Coconut Oil

For decades consumers in developed and Western societies have been persuaded that polyunsaturated fats were healthy and saturated fats or oils were bad. For this reason many people switched to sunflower, safflower and other polyunsaturated fats for cooking. And yet the hoped for decrease in heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer hasn't occured. Coconut oil is high in saturated fats. People in South Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific region whose diet has largely consisted of saturated fat, especially from coconut oil report very low rates of these diseases.

Extensive new research has shown that the medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil, particularly lauric acid have strong anti-viral properties. Lauric acid is also found in breast milk. The lauric acid in breast milk helps babies fight vital and bacterial attacks. Furthermore, coconut oil stimulates thyroid function which helps the body lower cholesterol. This Thyroid gland stimulation also promotes anti-aging steroids in the body that prevent senility, heart disease, obesity and cancer. In contrast, polyunsaturated fats such as corn and soy are thyroid-suppressive and immuno-suppressive. This is why farmers feed cows in the USA with corn and soy - it suppresses the animals thyroid glands and makes them put on weight.

Also coconut doesn't go rancid in the body like polyunsaturated fat and it reduces the body's need for vitamin E. In contrast polyunsaturated fat is easily peroxidized and goes rancid in a few hours. Polyunsaturated fats also deplete the body of vitamin E

Coconut oil is traditionally made by taking the coconut kernel and shredding it and mixing with a bit of water. The mixture is pressed. The result is coconut milk. The milk is left to stand and the oil rises to the surface and can be skimmed off the top.If the oil is made from the first pressing it is 'extra virgin'. If, as most coconut palms are, the oil is from a tree grown without the use of pesticides and fertilizers it is called 'organic'. The process of making coconut oil involves no chemical additives. The resulting oil should smell of coconuts and the oil should be clear like water.

Watch out for Refined, Bleached and Deodorized (RBD) coconut oil which is low grade coconut oil made from an industrial process which removes some of the important health-enhancing chemicals in the coconut oil and gives it contaminants. Any coconut oil that is odorless is probably RBD coconut oil.

Coconut oil is not only used as a healthy food option, it is also important in beauty treamtments. The anti-aging chemicals found in virgin and organic coconut oil make it a great moisturizer.

To read more about the health benefits of coconut oil and to order organic and virgin coconut oil online click here or use the navigation bar drop down tabs.