume the contaminated food.
But, a battery of factors conspired against what I would like to consider my better judgment: 1) being fatigued by the morning outing at the Zoo. 2) knowing our favorite organic juice bar (at Food & Thought) was taking a much deserved day of rest. 3) being in the company of less "neurotic" and equally exhausted child-towing company ... I just decided to shut up and give it a shot.
And so, with all my pre-purchase doubts happily behind me I sat down to an already half-consumed glass of raw vegetable juice, only to discover the following warning sticker staring back at me, declaring in CDC-speak that I had just engaged in highly risky, if not downright dangerous behavior:
"WARNING: This product has not been pasteurized and, therefore, may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly and persons with weakened immune systems." ~ Whole Foods Market
And then, to my dismay, I noticed that my sweet 3 year old daughter’s Whole Foods Almond Milk Smoothie also bore the same terrible warning, which needless to say was giving me a bit of indigestion as I contemplated the implications of the statement further.
First, I was a bit incredulous! "Really?? I just spent a good chunk of the remainder of my last paycheck buying a presumably healthy drink for my family, and I’m being told that it could make us terribly ill??"
Second, angry: "Good lord. I can buy genetically engineered (GE) food in this country (which should bear the skull and crossbones), without any label warning me of this fact, but I can’t buy an organic raw juice without being told that it may contain 'harmful bacteria’ and could cause serious illness in my child because it was not pasteurized????"
Third, empathic: "I understand the heavily litigation wary context within which all consumer purchases now take place, and Whole Foods must be trying to protect itself against frivolous lawsuits..."
….nah, that explanation, while a convenient one and likely close to the official one I might have received if I had asked, just seemed plainly disingenuous.
Knowing that people have recently been threatened with arrest, or actually arrested in this country for selling raw milk products, made this situation all the more irritating. How can I go down a block to a highly-subsidized fast food joint and order and consume food that I should rightfully be required to wear a Hazmat suite to interact with, and yet they bear no warning stickers?
I think warnings like this require a certain dumbing down of the general public to be fully accepted without incredulity. For one, if the juice in that cup was truly produced from vegetables (as I was told) grown in organic soil, the bacteria found there in all likelihood would be highly beneficial to my health – not harmful. In fact, if we pasteurized everything we ate, we would die from a lack of bacteria – probiotics – which are required to sustain the very infrastructure of our health. Pasteurizing a healthy food containing healthy bacteria, virtually guarantees it (and we who consume it) will become more susceptible to being overrun by unhealthy bacteria. Case in point…..
If RAW Milk Is So Dangerous, Why Does Pasteurization Make It Spoil?
Since the raw/pasteurized debate (to put it mildly) seems presently focused on milk, let’s look at the findings of a recent study published in the European Journal of Pediatrics titled, "Impact of pasteurization on the antibacterial properties of human milk," which revealed that the pasteurization of milk – in this case, human breast milk – actually increased the rate of proliferation of Escherichia Coli and Staphylococcus Aureus.
The very justification for pasteurization of all milk is to reduce the transmission of infection, but pasteurization destroys naturally present immunological factors, as well as beneficial bacteria which keep the pathogenic strains in check. Pasteurization also denatures the delicately folded proteins within milk, increasing the risk for antigenicity, i.e. allergies, asthma, dermatitis, etc.
I guess what I’m most indignant about is the "homeland security" mentality that seems to suffuse every nook and cranny of our lives today. Food fascism purports to care so much about our health that it is willing to strip us of our constitutional and basic human rights just in order to keep us from making decisions concerning what we choose to eat and how we choose to eat it. Between pure food freedom and absolute food security is a middle ground, and in that balanced, yet increasingly utopian place, cups of raw organic juice NEVER have warning stickers telling you that you could become seriously ill, perhaps even die, as a result of not pastuerizing them. I refuse to accept the implicit Pasteurian metaphysics and germ theory contained within that Whole Foods warning sticker. It is the concept of an imposed universal pasteurization and not raw food (at least when organic), that scares me the most. We should have the freedom to live raw, or die, if you will, without being labeled and stickered into submission by exceedingly rare, worst case scenarios, i.e. "CAUTION: This straw could impale you." Thomas Jefferson said it well: "If the people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny."
Coconut Water: Far More Than Just A Refreshing Beverage
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/coconut-water-far-more-just-refreshing-beverage?utm_source=www.GreenMedInfo.com&utm_campaign=ed47386768-Greenmedinfo&utm_medium=email
Few beverages on this planet are as biocompatible to the human body and its hydration needs as coconut water. Indeed, coconut water has been reported to have been used for intravenous hydration and resuscitation of critically ill patients in remote regions of the world for over half a century. [1] It is also an excellent preserving medium for avulsed teeth (and semen!), besting even Hank's balanced salt solution, a commonly used medical solution. [2]
While some are concerned about the sugar content of this slightly sweet beverage, recent research shows it actually exhibits blood sugar lowering properties in an experimental model of diabetes.[3] Additional animal research shows coconut water prevents and reverses high blood pressure associated with fructose feeding-induced hypertension, as well being able to reduce oxidative stress and insulin resistance. [4]
Perhaps one of the most amazing properties of coconut water is its superior lipid modulating activity in the animal model vis-à-vis the cholesterol-lowering statin drug known as lovastatin. [5] Which means we can, in clear conscience, modify Hippocrates’ famous saying to: "Let What You Drink Be Your Medicine."
Other medicinal properties of coconut water include:
Anti-Ulcer Properties: Both coconut milk and coconut water exhibit potent anti-ulcer activity against chemicals such as indomethacin, a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID).
Blood-Pressuring Lowering Properties: When human subjects consumed coconut water for two weeks, it was found to lower blood pressure in 74% of the experimental group, reducing it by up to 24 points (mmHg) systolic and 15 points (mmHq) diastolic.
Anti-Alzheimer’s Properties: in an animal model of ovariectomy-induced menopausal changes, coconut water appeared to prevent the decline of brain estrogen (estradiol) levels, as well as the associated accumulation of Alzheimer’s disease associated ß-amyloid (Aß) plaque in their brains.
Anti-Bacterial Properties: Three novel antimicrobial peptides have been identified in coconut water which exhibited inhibitory activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Anti-Gastroenteritis Agent: When sodium is added (ideally sea salt) coconut water has been determined to be an ideal rehydrating agent in countries where medical supplies are not freely available, and where, say, cholera and other severe forms of gastroenteritis persist.
Ultimately, coconut makes for an excellent alternative to sports drinks, which are increasingly comprised of synthetic ingredients. Also, coconut water is filtered by Nature through an intensive purification process -- far safer than municipal systems which leave up to 600 toxic disinfectant byproducts behind. I'm nuts for the stuff (so much so that I will use a bad pun like this), how about you?
For more coconut related research visit our Coconut Research Page!
[1] The intravenous use of coconut water. Am J Emerg Med. 2000 Jan;18(1):108-11. PMID: 10674546
[2] Comparison of coconut water, propolis, HBSS, and milk on PDL cell survival. J Endod. 2008 May;34(5):587-9. Epub 2008 Mar 19. PMID: 18436040
[3] Hypoglycemic and antioxidant potential of coconut water in experimental diabetes. Food Funct. 2012 May 11. Epub 2012 May 11. PMID: 22576019
[4] Therapeutic effects of tender coconut water on oxidative stress in fructose fed insulin resistant hypertensive rats. act Source: Asian Pac J Trop Med. 2012 Apr ;5(4):270-6. PMID: 22449517
[5] Comparative evaluation of the hypolipidemic effects of coconut water and lovastatin in rats fed fat-cholesterol enriched diet. Food Chem Toxicol.2008 Dec;46(12):3586-92. Epub 2008 Sep 3 PMID: 18809454
Coconut Oil
Reversal of Alzheimer's symptoms?
http://www.therealfoodchannel.com/videos/alzheimers/coconut-oil.html
Coconut Oil vs. Olive Oil - Video
http://www.ihealthtube.com/aspx/viewvideo.aspx?v=9a6ea595a29de2cd
160 Uses for Coconut Oil
By Jennifer
http://wakeup-world.com/2012/03/02/160-uses-for-coconut-oil/
ORGANIC EDIBLE HHA COCONUT OIL
http://www.herbalhealer.com/coconutoil.html
Herbal Healer has added a Certified Organic Edible Virgin Coconut Oil. This is a high grade, unrefined premium nutritional edible obtained from the first cold pressing or organic coconut. This oil is naturally trans-fatty acid free and high in medium chain triglycerides (MCT).
There are hundreds of health benefits linked to the use of Coconut Oil. The health claims are staggering, so give it a try. It can also be used to make your salves and suntan lotions and in cooking to replace butter. It has a very mild coconut flavor.
People from many diverse cultures, languages, religions, and races scattered around the globe have revered the coconut as a valuable source of both food and medicine. Wherever the coconut palm grows the people have learned of its importance as a effective medicine. For thousands of years coconut products have held a respected and valuable place in local folk medicine.
Coconut oil is of special interest because it possesses healing properties far beyond that of any other dietary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Pacific Islanders consider coconut oil to be the cure for all illness. The coconut palm is so highly valued by them as both a source of food and medicine that it is called "The Tree of Life." Only recently has modern medical science unlocked the secrets to coconut's amazing healing powers.
According to Dr. Fife, in his book "The Coconut Oil Miracle", it helps promote weight loss, protects against heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, stops premature aging of the skin, strengthens the immune system and improves digestion. 218 page paperback - $16.00
This is quoted from the Coconut Research Center homepage
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/index.htm
Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below:
Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses.
Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.
Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections.
Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.
Provides a nutritional source of quick energy.
Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.
Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.
Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.
Helps protect against osteoporosis.
Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.
Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.
Improves digestion and bowel function.
Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.
Reduces inflammation.
Supports tissue healing and repair.
Supports and aids immune system function.
Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.
Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.
Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.
Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.
Functions as a protective antioxidant.
Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease.
Does not deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do.
Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.
Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).
Reduces epileptic seizures.
Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.
Dissolves kidney stones.
Helps prevent liver disease.
Is lower in calories than all other fats.
Supports thyroid function.
Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.
Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.
Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.
Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.
Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.
Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.
Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.
Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Helps control dandruff.
Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.
Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.
Is completely non-toxic to humans.
Suggested Usage: Take one tablespoon 1-2 times a day with meals. Can also be used in salad dressings, sauces, or any type of cooking where a source of essential fatty acids is needed. Taste is very mild and oil melts very quickly in mouth. Great to use in your salves too. Product solidifies at 78 degrees.
Coconut Oil
Why is COCONUT OIL the only oil that should be used in cooking? Why should you only use COCONUT OIL as a spread?
Attributes of COCONUT OIL:
Eliminates belly fat quicker and burns more calories than other "good" fats
Inhibits/kills yeast (Candida albicans)
Can take high heat cooking, and IS NOT a trans fat
Doesn't negatively affect Vitamin E like other fats/oils can
Has anti microbial, fungal, and viral properties
Is an excellent skin moisturizer
Makes a good hair conditioner
Doesn't go bad (rancid) even after a year at room temperature
Is successfully used by diabetics, hypoglycemics, people with gall bladder problems, or anyone else who has difficulty digesting fats or oils
Has a soothing effect on the digestive tract, even for people with IBS and Crohn's
Used traditionally as an adjunct to detoxify the body and remove parasites.......and numerous other health benefits
To find out these answers and more read "Coconut Cures" by Bruce Fife, N.D.
Coconut Oil as a Diet Aid
Coconut Oil is a MCT type of fat. MCT (medium chain triglyceride) is a type of good fat/oil that can bypass the pancreas and insulin enzyme process, be transported easily through the liver and gall bladder, and used quickly and efficiently by the cells as a nutrient. While the body needs and requires many types of good fats (short chain, medium chain, long chain and essential fatty acids), many other fats/oils simply do not have all the unique properties Coconut Oil does. (Sources: www.wikipedia.org, www.nih/gov, "Coconut Cures, by Bruce Fife, N.D., and Woman's World, Jan 16, 07, and Feb 19, 09)
Coconut Oil is not a Trans Fat
Columbia University just completed another study on fats and dieting. Their findings document that dieters using Coconut Oil burned twice as many calories, and seven times more belly fat than other people did. (Source: www.columbia.edu/, and Woman's World, Feb 16, 2009 issue)
Coconut Oil IS NOT a trans fat. Trans fats come from oils that have been hydrogenated (hydrogen added to an oil at very high heat, to keep the product solid at room temp, and hard to digest). While Coconut Oil is usually a solid at room temp, Coconut Oil is not solid in the body. This is because Coconut Oil begins to melt at 76 degrees and body temp is usually 98.6 degrees. (Sources: www.wikipedia.org, www.webmd.com www.hsibaltimore.com, www.coconutoil.com, and "Coconut Cures" by Bruce Fife, N.D, and www.hypertext.com/about)
Check out your local health foods store for Wilderness Family Natural Extra Virgin Certified Organic Coconut Oil. We have found this to be the best Coconut Oil Available
http://mms.reikiranch.net/index.php?searchStr=coconut+oil&act=viewCat&Submit=Go
The Two Healthiest Cooking Oils Are...
http://preventdisease.com/news/10/102810_healthiest_cooking_oils.shtml
Whether it's soybean, safflower, grape seed, or olive oil, few can agree on the most beneficial oils from both a nutritional or cooking perspective. However, when assessing all the facts, none of the oils above even make the cut for the healthiest.
Even if you're not in the health industry, you've likely been tuned into the media's disinformation campaign for the last 50 years telling us that saturated fats are bad for our health leading to all sort of fatal diseases and health consequences such as high cholesterol and heart disease. Nothing of course, could be further from the truth since all saturated fats are not created equal.
The Not-So-Good Cooking Oils
Olive Oil: High mono fat, able to lower cholesterol but deficient in poly fat, which contains Essential Fatty Acids (EFA). EFA’s are truly essential to life as every metabolic process in your body depends on them. A low smoke point makes it a poor choice for frying, and its heavy taste makes it undesirable in many baked goods. Traditionally a good salad oil.
Canola Oil: High mono fat with cholesterol lowering ability but there are concerns about the origin. “Canola oil” is a term coined by Canada to change the name of “rapeseed oil”. The rapeseed plant contains erucic acid making it toxic and is used as an industrial lubricant. It has been genetically modified and hybrid to produce a low erucic acid version. Commonly hydrogenated, it is extensively used in the food industry because of its low price and high smoke point, however seeing Canola is artificial and man-made, organic or natural versions of this oil do not exist.
Peanut Oil: A good balanced oil. This oil has good cholesterol lowering ability and a high smoke point, making it a good frying oil. It imparts a slightly earthy, nutty flavor. It lacks the anti-oxidants and micronutrients of Rice Bran or Coconut Oil. A small percentage of people are allergic to nut oils and a high percentage of peanuts
Soybean Oil: This oil is a high poly fat. Your poly fat intake should be around 33% of your total fat intake. A high poly percentage is, an aid to tumors and cancer and should be carefully watched. Up to 80% of the oil consumed in the U.S. today comes from soybeans. Soybean oil is commonly hydrogenated and used in many processed foods. More than 80% of Soy is now genetically modified making this oil highly undesirable regardless of any touted health benefits.
Grape Seed Oil: A good frying oil, but again high in poly fat. It does lower cholesterol because of the high unsaturated fat content but is way over the recommended 33% poly-unsaturated fat. The taste of grape seed is below average and it goes rancid quickly.
Corn Oil: Extracted from the germ of corn (maize). Its main use is in cooking, where its high smoke point has made it a valuable frying oil. However, the benefits stop there. Since most corn worldwide is genetically modified, any benefits from this oil are highly outweighed by the risks.
Sunflower Oil: Contains largely omega 6 polyunsaturates, so if you use sunflower oil regularly, you need to be sure you're getting enough omega 3s in your diet from other sources to balance it out. Re-using the oil more than a few times for deep-frying could cause the formation of harmful trans fats.
Safflower Oil: Safflower oil is flavorless and colorless, and nutritionally similar to sunflower oil. The reasons to avoid this oil are also similar to sunflower as the polyunsaturates are largely omega 6 based. These omega-6 oils are also highly susceptible to heat damage because of their double bonds.
The Two Best Cooking Oils Are...
Coconut and Rice Bran oil are clearly the healthiest cooking oils for the majority of the world.
Coconut Oil
Did you know that multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60% of their total caloric intact from fully saturated coconut oil have all shown nearly non-existent rates of cardiovascular disease?
50 percent of the fat content in coconut oil is a fat rarely found in nature called lauric acid. Your body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoa properties. Lauric acid is a powerful virus and gram-negative bacteria destroyer, and coconut oil contains the most lauric acid of any substance on earth!
Coconut oil is about 2/3 medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs. These types of fatty acids produce a whole host of health benefits. It's nature's richest source of these healthy MCFAs.
Coconut oil does not produce an insulin spike in your bloodstream. It acts on your body like a carbohydrate, without any of the debilitating insulin-related effects associated with long-term high carbohydrate consumption!
Coconut oil is exceptionally helpful for pregnant women, nursing moms, the elderly, those concerned about digestive health, athletes (even weekend warriors), and those of you who just want to enhance your overall health.
Rice Bran Oil
Rice bran is an incredible source of the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids and antioxidant nutrients that help fight disease and promote good health. It's no wonder the healthy oil that comes from rice bran is becoming so successful at replacing hydrogenated oils containing trans fat. Research is on-going with this invaluable food source and scientists have found components critical to human health.
In its natural state, contains several constituents of potential significance in diet and health. Interest has focused primarily upon gamma-oryzanol, tocotrienols, and tocopherols, all of which demonstrate antioxidant properties. The latter two are naturally-occurring forms of Vitamin E. Both Types of Vitamin E are natural antioxidants that help fight free radicals, a major cause of cancer. Tocotrienol is believed to vastly out perform Tocopherol in fighting free radicals and in preventing oxidation, it also helps lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Tocotrienol is a difficult nutrient to find but is abundant in many types of Rice Bran Oil.
It's high smoke point and stability under high temperatures are remarkable and it's one of the best oils to use for popcorn and frying.
Oryzanol is a powerful antioxidant only found in rice bran oil. It is more active than Vitamin E in fighting free radicals. Oryzanol is effective in lowering cholesterol levels in the blood, reducing liver cholesterol synthesis and treating menopausal disorders.
Phytosterols are nutrients with many health benefits and are more abundant in Rice Bran Oil than any other oil. Scientific research suggest that Phytosterols reduce cholesterol, provide anti-inflammatory effects, inhibit the growth of cancer cells, improve the immune system and have other health benefits. There are 27 different phytosterols in Rice Bran Oil.
Cautions and Summary
Although rice bran oil has been tested to reduce cholesterol levels, it is important to recognize its high omega-6 content which can be detrimental to health if used excessively. A high consumption of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are also found in most types of vegetable oils, may increase the likelihood of both breast cancer and prostate cancer. Other analysis suggested an inverse association between total polyunsaturated fatty acids and breast cancer risk.
Rice bran oil may also have the potential to be genetically modified in the future, so it's important to ensure only organic sources of this oil are used.
