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Click here for parts one and two if you haven’t read them already! :)

Now that we’ve talked about why coconut isn’t bad for you, let’s consider the vast majority of benefits it provides. An article by the Coconut Research Center states,

“If you do a search on PubMed for ketones, as they relate to MCTs and diet, you will find about 25,000 studies. Combining these studies with the 10,000 on coconut oil and MCTs, we have a total of over 35,000 studies describing the effects of coconut oil on health. Is that enough evidence? There is far more evidence demonstrating the safety and efficiency of coconut oil than there are for most FDA approved drugs.” (Fife, 2012)

Let’s consider how coconut oil relates to obesity, diabetes, viral diseases, heart health, Alzheimers, and toxins in the body. Because coconut oil is one of the best sources of MCTs, it provides incredible health benefits.

Obesity is one of the biggest and fastest growing health problems in America. In the 1980s researchers started investigating the use of MCTs and weight loss. Researchers from McGill University are now recommending coconut oil for weight loss in Canada and elsewhere. Why is this? Because research concludes that the consumption of foods containing medium chain triglycerides (like coconut oil) boosts the metabolism and diminishes fat deposition. (Fife, 2012) Indeed, consider this rather humorous experiment done by farmers back in the 1940s: they tried feeding their cows coconut oil, assuming it would help them grow big and fat. But their plan backfired, and the cows instead became lean and active. This was certainly not the result they were hoping for, but it’s an interesting example of what coconut oil does in the body! (Mercola, 2011)

Coconut oil is also beneficial for those with diabetes, because it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels by improving insulin sensitivity and secretion. Thus it helps to treat the root cause of diabetes. (Fife, 2012)

In 1960, Jon J. Kabara, PhD and a professor of pharmacology at Michigan State University, discovered the incredible antimicrobial effects of MCTs. Vast amounts of research has indicated that MCTs are capable of killing disease-causing viruses, fungi, parasites, and bacteria. Used both topically and internally, MCTs are used to prevent and fight off infectious diseases. Because coconut oil is mostly composed of MCTs, it can be used as a powerful antimicrobial in the body, as evidenced in laboratory and clinical studies. (Fife, 2012)

But what about heart disease? Surely if people are consuming so much saturated fat they will be at higher risk for this deadly killer. Research has supported otherwise. In fact, MCTs are readily used by the heart as fuel because of the “ketones.” While some MCTs are used immediately to produce energy, others are converted into these ketones, which are a superfuel for the heart and the brain. They have shown to increase oxygen delivery by 39 percent and heart function by 28 percent. They are now being recommended by researchers at University François Rabelais in Francbe as a treatment for curing heart disease! So coconut oil is not only NOT harmful to the heart, but it has also been shown to have a therapeutic effect on the heart! (Fife, 2012)

The ketones produced from MCT metabolism has also been shown to reduce neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, ALS, stroke, narcolepsy, brain trauma, and brain cancer. They can prevent and reverse these diseases by providing high quality energy for the brain and activating proteins for brain cell maintenance, repair, and growth. It is now being used to treat such diseases and has proved to be a successful dietary treatment for such diseases. (Fife, 2012)

Coconut oil has also been shown to negate the effects of cancer, evidence of its anti-cancer properties. When cancer is chemically induced in lab animals and then coconut oil is added to their diets, the oil has shown to actually negate the carcinogenic effect of those chemicals. Coconut oil can also reverse the effect of toxic substances such as alcohol, bacteria, chemicals, and drugs in places such as the liver, intestines, colon, kidneys, and pancreas. (Fife, 2012)

With so much evidence and research supporting the use and consumption of coconut oil, it is hard to doubt its benefits. So much of the public has been falsely informed, but in time the negative assumptions behind coconut oil will diminish and disappear altogether as it is proven over and over again as a super food. Indeed, fats in their natural form as a whole are a critical and key component of a healthy diet, and it is important to be well-informed and make wise choices about what we eat.

