Coconut Oil Health Risks

Coconut oil comes from fresh coconut meat and has always been the primary source of oil in the tropics. It has a slight coconut flavor and aroma along with unique and healthful qualities unlike any other dietary oil. However, its solid, white appearance and the fact that it is a saturated fat has been misinterpreted, causing people to assume that coconut oil will raise cholesterol or contribute to heart disease. However, in reality the opposite it true. Coconut oil is actually good for the heart.

• Coconut oil is extracted from the meat of mature coconuts

Misconceptions

• Most of the misinformation about coconut oil occurred for economic reasons rather than health reasons. Under the influence of the vegetable oil industry (which includes the domestic industrial giants soy and corn, and numerous others) the FDA lumps saturated fats together with Trans Fat Acids (TFAs), which have many negative heath qualities. However, these are two separate issues. Trans fats are unstable and contribute to heart disease. Scientists and nutritionists know there are good saturated fats and bad ones and recognize that the fat content in coconut oil is healthful and wholesome in the diet.

Features

• Coconut oil has a number of unique properties:

  • It is a colorless liquid above 76°F (24°C) and solidifies at temperatures below that. Unlike many cooking oils, coconut oil is slow to oxidize and can last up to two years without going rancid. It is an excellent cooking or frying oil because it is very heat stable.

  • Most vegetable fats are long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Most of the the fats in coconut oil are medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). The size of the fatty acids is important. MCFAs are digested in the stomach and absorbed by the liver where they are converted to quick energy.

  • Because it is easily metabolized and used immediately, coconut oil is unlikely to be stored in the body and cause weight gain.

  • Unlike LCFAs, MCFAs do not raise cholesterol, or contribute to atherosclerosis or heart disease.

Benefits

• The MCFAs in coconut oil metabolize quickly and efficiently, acting like a carbohydrate to boost endurance and provide immediate energy for athletes, dieters, those with compromised immune systems and persons who have difficulty digesting fat.

Other Uses

• Along with nutritional considerations, coconut oil is reputed to have numerous healing properties, and it is used in traditional medicines for a wide variety of conditions:

  • Coconut oil keeps blood platelets from sticking together and causing blood clots, and it can lower risks of atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries) and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

  • It contains an antimicrobial component, lauric acid, which helps prevent fungal, viral and bacterial infections.

  *Coconut oil is a natural antioxidant. It protects the body from free radical damage and prevents premature aging and degenerative diseases.

  • Coconut oil is popular in skin care products for its moisturizing qualities. Since it is an antioxidant it is said to prevent premature aging. It is also antimicrobial so it is helpful in skin infections and improves healing time on bruises.
  degenerative diseases.

  • Coconut oil has traditionally been applied as a hair oil to make hair stronger, more lustrous and protect it from ultraviolet damage. It is an excellent conditioner for dry scalp, and dry or damaged hair.

Potential

• Traditional tropical medicines have long made use of the ability of coconut oil to fight bacterial and viruses. A 2009 study at Zheijang University in China confirmed these findings. They discovered that a derivative of coconut oil can be used as a food preservative. Not only does it keep food fresh but it also prevents the growth of common bacteria. As a result of this research we may be seeing more coconut oil in food products in the future.