The benefits of rice bran oil still outweigh all the risks, especially as a cooking oil. However, it is imperative to not use it in excess.
Coconut oil is likely the healthiest and superior of all cooking oils. Rice bran oil is a close second.
The Unsavory Truth About Vegetable Oils
http://preventdisease.com/news/10/031710_truth_veggie_oils.shtml
More Fish Oil, Less Vegetable Oil, Better For Your Health
http://preventdisease.com/news/articles/073107_fish_oil.shtml
I Love COCONUT SUGAR........ So Good!!!.....
http://www.livestrong.com/article/280219-healing-benefits-of-coconut-palm-sugar/
The Great Fat Debate - Why Virgin Coconut Oil Is Best
http://www.naturalnews.com/022313_fat_oil_coconut.html
There is so much media hype from the mainstream media and leading health authorities, including the naturopathic community, suggesting the many ill effects of consuming Trans Fatty Acids (TFA’s) that the topic of the Great Fat Debate deserves a closer look for the sake of our heath and understanding.
Whilst there is unanimous agreement that TFA’s are problematic and are to be avoided at all costs, some explanations are confusing at best or misleading at worst. It is time for more clarity so we can all choose the fats that are good and avoid those that are bad.
Let’s look at some of these warnings:
Rekha Balu, writing for the Wall Street Journal, states that TFA’s are like saturated fats “which raise bad cholesterol, causing a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries.” That is incorrect as saturated fats raise both the good and the bad cholesterol and they do not cause fatty deposits in the arteries. An under-active thyroid coupled with stress and a diet high in polyunsaturated oils cause a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries.
Lynn Roblin, writing for the Toronto Star, advises consumers to avoid TFA’s by consuming more vegetable oils, such as olive oil and canola oil, in preference to butter and coconut oil. Let’s remember that vegetable oils such as canola and safflower are rich in omega-6 fatty acids which have now been proven to cause oxidation of our cells. This reaction leads to inflammation which in turn promotes degenerative conditions and premature aging.
Harvard nutritionist Frank Hu, featured in an article for the Washington Post, says butter is better than margarine, but tub or liquid margarine made from commercial vegetable oils is “a more healthful choice than butter.” What Mr. Hu is promoting is the omega-6 fatty acids which have been hydrogenated and these are technically TFA’s. Quite confusing indeed!
Why is there so much confusion amongst health authorities in relation to fats?
This is because in 1961, the American Heart Association published its first dietary guidelines aimed at the public. The authors, Dr. Ancel Keys, Irving Page, Jeremiah Stamler and Frederick Stare, called for the substitution of polyunsaturated oils for saturated fat. This was put forth even though Keys, Stare and Page had all previously noted in their published papers that the increase in Heart Disease was due to increasing consumption of vegetable oils. The 1961 report did not publish this fact, even after a 1956 paper by Dr. Keys suggested that the increasing use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (which is what TFA’s technically are) is one of the culprits in the heart disease epidemic.
Why was Dr. Keys report ignored?
For obvious economic reasons the vegetable oil industry then squashed the reports on the dangers of vegetable oils and stealthily began their phony attack on making saturated fats - meat, eggs, cheese, butter and coconut oil responsible for heart disease.
In actuality, saturated fats are shown to help in preventing heart disease. If we examine the health statistics along with the research on saturated fats consumption from the nations that consume large amounts of saturated fats in their diet, we find that they are among the healthiest nations /tribes/cultures in the world. Herein lies the big ‘fat’ confusion.
Let’s look closer at the FAT debate:
TFA’s are typically found in processed foods such as cookies, margarine, fried foods, fried potatoes, potato chips, crackers, breaded chicken, and fast food. McDonald’s has admitted its french fries contain a third more TFA’s than they had thought. In New York City, there are hefty fines imposed upon restaurants if they are not compliant with avoiding TFA’s in their cooking; this ordinance took effect as of July 2007.
Polyunsaturated Fats Defined
Polyunsaturated oils are liquid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated fats such as Safflower, Corn, Sunflower, Soybean and Cottonseed Oils all contain over 50% omega-6 fatty acids. Safflower oil contains almost 80% omega-6. Researchers have now discovered there are dangers in consuming more of omega-6 oils in our diet then we need. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 (the essential fatty acid) is 1:1. This is easily achieved if one avoids the use of vegetable oils as omega-6 is far more abundant in our diet then omega-3 essential fatty acids, which is found in cold water fish - salmon, sardines and mackerel.
TFA’s Defined
In order to have polyunsaturated fats last longer and make them look more appealing, food manufacturers use a process called "hydrogenation". Hydrogenation is a process that takes unsaturated liquid fat (usually some kind of vegetable oil) and adds hydrogen. The result is a TFA.
During hydrogenation, oil is heated to an extremely high temperature; this causes the oil to rapidly oxidize and create free-radicals. In basic chemistry 101, free radicals cause prolific cell damage and is responsible for premature aging.
Even using the so called "healthiest" organic vegetable oils, which includes olive oil, in baking and frying creates free radicals. This is because all vegetable oils oxidize; especially when used in cooking. They not only produce TFA’s but form free radicals - lethal combination for our bodies. The only oil that does not oxidize, even at 170 degree Celsius, is Organic Virgin Coconut oil which is a saturated fat. Amazing!
Avoiding TFA’s at all costs is a must according to the WHO (World Health Organization). This is because TFA’s are injurious to the heart and have been linked to cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, immune system dysfunction, birth defects, difficulty in lactation, and problems with bones and tendons. So we want to exclude them from our diet, yet it is difficult when some of the most tempting foods such as commercial cakes, biscuits, chocolates, and potato chips are laden with TFA’s.
Why Saturated fats are not TFA’s
TFA’s have similar properties to saturated fatty acids when used in baked goods, but the claim that TFA’s are like saturated fatty acids is incorrect in view of their molecular bonding/structure and their biological effect in our bodies. This is the area that has been mostly ignored by mainstream media and even among the naturopathic community according to lipid and nutritional expert Dr. Mary G. Enig. Enig campaigned against TFA’s back in the late 1970’s after completing her most extensive research on the analysis of all fats. For more extensive information, see Mary G. Enig’s PhD Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition (www.newtrendspublishing.com)
So which oils do we use now? A good option is Organic Virgin Coconut oil. This is a saturated fat that is unlike any other fat and truly deserves a classification of its own. With all the research and studies on saturated fats to date, health authorities still group TFA’s with healthy saturated fats like coconut oil. Coconut oil is not only the healthiest saturated fat but is one of the healthiest foods we can consume on a daily basis. Let’s examine the most misunderstood fat that is actually a super food.
Why is Coconut oil unique and unlike any other fat?
Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA’s). Two-thirds of the saturated fat in coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated fat. This important fact deserves clarification as MCFA’s actually helps us to lose weight, lower cholesterol, improve diabetic conditions and reduce the risk of heart disease.
One of the most outstanding benefits of consuming MCFA’s is that they do not require the liver and gallbladder to digest and emulsify them. This means instant energy and increased thermogenesis (increased metabolic rate in the body) which leads to more heat production as well as improved circulation. For anyone with impaired fat digestion or a removed gallbladder, coconut oil is the only oil to consume as it is very easily digested.
MCFA’s are also known for having antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, so they are beneficial to our immune system. In addition, coconut oil assists people with under-active thyroids by increasing the metabolic rate of the body and creating more energy.
Ray Peat Ph.D., a physiologist who has worked with progesterone and related hormones since 1968, says that the sudden surge of polyunsaturated oils in the food chain post World War II has caused many changes in hormones. He writes:
Their [polyunsaturated oils] best understood effect is their interference with the function of the thyroid gland. Polyunsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. When the thyroid hormone is deficient, the body is generally exposed to increased levels of oestrogen. The thyroid hormone is essential for making the ‘protective hormones’ progesterone and pregnenolone, so these hormones are lowered when anything interferes with the function of the thyroid. The thyroid hormone is required for using and eliminating cholesterol, so cholesterol is likely to be raised by anything that blocks the thyroid function (http://www.efn.org/~raypeat/efatox.rtf)
It is very interesting to note that high cholesterol is not a sign of eating too much saturated fat. High cholesterol in a lot of the cases is due to an under-active thyroid which affects the liver as well as the many loops and feedback systems within the endocrine system. Stress and the over consumption of carbohydrates/sugars also form high levels of cholesterol.
What are saturated fats and why do we need them?
Saturated fats are semi solid at room temperature and are found in animal products such as meat, poultry, lard, poultry skin, whole milk, cheese, eggs, butter and tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil.
Our body actually needs saturated fats to stay healthy. Why?
1) Saturated fats constitute at least 50% of our cell’s membranes - the phospholipid component of every cell. Saturated fatty acids are what gives our cells structural integrity, so the cell walls are not weak and can protect the inside of the cells.
2) Saturated fatty acids play a vital role in the health of our bones. For calcium to be effectively utilized by the bones, at least 50% of the dietary fats should be saturated.
3) Saturated fatty acids actually lower Lipoprotein (a), a substance in the blood that leads to heart disease, whereas excess consumption of vegetable oils increases it.
4) Saturated fatty acids protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, including Tylenol, a pain reliever.
5) Saturated fatty acids are needed for the proper utilization of omega-3 essential fatty acids because omega-3’s are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated fats (particularly organic virgin coconut oil)
6) Saturated stearic acid found in beef and cocoa, and palmitic acid found in coconut oil 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.
7) Saturated fatty acids such as caprylic acid found abundantly in coconut oil, is anti fungal and helps combat candida (yeast overgrowth that is common in our society).