So in conclusion, yes, the soft white lump on the spoon I offered my friend was indeed a saturated fat. But there is so much more to the story. Oh, do I have some things to tell her now! :) 

Sources:

Fife, Bruce. “The Coconut Oil Miracle: Where is the Evidence?” Coconut Research Center, 2012.  Web. Accessed July 10, 2013 from

[http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/The%20Coconut%20Oil%20Miracle-Where%20is%20the%20Evidence.htm]

Mercola, Joseph. “Coconut Oil Benefits: When Fat is Good For You.” The Huffington Post, February 14, 2011. Web. Accessed July 10, 2013 from
[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/coconut-oil-benefits_b_821453.html]

***In my next post, I’ll finish out the series by briefly covering some great coconut oil sources and ways to include coconut oil in your diet!

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Just joining? Click here for part one of these series on coconut oil!

The main reason that coconut oil, although a saturated fat, is not bad for your health is based in its unique chemistry makeup. Essentially, it all boils down to the way our body metabolizes coconut oil as opposed to other fats. Authors and nutritionist Marianita and Brian Shilhavy state,

“Researchers have known for quite some time that the secret to health and weight loss associated with coconut oil is related to the length of the fatty acid chains contained in coconut oil. Coconut oil contains what are called medium chain fatty acids, or medium chain triglycerides (MCTs for short). These medium chain fatty acids are different from the common longer chain fatty acids found in other plant-based oils. Most vegetable oils are composed of longer chain fatty acids, or triglycerides (LCTs). LCTs are typically stored in the body as fat, while MCTs are burned for energy. MCTs burn up quickly in the body. They are a lot like adding kindling to a fireplace, rather than a big damp log.” (Shilhavy, Marianita and Brian, 2013)

So because coconut oil is primarily composed of MCTs, it is uniquely burned as fuel in the body. Consider this succinct description of what coconut oil does in the body once it’s eaten. According to author Bruce Fife, N.D, an internationally recognized expert on the health and nutritional aspects of coconut and related products,

“…MCTs (medium chain tryglycerides) digest differently than other fats. When swallowed, most fats travel down the esophagus (throat), through the stomach, and into the small intestine where they are broken down by digestive enzymes and bile into individual fatty acids (long chain fatty acids). These fatty acids are then absorbed into the intestinal wall where they are repackaged into bundles of fat, cholesterol, and protein called lipoproteins. These lipoproteins pass into the bloodstream. As they circulate in the bloodstream they release little particles of fat and cholesterol that are utilized by the cells or stored as body fat…the process is completely different with MCTs. When MCTs are consumed, they digest very rapidly and begin breaking down immediately. When they pass from the stomach into the small intestine, they are already completely separated into individual fatty acids (medium chain fatty acids) and, therefore, do not need pancreatic digestive enzymes or bile for digestion, thus relieving stress on the digestive system. Since they are already in the form of fatty acids when they enter the small intestine they are immediately absorbed into the portal vein and sent directly to the liver. In the liver they are metabolized into energy.” (Fife, 2012)

Because of the unique way they’re metabolized, MCTs, unlike LCTs, do not enter the cholesterol cycle, are not deposited in fat depots, and do not cause obesity.

Sources:

Shilhavy, Brian and Marianita. “The Health Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil.” CoconutOil.com, 2013. Web. Accessed July 10, 2013 from  [http://coconutoil.com/health_benefits_virgin_coconut_oil/]

Fife, Bruce. “The Coconut Oil Miracle: Where is the Evidence?” Coconut Research Center, 2012.  Web. Accessed July 10, 2013 from
[http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/The%20Coconut%20Oil%20Miracle-Where%20is%20the%20Evidence.htm]

***In the next post, we’ll talk about the benefits of including coconut oil in your diet. We will see how it relates to obesity, diabetes, Alzheimers, and viral diseases in the body.

I have been working on a research paper for my summer chemistry class. We were given the option to choose our topic, so I decided to pick something that I REALLY wanted to learn more about. I chose coocut oil! :)

The positive or negative effects of coconut oil is a hotly debated topic in the world of nutrition. Lots of people are for it and lots of people are against it. Our family uses coconut oil for a lot of things. Going into my research, I was pretty sure that it was healthy, but I didn’t know WHY. So I decided to clear up the confusion in my mind and research it as thoroughly as possible to understand its benifits (or its harms, if that were the case!).

Please note: I am not a doctor or a nutritionist. The following posts are soley the result of my research. Though I am convinced as to the validity of the following information, I’d encourage you to question my findings and, if you’re interested, do some research on your own.