8) While saturated fats raise both the bad and the good cholesterol, TFA’s as well as excess consumption of omega-6 fatty acids raise the bad Low Density Lipo-protein (LDL) and suppress the good High Density Lipo-protein (HDL) cholesterol, making it even worse.
In conclusion, avoiding TFA’s is a must. There are no tolerance levels. They are serious culprits of degenerative conditions disguised in some of the most tempting foods to date. Avoiding over consumption of polyunsaturated oils (omega-6 fatty acids) such as flax oil and completely avoiding corn, soy, safflower and canola is a great start, as polyunsaturated oils have been shown to contribute to heart disease, inflammation, under-active thyroid and weight gain.
Use virgin organic coconut oil. I stress the importance of using only virgin organic coconut oil because the refined version of coconut oil no longer has the same structure and same health benefits as the virgin organic coconut oil. In fact, consuming plain coconut oil can even give someone a headache or nausea.
The food manufacturers will not willingly return to using naturally saturated fats such as coconut oil, palm oil, butter and lard because they are more expensive. Only a concerted demand by educated consumers will bring traditional healthy fats back into our commercial food supply and restaurant cooking.
Using organic coconut oil in all cooking and baking is the best choice for a healthy alternative. Because virgin coconut oil is completely saturated and no TFA’s can be made from it, it is therefore harmless. In addition, it does not oxidize, even at 170 degrees Celsius.
Virgin Coconut oil is the fat of fats as it also helps us burn body fat for energy because of its unique molecular structure of medium chain fatty acids. So do enjoy eating more organic virgin coconut oil, drinking organic coconut milk/crème in your teas as well as pouring it over your porridge and munching on macaroons made from organic cocoa and desiccated organic coconut for health and longevity.
References
Keys, A., "Diet and Development of Coronary Heart Disease", J. Chron. Dis. 4(4):364-380, October 1956
Rekha Balu, “Trans Fat: Taste Buds Cry ‘Yes!’ but Arteries Demur,” The Wall Street Journal, June 8, 1998
Lynn Roblin, “Not all fats are created equal,” The Toronto Star Health Talk, June 24, 1998
Fred Tasker, “A Churning Controversy,” The Washington Post Health, June 2, 1997
Mary G. Enig PhD. Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol(Bethesda Press 2000)
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (NewTrends Publishing 2000, www.newtrendspublishing.com
www.mercola.com/2006/dec/26/the-health-harming-confusion-about-saturated-fats.htm
The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil, by Bruce Fife (Piccadilly Books, 2001).
Eat Fat Look Thin by Bruce Fife (Piccadilly Books, 2002).
About the author
Teya Skae M.A. ATMS
Corporate Wellness Presenter/Researcher and Author
As the founder of Empowered Living Teya has developed a results based I.D.E.A.L Solutions for increasing your energy, focus and personal Success!
Teya is also a QUIT smoking specialist with proven results in one session guaranteed.
For Tangible Results and Solutions to Fat Loss, Physical, Emotional and Mental Fitness visit
www.empowered-living.com.au
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/022313_fat_oil_coconut.html#ixzz1k1RqCeT6
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The Acid/Alkaline Foods List
http://www.angelfire.com/az/sthurston/acid_alkaline_foods_list.html
Lower Your Blood Pressure with Coconut Water
http://naturalsociety.com/lower-blood-pressure-coconut-water/
Lower Your Blood Pressure with Coconut WaterCoconut water is not only delicious, but it could be a viable natural solution to lowering your blood pressure. One study has shown the benefits of this natural heart helper. Amazingly, coconut water was found to lower the blood pressure of 71% of study participants.
Coconut water is a clear, light, liquid that is quite refreshing. Extracted from young, green coconuts that have not reached maturity, coconut water is actually comprised of about 95% water content. In order to locate the proper coconut, look for coconuts that are white, smooth, and pointed on one end. These are not the ‘traditional’ coconuts you may be used to seeing in the produce section which are brown and covered in small hairs.
These young coconuts will be in the refrigerated section, as they are perishable.
Coconut Water is Full of Vital Nutrients, Better than Sports Drinks
Hawaiians actually call coconut water “noelani,” which means “dew from the heavens.” The drink is even held in high regard in many tropical cultures. Due to the health-promoting contents of the beverage and the immense hydrating qualities it harnesses, it is no surprise that coconut water is a far better alternative to additive-laden sports drinks.
In fact, one 2007 study found sodium-enriched coconut water to be as effective as commercial sports drinks in overall hydration with far less stomach pains. Of course coconut water also surpasses sports drinks due to an impressive nutritional profile, including:
Essential B vitamins, minerals, and trace elements (such as zinc, selenium, iodine, sulfur, and manganese).
The 5 essential electrolytes (potassium, sodium, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium).
Cytokinins, which are plant hormones that can fight against cancer and aging.
Amino acids, organic acids, enzymes, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.
Perhaps the most compelling reason to drink coconut water is the fact that it reduced blood pressure in 71% of those who drank it. Hypertension can lead to stroke, myocardial infraction, heart failure, and much more. Beyond that, it is a leading cause of chronic kidney failure.
Instead of taking pharmaceutical drugs riddled with side effects, coconut water presents itself as a powerful hypertension solution without the harsh side effects.
Coconut: In Support of Good Health in the 21st Century - Part II
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/07/28/coconut-health2.aspx
The Amazing Oil That Trims Women’s Waistlines
http://naturalsociety.com/coconut-oil-cholesterol-obesity-waistline/
coconutoil The Amazing Oil That Trims Womens WaistlinesA study has shown that dietary supplementation with coconut oil may result in a reduction in waist circumference and other benefits.
A randomized, double-blind clinical trial of 40 women divided them into two groups — one that received daily dietary supplements of soybean oil (group S) and another than received a similar amount of coconut oil (group C). Both groups were instructed to follow a balanced hypocaloric diet and to walk for 50 minutes each day.
According to the study,
“[After one week,] only group C exhibited a reduction in [waist circumference] … Group S presented an increase … in total cholesterol, LDL and LDL:HDL ratio, whilst HDL diminished … Such alterations were not observed in group C. It appears that dietetic supplementation with coconut oil does not cause dyslipidemia and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity.”
This is a great example of how many common theories on nutrition can be seriously mistaken. Saturated fat has been wrongfully vilified as the cause of high cholesterol and heart disease for the last 60 years, when in fact the converse was true all along.
The result of people following the misguided advice to replace saturated fats (like coconut oil) with polyunsaturated vegetable oils (such as soybean oil) is reflected in the statistics for heart disease today. Prior to 1920, coronary artery disease was actually a rarity. In the 1950's, rates began to rise in step with the increased consumption of hydrogenated vegetable oils (trans fat), which replaced saturated fats like butter and lard that had been the norm in previous decades…
Today, soybean oil makes up 68 percent of the vegetable oils and fats consumed by Americans.
Double-Blind Clinical Trial Puts Coconut- versus Soybean Oil to the Test
In the featured 12-week long study, researchers evaluated the effects of coconut oil and soybean oil on the biochemical profiles and waist circumference on 40 obese women, aged 20-40. Belly fat, known as visceral fat, is the type of fat linked to heart disease, diabetes and stroke, among many other chronic diseases.
Divided into two groups of 20 participants each, the women received a daily supplement of 30ml (about two tablespoons) of either soybean oil or coconut oil. They also followed a balanced low-calorie diet, and walked for 50 minutes per day. The end result?
The coconut oil group presented:
Increased levels of HDL (good cholesterol)
Decreased LDL/HDL ratio
Reduced waist circumference/abdominal obesity
The soybean oil group presented:
Increased total cholesterol
Increased LDL (bad cholesterol)
Increased LDL/HDL ratio
Decreased HDL (good cholesterol)
No reduction in waist circumference/abdominal obesity
The authors concluded:
“It appears that dietetic supplementation with coconut oil does not cause dyslipidemia [an abnormal amount of cholesterol and/or fat in your blood] and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity.”
This is exactly what I’ve been writing about for the last 15 years, and if you’ve been a long-time reader of this newsletter, you already knew that these kinds of results were to be expected.
The Truth about Soybean Oil
Polyunsaturated fats (soybean- and other vegetable oils) tend to go rancid (become oxidized) during cooking and processing, and once this happens, the free radicals created can wreak havoc in your body, attacking cell membranes and damaging DNA/RNA strands. Arterial plaque is the result of free radical damage in your blood vessels, which is the hallmark of cardiovascular- and heart disease.
Excess consumption of polyunsaturated fats has also been linked to other diseases and health problems, including:
Increased cancer risk Immune system dysfunction Liver and lung damage Damage to reproductive organs
Digestive disorders Reduced learning ability Stunted growth Weight gain
Several years ago, in response to the increased demand to reduce trans fats in food, and the mandatory labeling of trans fats, the food industry began switching over to a modified soybean oil from so-called ‘low linolenic soybeans.’ This low-linolenic oil does not require hydrogenation, a process that increases shelf life and flavor stability, but also creates trans-fat. How much of the food supply now contains this low-linolenic type of soybean oil is unknown, but I think it’s fair to guess that the prevalence would be quite high.
However, please do not be fooled, because these so-called “healthier” vegetable oils are still a disastrous choice for most people, as they can significantly distort the sensitive omega-6/omega-3 ratio that controls many delicate biochemical pathways, resulting in accelerating many chronic degenerative diseases.
Besides this traditionally-bred ‘low-lin’ soybean, over 90 percent of all soy, corn, and canola oils are made from genetically engineered seeds created to withstand otherwise lethal doses of Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer, which is yet another reason to steer clear of these harmful vegetable oils.
These genetically modified (GM) foods pose enormous hazards to human health, and according to Dr. Joseph Hibbeln at the National Institutes of Health, it’s estimated that soybeans, usually in the form of oil, account for 10 percent of the average person’s total calories in the United States! This is a double-whammy of bad news, because not only is most of this soy bean oil genetically modified, it’s also an unhealthy fat in and of itself, even if it’s organic, as you can see by the results of the featured study above.
Why Coconut Oil is “Special” Among Saturated Fats
Now on to coconut oil; a rare gem among saturated fats, with numerous health benefits. First, did you know that multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60 percent of their total caloric intact from fully saturated coconut oil have all shown nearly non-existent rates of cardiovascular disease?
Coconut oil can be helpful for pregnant women, nursing moms, the elderly, those concerned about digestive health, athletes (even weekend warriors), and those of you who just want to enhance your overall health. One of the explanations for its broad health applications is because it’s rich in lauric acid, which converts in your body to monolaurin – a compound also found in breast milk that strengthens a baby’s immunity.
Its medium chain fatty acids, or triglycerides (MCT’s), also impart a number of health benefits, including raising your body’s metabolism and fighting off pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and fungi. Capric acid, another coconut fatty acid present in smaller amounts, is another antimicrobial component.
Coconut oil is also excellent for your thyroid. Additionally, a very exciting and recent discovery is that coconut oil may even serve as a natural treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, as MCT’s are also a primary source of ketone bodies, which act as an alternate source of brain fuel that can help prevent the brain atrophy associated with dementia.
Previous Studies Confirm: Coconut Oil Helpful for Fat Loss
Going back to the results in the featured study for a moment, previous studies have also found that the medium chain fatty acids (MCT’s) found in coconut oil promote weight loss, and are helpful for shedding adipose fat in particular. One such study showed that rats fed long chain fatty acids (LCTs, found in vegetable oils) stored body fat, while rats fed MCTs (found in coconut oil) reduced body fat and improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Specifically, MCT’s were found to down-regulate the expression of adipogenic genes.
Another 2003 study found that MCT’s increased energy expenditure and decreased adiposity in overweight men—a similar finding as in the study above. Here, 24 overweight men consumed diets rich in either MCT or LCT for 28 days, and those consuming MCTs lost more weight and had more energy than those consuming LCTs (in this case olive oil, as opposed to soy bean oil).
Coconut Oil and Cholesterol
Most of the conventional advice relating to coconut oil and cholesterol are false and misleading. Coconut oil has been repeatedly shown to be beneficial rather than detrimental on cholesterol levels and heart health. As explained in a previous article written by Ray Pete, it’s been clearly established for over 80 years now that suppression of the thyroid raises serum cholesterol (and increases mortality from infections, cancer, and heart disease), while restoring the thyroid hormone brings cholesterol down to normal.
As mentioned earlier, coconut oil does both; it balances your thyroid and normalizes your cholesterol levels.
“As far as the evidence goes… coconut oil, added regularly to a balanced diet, lowers cholesterol to normal by promoting its conversion into pregnenolone,” he writes. “Coconut-eating cultures in the tropics have consistently lower cholesterol than people in the U.S.”
Mary Enig with the Weston A Price Foundation has also written at length about the beneficial effects of coconut oil on heart health and cholesterol levels.
Are You Ready to Make the Switch?
Generally speaking, foods that are likely to contain health-harming trans fats include deep-fried foods, processed baked goods, snack foods and processed foods, including fast foods. Aside from soybean oil, other varieties to avoid include corn and canola oil, so make sure to read the labels when shopping. If you want to avoid dangerous fats of all kinds, your best bet is to eliminate processed foods from your diet. From there, use these tips to make sure you’re eating the right fats for your health:
Use organic coconut oil for all your cooking needs. It is far superior to any other cooking oil and is loaded with health benefits. Make sure you choose an organic coconut oil that is unrefined, unbleached, made without heat processing or chemicals, and does not contain GM ingredients.
Use organic butter (preferably made from raw milk) instead of margarines and vegetable oil spreads. Butter is a healthy whole food that has received an unwarranted bad rap.
Be sure to eat raw fats, such as those from avocados, raw dairy products, and olive oil, and also take a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fat, such as krill oil.
The Miracle Lipid That Burns Fat
http://www.brightsideben.com/wp/?p=1790
By Ben Fuchs
GCN Live.com
One of my favorite nutritional supplements are medium chain triglycerides. Generally referred to as MCT oil, this largely unrecognized supplement imparts numerous benefits. MCT oil was first introduced almost 60 years ago as a tool for treating lipid disorders. MCTs are metabolized without bile and go directly to the liver where they are processed into a source of fuel. Thus they provide a good source of easily metabolized energy for patients with liver disease, gall bladder issues, those with bile deficiencies and other health compromised patients.
They’re so effective that they’re the fuel of choice for hospitalized patients being fed intravenously in intensive care units. And MCTs may provide circulatory benefits too. A 2008 study published in The American Journal of Physiology found that MCT intake in rats with high blood pressure improved their cardiac function and structure.
Perhaps the most significant role MCTs provide for good health is in the realm of weight loss. Diet conscious health enthusiasts can benefit from MCTs unique metabolic chemistry in three ways. First of all, MCTs provide drive lipid biochemistry with 10 per cent fewer calories than ordinary fat. Secondly, MCTs are rapidly converted into energy. This means that they are much more likely than other fats to be uses as a source of fuel, rather than being stored. In this manner they function more like carbohydrates than fats. Yet, in contrast to carbs, they have no significant effect on insulin. This makes them an ideal source of energy for diabetics. Thirdly, unlike ordinary lipids, MCTs have been shown to increase thermogenesis (fat burning), which may result in an actual loss of calories.
In addition to providing weight reduction benefits, MCT oils have neurological enhancing properties. The fascinating fats been shown to increase the production of “ketones” which may provide benefits for senescent brains. Ketones are known as a potent and stable non-sugar source of energy to the brain. This makes MCT oils an ideal alternative brain fuel source for elderly and neurologically impaired patients, as well as diabetics (who are a much higher risk of age-related cognitive impairment), all of whom must be wary of the deleterious effects of sugar.
These unusual lipids have also been shown to increase the phospholipid levels in the brain which may provide additional cognitive benefits. And, interestingly, a 2009 study from the University of Toronto Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology found that supplementation with medium chain triglycerides improved the cognitive function in dogs and increased the level of omega-3 s in the parietal lobe of the brain, the section associated with the mental decline seen in human patients afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease.
Perhaps the most important food source of MCT oils is coconut oil. Besides being a wonderful ingredient for cooking, over half of the fats in this tasty oil are MCTs. If being used for its MCT content, a typical daily dose of coconut oil would be 2-4 tablespoons a day. Diabetics or Alzheimer’s patients can may want to take twice that much.
Occasionally, some patients find that coconut oil causes some stomach distress. Thus, when starting a coconut oil regimen, it’s probably best to start off using ½ to 1 tablespoonful a day and gradually work yourself up to a final 2-8 tablespoonful daily dose. Sometimes digestive discomfort from coconut oil can be alleviated by taking it with food. Other sources of MCTs include butter and palm kernel oil. Pure MCT oil is also readily available as a nutritional supplement in health food stores.
Coconut Oil Health Benefits
There is no better source of saturated fat than coconut oil. Unlike other saturated fats, it contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA’s). Other sources of saturated fat contain long-chain fatty acids. Some of the benefits of consuming MCFA’s include weight loss, decreased risk of heart disease and lower LDL cholesterol levels. One outstanding benefit of consuming medium chain fatty acids is increased metabolism and energy through immediate burning of the fat. Long chain fatty acids found in other sources of saturated fat, store the fat around the thighs, buttocks and waist.
~ Health Freedoms
There is a great deal of controversy regarding the health benefits of coconut oil because of its high saturated fat content. To add to the controversy, fifty years ago food manufacturers began hydrogenating coconut oil to increase shelf life and raise its melting point. Hydrogenation involves heating fats to a very high temperature which causes oxidation and the formation of trans-fatty acids.
Trans-fatty acids have been associated with several of the leading health problems today. Health authorities recommend avoiding coconut oils that contain trans-fatty acids known to raise LDL cholesterol, lower HDL cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. They are also linked to diabetes, obesity, cancer, atherosclerosis, bone and tendons problems, birth defects, difficulties in lactation and irregular thyroid function.
To satisfy the public outcry for healthier oils manufacturers produced vegetable oils. The problem with nearly all vegetable oils available today is that they are also hydrogenated and contain trans-fatty acids. Another problem with consuming vegetable oils is that because they are found in so many foods today, they are causing an imbalance between omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in the body. Vegetable oils are extremely high in omega 6, but do not contain omega 3. Omega 6/omega 3 imbalance is known to cause degenerative conditions in the body and premature aging.
Many health conscious individuals who are aware of the harmful effects of hydrogenated oils have switched to oils such as olive oil. Unfortunately, even olive oil begins to oxidize and release free radicals when heated. The only oil that doesn’t oxidize at high temperatures is coconut oil.
It isn’t difficult to find coconut oil that has not been hydrogenated, but health authorities claim that saturated fat, which is abundant in coconut oil, is another reason to avoid it. Saturated fat is believed to promote unhealthy cholesterol levels. Research has shown that this is not the case. It is true that saturate fat raises LDL cholesterol levels, but unlike trans-fatty acids, it also raises HDL cholesterol levels, which helps to maintain a healthy balance between HDL and LDL cholesterol levels. Studies have found that nations that regularly consume saturated fat are among the healthiest nations in the world.