“It’s SO saturated!” exclaimed a friend as I offered her a spoon with a lump of coconut oil to taste. She cautiously tasted only a bit of the soft white fat, unable to get over the fact that it solidified at room temperature. Isn’t that kind of like margarine? Isn’t it bad for you? Won’t it give me heart disease?! One of the most common misconceptions in the world of diets, weight loss, and the quest for optimal health is that fat is bad. Period. But that’s not the whole story. There are so many studies and information on different fats and how they affect the body, but today I will focus primarily on coconut oil. Most people have at least heard of coconut oil. This smooth white substance has been given a bad rap in the past, but numerous studies and research reveal otherwise.

To understand coconut oil, one must first have a good understanding of saturated vs. unsaturated fat. First of all, coconut oil is a saturated fat. Most people know saturated fats to be solid at room temperature. Examples of saturated fats are butter, lard, coconut oil, cream, hydrogenated oil, and chocolate. Saturated fats are generally viewed as artery-clogging enemies to your health. No exceptions.

But the truth is that saturated fats are not created equal. Let’s consider for a moment what a saturated fat actually is and the difference between a saturated and an unsaturated fat.

Unsaturated fats contain double bonds between the carbon atoms, causing bends or “kinks” in the shape of the molecules. Because some of the carbons share double bonds, they’re not bonded to as many hydrogens as possible, as in saturated fats. The kinks in the hydrogen tails prevent the molecules from packing together, making them liquid at room temperature.

On the flip side, the molecules that compose saturated fats are fully loaded with hydrogen atoms, forming straight chains between the fatty acids. Since these bonds contain the maximum possible amount of hydrogens, these would be called saturated fats. Because the bonds between fatty acids in saturated fats are fairly straight and packed closely together, they are typically solid at room temperature.

What is so bad about saturated fats and why are they harmful? The real fat culprits are man-made saturated fats, which are produced through a process called hydrogenation. These fats are chemically altered, created by injecting hydrogens into oil through pressure and extreme heat. The heat breaks the double bonds in unsaturated fats and artificially adds hydrogens to it. The result is a saturated fat, which stays solid at room temperature. This process is typically done to vegetable oils to make them more chemically stable. Look at the package labels of many processed foods, and any type of fat with the word “hydrogenated” before it is an example of these trans fats. Margarine is also a hydrogenated fat.

The reason that hydrogenated fats are so bad for your health is that the fats are exposed to very high temperatures during the process of hydrogenation, which creates trans fats. Trans fats are just about the worst thing you can eat because they are essentially toxic to the body. They are so harmful because they raise bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and lower good cholesterol (HDL) levels, which in turn clogs arteries and majorly increases the risk of heart disease. So the negative health effects generally associated with saturated fats come from trans fats, hydrogenated fats, man-made fats. They all mean the same thing. They contribute to the growing problem of obesity, heart disease, and the other diseases we attribute to fat. Why do manufacturers hydrogenate fats in the first place if they’re so detrimental to our health? Because it makes the fat more stable, gives it a longer shelf life, and gives food that yummy, greasy, rich texture we all crave in processed foods. Ugh. (Carter, 2011) Trans fats are found in all types of processed foods such as cookies, pastries, crackers, chips, and Cool Whip. As a side note, the fluffy, whipped texture of Cool Whip is derived primarily from hydrogenated vegetable oil, NOT from real cream. In fact, it’s listed as the second ingredient on the label! 

What about naturally occurring saturated fats, though, such as coconut oil? Is that harmful too? No, as long as they’re not hydrogenated. Sure, some older studies have “proven” that coconut oil is bad for your heart, but those studies were done with hydrogenated coconut oil, so of course they got negative results! (Babcock, 2003) ANY fat that’s hydrogenated is bad for your health. But take coconut oil in its raw, natural form, and it is a gold mine of health. The reason for this has to do with the chain lengths of the fatty acids that compose coconut oil.

To be continued in part 2….

Sources:

Babcock, Michael. “The Truth About Coconut Oil.” Thai Food and Travel, 2003. Web. Accessed July 15, 2013 from [http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/cocgood.html]

Carter, Janet. “Lipids: Fats, Oils, Waxes, etc.” Biology at Clermont College, March 2011. Web. Accessed July 10, 2013 from [http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio104/lipids.htm]