Saturated fat is a necessary component of a healthy body. It makes up about fifty percent of cell membranes. Calcium utilization by the bones requires the presence of saturated fat. Studies have found that saturated fat has the ability to lower lipoprotein, a substance that contributes to heart disease. Palmatic acid found in coconut oil has proven to be good for the heart. Saturated fat helps protect the liver from toxins, and is necessary for the proper utilization and retention of omega 3 fatty acids in body tissue. Caprylic acid, another saturated fatty acid has anti-fungal properties which helps combat candida.
There is no better source of saturated fat than coconut oil. Unlike other saturated fats, it contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA’s). Other sources of saturated fat contain long-chain fatty acids. Some of the benefits of consuming MCFA’s include weight loss, decreased risk of heart disease and lower LDL cholesterol levels. One outstanding benefit of consuming medium chain fatty acids is increased metabolism and energy through immediate burning of the fat. Long chain fatty acids found in other sources of saturated fat, store the fat around the thighs, buttocks and waist.
Coconut oil has many health applications. It can be used for detoxification, treatment for sore throats, colds, dandruff, fungal infections and various skin conditions, digestive disorders, viruses and diabetes. It can also be used as a topical cream for cuts and scrapes, as a makeup remover, a lip balm or a hair conditioner.
There are several types of coconut oil available. The best type to use is organic, raw, extra virgin coconut oil, which is unrefined, cold or expeller-pressed, unbleached and unrefined and not deodorized or hydrogenated. Once the oil has been refined the chemical structure is changed and no longer has the same health benefits. Coconut oil has many uses in the kitchen. It is the perfect for baking, cooking or stir-frying. It can also be added to salads or cereals such as oatmeal.
Source: http://stevemark122000.hubpages.com/hub/Coconut-Oil-Health-Food-Or-Junk-Food
Healthy fats improve glucose level
http://www.naturalhealth365.com/nutrition/healthy-fats.html
(NaturalHealth365) There is a natural way to regulate sugar levels and it seems to have caught researchers’ attention. This may have important implications for pharmaceutical firms by giving them a better way to develop safer drugs for diabetics.
According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes; the commonly used drugs for this condition have undesired side effects.
Capric Acid
Capric acid is a medium-chain fatty acid found in saturated fats. It is abundant in coconut oil and palm kernel oil. It is the capric acid and other medium-chain triglycerides, which are responsible for making coconut oil so healthy. Some capric acid can be found in Cow and goat milk. Studies have shown that fatty acids in coconut oil are helpful for the diabetic condition. It has been found that replacing refined carbohydrates with saturated fat helps diabetics. Butter, Ghee and Coconut oil are oils that help with diabetes.
This makes sense since they all contain capric acid. A Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that deconoic acid also known as Capric Acid worked well in modulation of diabetes, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression disorders.
Research
The recent study, which was carried out in collaboration with a team of international research and clinical partners from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, National University of Singapore, The Scripps Research Institute, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, and University of Michigan showed that decanoic acid is a direct ligand, or binding partner, of PPAR?, and binds and partially activates PPAR? without leading to the development of fat cells.
What was studied was the nuclear receptor (PPARy), which plays an important role in glucose and lipid metabolism and is the target of a class of antidiabetic drug. These drugs have negative side effects like weight gain, and fluid retention, while increasing the risk for cardiovascular events.
Benefits
“Treatments with decanoic acid and its triglyceride form improve glucose sensitivity and lipid profiles without weight gain in diabetic models,” said lead author Venkata R. Malapaka, Ph.D., who conducted his research at Van Andel Research Institute and now works as a Research Fellow in Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Center for Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular Sciences. “Together, these results suggest that decanoic acid is a modulating ligand for PPARs and the structure can aid in designing better and safer PPAR?-based drugs.”
With nearly 26 million Americans with diabetes and an estimated 79 million with prediabetes, it is a good find. The sufferers of this condition can find relief and slash their risk of of strokes, heart disease and other conditions tied to high sugar levels.
We don’t need a better drug, we already have it in its natural form. The healthy fats are in our food supply, or should we say in our whole foods. We don’t need a wealth of studies, what we must establish is a healthy lifestyle. The purest, most stable, easy-to-tolerate form of help come directly from the fatty acids of coconuts. Deriving these fats from organic grass fed dairy also is known to help with inflammation. Capric acid is more desirable today because of the high carbohydrate content of our packaged foods.
About the author Blanche has been a student of natural healing modalities for the last 25 years. She had the privilege of working with some of the greatest minds in Natural Healing including Naturopaths, Scientist, and Energy Healers. Having seen people miraculously heal from all kinds of dis-ease through non-invasive methods, her passion now is to help people become aware of what it takes to be healthy.
The Health Benefits of Coconut Milk
http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=26BA438BAE9214893EB7859348332BEB
3 Ways to Bake Flax Seeds into Your Holiday Treats
Written by Kirsten Hudson
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/79jehd/www.organicauthority.com/mojo-foods/3-ways-to-mix-flax-seeds-into-your-holiday-baking.html
We all sneak in that second (third… ahem… fourth) cookie this time of year. Hey, it’s the holidays. While we don’t recommend overindulging every day of the year, between out-of-control gift shopping, planning holiday meals and all of the other little stresses that the holidays create, you deserve an anxiety-relieving baked good, especially if you’re the one rustling up all of those holiday treats.
Sure, you can’t exactly call cakes or cookies “healthy,” but substituting flax seeds for certain staple ingredients can pump up the nutrition. Besides offering those all-important omega-3 fatty acids, flax seeds also contain calcium, iron, niacin, phosphorous, vitamin E and fiber. So go ahead, treat yourself by tweaking your recipes to make baked goods a tad healthier using flax seeds.
These three ways to substitute heart-healthy flax seeds for traditional baking ingredients will help you defer (if only for a little while) that dreaded over-eaters’ remorse.
1. Egg substitute
While nixing eggs from your breakfast foods isn’t difficult, replacing eggs in baking recipes can be a frustrating, almost-scientific task. And vegans aren’t the only ones looking for egg substitutes. Those with cholesterol problems and egg allergies can also benefit from swapping out the eggs.
Fortunately, flax seeds make the perfect egg substitute for any “grainy” baked good. Think muffins, breads, cookies and pancakes. The flax seeds will enhance the flavor of these goodies by adding a nutty taste.
To replace eggs with flax seeds, add 1 tablespoon flax seeds and three tablespoons water for each egg. You can use pre-ground flax seed meal or grind your own flax seeds in a coffee grinder or food processor. Chill your mixture before adding it to the recipe so it binds into that gloopy consistency we all associate with eggs.
2. Oil substitute
While sugar is certainly a culprit, the oils in baked goods—margarine, butter, vegetable oils, shortening—make them decidedly unhealthy. Trading out the oil for healthy flax seeds is a no-brainer. To do this, use a three to one ratio. If the recipe calls for 1/3 cup oil, add 1 cup ground flax seeds.
3. Flour substitute
Boost the nutritional value of your sweets by cutting out 25 perfect of the flour in a recipe and replacing it with ground flax seeds. For those who don't like to do the math, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of flour, mix in ¾ cup flour and ¼ cup ground flax seeds. Swapping out the flour for flax seeds will amp up the nutrition and give your baked duds a lovely golden brown hue.
Keep in mind you only want to try one of these substitutions per recipe—otherwise you’ll just end up with a bowl full of flax seeds, which probably isn’t what you’re going for.
image: sierravalleygirl
Natural Cancer-Fighting Spice Reduces Tumors by 81%
By Anthony Gucciardi
NaturalSociety.com
http://wakeup-world.com/2011/10/18/natural-cancer-fighting-spice-reduces-tumors-by-81/
Is Coconut Oil REALLY Healthy?
http://products.mercola.com/coconut-oil - Natural health physician and Mercola.com founder Dr. Joseph Mercola discusses the truth about the many health benefits of coconut oil and why it is better than vegetable oil or any other cooking oil.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.
On A Mission To Heal My Mother - Why Green Salads are the Leading Cause of Disease
Samantha Gilbert, BA, CHNP, Holistic Nutritional Therapist
May 2, 2010
http://samantha-gilbert.blogspot.com/2010/05/on-mission-to-heal-my-mother-why-green.html
So you've made a decision to eat better and treat your body right. You've cleaned out your kitchen and restocked it with a variety of fresh, whole, raw foods. You prepare a big, beautiful salad for lunch and in order to add more flavor, reach for your "heart" healthy salad dressing.
What's wrong with this picture?
Your salad dressing may look and smell good, but is actually rancid and full of toxic breakdown products from intense processing and hydrogenation, even the so called "healthy oils" like canola.
We have read and heard the term hydrogenation or partially hydrogenated oil, but I find that most people I speak with have no idea what it means. Hydrogenation is the addition of hydrogen to a compound, especially to solidify an unsaturated fat or fatty acid. This is a really bad idea especially when dealing with a polyunsaturated or unprotected fat, as these types of fats are extremely fragile and turn rancid very quickly. As the public has become more aware of the dangers of polyunsaturated fats from corn and soy, a new kind of oil hit the market several years ago and continues to be hailed as "healthy" and is still a major ingredient in bottled salad dressings. This oil comes from rape seed, and through clever marketing, was renamed canola oil.
Let's look at a popular salad dressing from the company of a very talented actor who starred in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients: Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil and/or Soybean Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil), Water, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, Sugar, Garlic, Distilled Vinegar, Spice, Onion, Red Bell Pepper, Xanthan Gum, Paprika (For Color).
This dressing has toxic brew written all over it. Because canola oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which easily become rancid and foul-smelling when subjected to oxygen and high temperatures, it must be deodorized. The standard deodorization process removes a large portion of the omega-3 fatty acids by turning them into trans fatty acids. The consumer is completely unaware of this because it is not written on the label. Scientists and doctors have endorsed canola oil as a "heart healthy" oil, low in saturated fat, high in monounsaturates, and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Is it really?
All refined oils use solvents, usually hexane, during the extraction process that still remain in the finished product. No amount of refining will remove these harmful substances. Overabundance of oleic acid (the type of monounsaturated fatty acid in olive and canola oil) creates imbalances on the cellular level that can inhibit prostaglandin (any group of potent hormone-like substances that are produced in various tissues) production. In one study, higher monounsaturated fat consumption was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. According to a 1998 report, mice fed a diet containing monounsaturated fats were more likely to develop atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) than mice fed a diet containing saturated fat. The first seed oil to be created through genetic manipulation, canola is also the focus of a variety of genetic engineering (GMO) projects.
Why waste your money on dead food? Especially on products that have undergone heavy processing to mask rancidity?
I recommend instead that you make your own dressing out of cold-pressed, organic, extra-virgin olive oil. Keep in mind that reliance on only monounsaturated fats (oleic) like olive oil should be used in moderation. They are composed of chains of carbon atoms that have one double bond between two carbons and therefore lack two hydrogens. They have a kink or bend at the position of the double bond so the molecules do not pack together as easily as saturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated oils tend to be liquid at room temperature but become solid when refrigerated. If you are trying to loose weight, saturated fats such as coconut oil are best because the body uses them for energy rather than storage.
Saturated fats (stearic) are composed of chains of carbon atoms that have hydrogen filling every bond. Because of their straight configuration, saturated fatty acids pack together easily and tend to be solid at room temperature. Saturated fats are stable and do not become rancid when subjected to heat, as in cooking. These fats protect our cells and are found in coconut oil.
We've been falsely lead to believe saturated fats are bad for us by an industry only interested in greed.
Polyunsaturated fats have two or more double bonds. As there is a bend or kink at each double bond, these fatty acids do not pack together easily and tend to be liquid, even when cold. Polyunsaturated oils are very fragile. They tend to develop harmful free radicals when subjected to heat and oxygen, as in cooking or processing.
Free radicals are like little knives stabbing away at our cells that rob us of our lifeforce.
Soybean oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil and flax oil are polyunsaturated oils. Omega-6 fatty acids have the first double bond at the 6th carbon from the end of the fatty acid chain. The most common omega-6 fatty acid is linoleic acid, which is called an essential fatty acid (EFA) because your body cannot make it. Omega-3 fatty acids have the first double bond at the 3rd carbon. The most common omega-3 fatty acid is the EFA alpha-linolenic acid.
The consensus among lipid experts is that the American diet is too high in omega-6 fatty acids (present in high amounts in commercial vegetable oils) and lacking in omega-3 fatty acids (which are present in organ meats, wild fish, pastured egg yolks, organic vegetables and flax oil). Surfeit of omega-6 fatty acids and deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to depress immune system function, contribute to weight gain and cause inflammation.
The most toxic, polyunsaturated oils are responsible for cancer, heart disease, wrinkles and premature aging, immune system dysfunction, learning ability, liver damage, damage to reproductive organs and lungs, digestive disorders due to polymerization, and impaired growth.
Even though many salad dressings are made with so called "heart healthy" canola oil, most still contain additional soybean oil and all processed foods contain trans fatty acids. Trans means across and this is what is meant by a trans fatty acid. During the hydrogenation process, one of the hydrogen atoms is moved to the other side so that the hydrogen atoms are now across from each other. This is called the trans configuration. In our cell membranes, the trans fat has very different characteristics from a saturated fat or monounsaturated fat. Your body makes chemical reactions where there are electron clouds, but it cannot do this when the cell membrane contains lost of trans fatty acids. With a trans fatty acid, instead of an electron cloud, there is a dead spot.
The more partially hydrogenated oils containing trans fatty acids you eat, the more trans fats you will have in your cell membranes and the more chaos you will have at the cellular level.
I encourage everyone to always read labels. Know what you are putting into your body.
If you are dining at a restaurant, keep in mind that olive oil dressings are usually mixed with a polyunsaturated oil to cut down on costs. I always bring unrefined salt with me and ask for a side of pure olive oil, lemon wedges, or salsa to dress my salad. You have a right to ask questions, even if the server is less than pleasant about it.
Still think your salad dressing was a good choice?
Health Benefits of Cast Iron Cooking
http://www.holidaycook.com/cast-iron/health-benefits.shtml
Warm Up With Food: 3 Spicy Plants to Eat Up
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2pus6p/www.organicauthority.com/health/eat-warming-foods-and-spices.html
14 Steps for Healthy Guts
Added by Pat Robinson on June 1, 2010 at 2:21pm
http://heal-thyself.ning.com/notes/14_Steps_for_Healthy_Guts
[tablespoon of coconut is recommended daily]
true story
Great board.
Great info.
I've been consuming and using coconut oil for a few years.
Take everything taught us by mainstream medical, chuck it out the window, and go native!
Creative Ways to use Coconut Oil (and benefit from it's healing properties)
http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=65DEDA9BF9C13447A872838235B8F843
Great Stuff
http://coconutsecret.com/index.html
Coconut Oil Can Help Ease Digestion Problems
http://www.healthiertalk.com/coconut-oil-can-help-ease-digestion-problems
Dr. Bruce Fife explains how coconut oil digests easier than other fats and oils without much strain on the body. The oil can also benefit those with Chron's disease, Colitis, and irritable bowl syndrome.
from another blog...
Guys Islanders are healthy with great skin and age well and live long Diet: Coconut H2o Lime lemon grapefruit Ginger Tomato Juices Garlic Onions peppers cellery seed tumeric daily Cod Liver Oil by 7 Seas Listen to Granny
Why Coconut is Good for Your Noggin
http://www.healthiertalk.com/why-coconut-good-your-noggin-4410
Eating fresh coconut is a lot of work, but well worth the effort. It has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor you just can’t get out of a bag. It’s a terrific seasonal treat.
Coconut is also a rare source of alpha-tocotrienol, a powerful form of vitamin E. And new research suggests this little-understood vitamin may have a strong influence on brain and nerve health.
You probably know there are several forms of vitamin B. The same applies to vitamin E. The most common form is called alpha-tocopherol (alpha-T), and it’s a top antioxidant. If you take a multi-vitamin or vitamin E supplement, it’s probably alpha-T.
But – just as with B vitamins – different forms of vitamin E work differently in your body. And a new study from Ohio State University shows just how important alpha-tocotrienol (alpha-T3) may be.
As you can imagine, blood flow to your brain is critical. If part of your brain doesn’t get enough blood – even for a short time – your brain cells start dying off. And events like this happen to almost 800,000 Americans every year.
One reason your brain cells die during these events is a build-up of toxins.
You see, when everything is running smoothly, your body releases a protein – called MRP1 – that works at cleaning up these toxins. But when blood flow is interrupted, MRP1 can’t do its job, and brain cells begin to die.
That’s where alpha-T comes in.
An Ohio State research team discovered that alpha-T stimulates the genes that control MRP1 production.
Using this information, they gave a group of lab animals alpha-T supplements for 13 weeks. A second group received plain corn oil.
When blood flow was restricted to their brains, the two groups had very different results. The alpha-T group suffered far less damage.(1)
Another group at Ohio State discovered that an enzyme – cPLA2 – can damage brain cells after interrupted blood flow. In test tube experiments, alpha-T3 blocked the activity of this enzyme. In fact, brain cells exposed to even tiny amounts of alpha-T3 were 4 times more likely to survive.(2)
In another animal study, canine brains experienced less damage after taking alpha-T3… partly because their blood flow stabilized more quickly.(3)
In other words, these Ohio State studies show that alpha-T3 may support lower levels of nerve damage three ways. And the researchers found that only very small amounts were needed to provide a benefit.
These results still have to be verified in human studies. But the researchers hope to begin limited trials before too long. Still, with such promising results, adding a little alpha-T3 to your diet couldn’t hurt.
The only problem is that very few foods contain much alpha-T3. Coconut is an excellent source. Rice has a fair amount. And onions also contain a little. But other than a handful of foods, though alpha-T3 is rare in the American diet.
Asian diets, however, are rich in alpha-T3. And it’s not just because they eat more rice than Americans. Coconut and palm oils are two of the best sources of alpha-T3… and they’re used extensively throughout Southeast Asia.
You may have heard warning about these “tropical oils,” because they contain high levels of saturated fats. They do. But they’re actually good for you.
Unlike saturated animal fats, coconut and palm oils contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCT)… and MCTs don’t carry the heart-health risks of other saturated fats. So if you’d like to get more alpha-T3 in your diet, moderate use of these oils should be fine.
Related Articles & Videos of Interest:
Top 10 Benefits of Organic Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil Benefits Blood Sugar and Fights Diabetes
Fighting Cancer With Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil vs. Olive Oil
References:
1 Park, H.-A., et al, “Natural Vitamin E a-Tocotrienol Protects Against Ischemic Stroke by Induction of Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein,” StrokeAHA. June 30, 2011; 110.608547. (Published online before print.)
2 Khanna, S., et al, “Nanomolar vitamin E a-tocotrienol inhibits glutamate-induced activation of phospholipase A2 and causes neuroprotection,” Journal of Neurochemistry. March 2010;112(5):1249-1260.
3 Rink, C., et al, “Tocotrienol vitamin E protects against preclinical canine ischemic stroke by inducing arteriogenesis,” Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism. June 15, 2011:doi:10.1038/jcbfm.2011.85. (Published online before print.)
Dr. Kenneth Woliner is a board certified medical physician and modern day pioneer in the world of alternative men’s health and nutritional science. Using a unique combination of modern “Western” medicine and traditional holistic healing practices, Dr.Woliner has revolutionized men’s health care treatments for many of today’s most common male health concerns – specializing in alternative treatments for Prostate enlargement (BPH) and a myriad of erectile concerns and men’s sexual health issues.
Visit Dr. Woliner and the rest of the team at Best Life Herbals.
http://www.bestlife-herbals.com/
Is Cholesterol Affected by Taking Coconut Oil?
http://www.healthiertalk.com/cholesterol-affected-taking-coconut-oil
Dr. Bruce Fife blows away the confusion surrounding cholesterol levels, vegetable oils, and coconut oil. He discusses the common misunderstanding about cholesterol levels and explains how cholesterol ratios not levels are the most important factor.
How To I.D. Genetically Modified Food at the Supermarket
http://blog.friendseat.com/how-to-id-genetically-modified-food-at-the-supermarket
The Connection Between Coconut Oil And Weight Loss
Aging is a mistake, Chronic Fatique, Digestion
http://www.healthlady.com/digestion/coconut-oil-miracle/#more-14115
Coconut sugar quickly replacing agave nectar as natural sweetener of choice
http://www.naturalnews.com/032855_coconut_sugar_natural_sweeteners.html
Over the last two years, we've witnessed a mass exodus away from agave nectar and a search for more natural sweeteners that are both low on the glycemic index and high in nutrient density. Several candidates have emerged, but my all-out favorite has become coconut sugar, which is really more like a coconut caramel sap.
This sweetener is fast becoming extremely popular among raw foodies, vegans and vegetarians. Many have switched from agave nectar to coconut sugar for all the reasons I'm covering here.
The coconut sugar (sap) I've been using is a 100% pure organic crystallized coconut sap from Thailand. It's harvested from the sap of unopened coconut blossoms, then boiled under controlled heat to drive off the water and condense the liquid to a dark brown sap. There are no additives used, no bleaching, and absolutely no stripping of minerals or other nutrients. It's not a raw food, however. Cooking the sap is a necessary part of concentrating it, just like with maple syrup, which is really a concentration of the watery maple sap.
The result is a thick, liquid "caramel" sap that's brown in color and extremely sweet. It tastes almost like fudge, and some people even eat it like fudge. (Intense sweetness!) I use it in smoothies, where I've found it to offer the most full-spectrum sweetness taste from any natural sweetener I've ever tried. Agave nectar was great, but coconut sugar is so much better -- it actually reminds me of the richness of raw cane sugar juice that I used to drink in South America.
Works in smoothies, recipes and hot beverages
This caramelized coconut sugar is also very handy in its sap format: It melts easily in hot beverages, it mixes easily in recipes, and it blends easily in smoothies. Amazingly, it's only 12% sugar, and it's high in potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron. It's also high in several key B vitamins, so eating it is not just delicious; it's also healthy! (My theory is that the presence of certain trace minerals enhances the sweetness and richness of the flavor without needing high sugar content like you'll find in refined sugar...)
This is my new sweetener of choice, and it's so good that we shipped in a few thousand units and put it on sale so that NaturalNews readers can try it at a 29% discount off regular pricing. Click here (http://store.naturalnews.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=100370) to check out our 3 lb. Thai Coconut Sugar at the NaturalNews Store.
When you buy a 3-pack (three pails) of our Thai Coconut Sugar (9 lbs total), the discount is increased to 36% off. We're doing this at such a great discount to help introduce you to this amazing product so you can try it yourself.
We also have the same product available in smaller jars at up to 36% off, too. However, it's a far better value to purchase in the larger pails, where the final price is less than $6 / pound based on the 3-pack discount.
You will be amazed by the taste of this Thai coconut sugar. There's nothing like it in the world of natural sweeteners. I encourage you to actually try it straight! It's an intense, fudge-like taste with an amazing texture that just melts in your mouth. Drop it into smoothies or recipes to give them a taste of heaven.
The claimed glycemic index (GI) of this food is 35 -- which is extraordinarily low for a sweetener. Over the years, however, I've gained a fair amount of skepticism about the GI numbers that sweetener companies claim. However, I've been using it regularly and have had no blood sugar issues at all -- and I used to be hypoglycemic and borderline diabetic, so I'm extremely sensitive to my own blood sugar fluctuations. Try it yourself and I think you'll be surprised at the minimal impact this has on blood sugar (which is probably due in part to the high trace mineral content it contains).
The Amazing Oil That Trims Women's Waistlines
Posted By Dr. Mercola | June 22 2011
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/22/magical-fat-that-increases-good-cholesterol-and-lowers-abdominal-obesity-in-women.aspx
Fighting Cancer With Coconut Oil
Dr. Bruce Fife discusses the anticancer properties of coconut oil. He shares the stunning results of several different cancer studies involving the use of coconut oil.
http://www.healthiertalk.com/fighting-cancer-coconut-oil
Top 10 Benefits of Organic Coconut Oil
http://www.healthiertalk.com/top-10-benefits-organic-coconut-oil-3892
This might come as a surprise to you, but one of the smartest choices of good fat you can add to your diet is organic virgin coconut oil. Yes, coconut oil.
Although it is a 90% saturated fat, organic coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) that can improve your health in many ways.
First of all, organic coconut oil is very stable to cook with because it withstands high temperatures without heat damage. If you switch your cooking oil to organic coconut oil, you can start improving your health right away.
What’s more, you can easily digest the MCFAs in coconut oil. So, it’s a lot easier on your system than other oils. Plus, these hard-working fatty acids are immediately converted into energy rather than being stored in your body as fat. Overall, MCFAs help to boost your metabolism, which is a great help to any weight loss program.
Considered a functional food, organic coconut oil is now being recognized by the medical community as a powerful tool against immune system related diseases. Several studies have been done on its effectiveness in this area, and much research is currently underway concerning the incredible nutritional value of pure organic virgin coconut oil.
Organic coconut oil is highly nutritious and contains a superior disease fighting fatty acid called lauric acid. It is also rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
The best kind to get is organic raw unprocessed extra virgin coconut oil. This will assure you that your product is unrefined, certified organic by USDA standards, and contains no added chemicals or genetically modified additives.
You’ll also know your organic coconut oil is made only from fresh coconuts and is a solid at room temperature. The Philippines is the world’s largest exporter of organic coconut oil.
Used in tropical cultures as a nutritious diet staple for many centuries, organic coconut oil can help:
1. Keep You Healthy and Slim
You can help boost and regulate your metabolism to keep your weight under control with this wonder oil.
2. Support Your Immune System
Organic coconut oil is jam-packed with lauric acid, the immune supporting nutrient.
3. Promote Heart Health
Packed full of healthy fats that are good for your heart, organic coconut oil is a great addition to your daily diet.
4. Give You Instant Energy
Organic coconut oil can help you feel less fatigued and require less sleep by stimulating your metabolism. It can also enhance athletic performance.
5. Support Healthy Thyroid Function
Organic coconut oil helps to stimulate the activity and proper functioning of this important gland which provides energy, supports the health of your skin and metabolism, and keeps your moods in balance.
6. Help Keep Your Skin Youthful, Smooth & Healthy Looking
Using organic virgin coconut oil as a lotion will help improve your skin, hair, and nails due to its moisturizing and smoothing effects that also promote elasticity.
7. Increase Cell Regeneration
When your metabolic rate increases, your cell regeneration speeds up, too. This means that your body will more quickly replace old cells with newer, healthier cells.
8. Promote Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal, and Anti-Bacterial Activity
Teeming with lauric acid, organic coconut oil possesses abundant natural agents that may reduce fungus, bacteria and the viruses that cause influenza, herpes, and other illnesses.
9. Improve Insulin Secretion
This helps to better utilize glucose to balance insulin output which can help relieve the symptoms and reduce the health risks associated with diabetes.
10. Protect Your Body from Disease
Organic coconut oil may help protect your body from cell damaging free radicals.
Are there other great benefits of coconut oil that I have missed here in my list? Share them with us in the comments.
Dr. Edward F. Group III has his Naturopathic Doctorate, Clinical Herbalist, Holistic Health Practitioner, Clinical Nutritionist certifications, and is a Diplomate of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition and the American Board of Functional Medicine. He founded Global Healing Center Inc. in 1998 which has earned recognition as one of the largest alternative, natural and organic health resources on the Internet.
A dynamic author and speaker, Dr. Group focuses solely on spreading the message of health and wellness to the global community with the philosophy of full body cleansing, most importantly colon cleansing, consuming pure clean organic food, water, air, exercise and nutritional supplementation. Visit GlobalHealingCenter.com to learn more about living green and healthy!
Coconut Palm Trees
http://www.augmentinforce.50webs.com/Coconut%202.htm#Coconut%202
The purpose of this baord is to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil.
HELPFUL LINKS:
The Great Fat Debate - Why Virgin Coconut Oil Is Best
http://www.naturalnews.com/022313_saturated_fat_coconut_oil_fats.html
COCONUT RESEARCH CENTER HOME PAGE http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/
The Coconut Diet http://coconutdiet.com/index.htm
Coconutoil.com http://www.coconutoil.com/index.html
VENDOR LINKS
Tropical Traditions http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm
BOOK LIST
Virgin Coconut Oil: How It Has Changed People's Lives, and How It Can Change Yours!
by Brian Shilhavy and Marianita Jader Shilhavy
#msg-32288913
OTHER HEALTH LINKS
Natural News.com http://www.naturalnews.com/Index.html
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