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Coconut oil: a second look Login/Join
 
posted
Apparently a lot of hog wash on this one. Where the seed oil industry has been promoting soy oil, there is now evidence that some polyunsaturated fats can be harmful, and some saturated fats quite health promoting. Extra virgin, organic, unrefined cold pressed coconut oil seems to be an example of the good saturated fat; it is also high in lauric acid, the largest source of that being a mother's breast milk.

So here are some links to consider, the last one a summary of a recent study on weight loss and cholesterol control among women:

www.coconutoil.com
www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/cocgood.html
www.coconutresearchcenter.org
www.westonprice.org/knowyourfats/coconutoil.html
www.level1diet.com/coconut-oil...health-benefits.html

www.naturalnews.com/0265547coconutoilfatshealth.html

Some of those links don't work. The last one is a summary of recent study, 2009, in the peer reviewed medical journal "Lipids," showing that women in a conconut oil treated group lost weight (both groups exercised daily: walking), had improvements in the body mass index (BMI) and HDL-LDL ratios, with an increase in HDL (good cholesterol), while the soy group only lost weight but fared poorly regarding cholesterol results with no improvements in BMI.

Here's one of the best places to purchase natural products, at wholesale costs. As for coconut oil, the study several decades ago that showed it increased cholesterol utilized hydrogenated coconut oil. iherb sells several high quality non-hydrogenated brands of coconut oil, such as "Nutiva," "Garden of Life," "Now," and some others. Best to get the oil in a glass jar. And I believe "Now" brand sells coconut oil in gel caps.

www.iherb.com
 
Posts: 235 | Registered: 02 April 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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And here an example of the counter-response to the increased popular press coverage on coconut research:

www.jeffnovick.com/index.php? . . . coconut-oil . . .

Oh well, the link will get you to his website. Just look to the right, scroll down a bit, and you'll see his article: "Junk Food: Don't Go Cookoo over Coconut."

I'm committed to putting as much balanced info here as I can, and waiting to see how the ongoing research may clarify the disparities between parties.

Something that stood out in Jeff Novick's article is his assumption that most of the lauric acid has been removed from the coconut oil; this would likely be processed/refined hydrogenated coconut oil, as the primary constituent in virgin, cold pressed, unrefined, organic coconut oil is the lauric acid. He also almost equates metabolized coconut oil with sugar, whereas coconut oil, being comprised mainly of medium chain fatty acids, is small enough to directly enter the liver through the portal vein for immediate metabolism. Sugar, on the other hand, requires an insulin response in the bloodstream for its uptake into cells, entering mainly fat cells rather than muscle cells once insulin resistance begins. Novick somehow neglects to consider the different kinds of saturated fats, and the different ways they are metabolized depending on their size.

All quite complicated for us laypersons. Fortunately we seem to be benefiting from a time when the old food pyramid is being challenged and more research is being carried out on fats that were once assumed unhealthy.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: w.c.,
 
Posts: 235 | Registered: 02 April 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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If you look at the link www.coconutresearchcenter.org . . . .

click on the research tab, then the research for coconut, and you'll see a long bibliography. Scroll down to "Cardiovascular Research" and click on the article "Coconut: atherogenic or not?" About mid-way down the author's article is a relatively simple explanation and diagram of fatty acid metabolism.

The reason I point this out is that, rather than brow knit over the scientific explanation, it is an amazing meditation for how God's creative presence is upholding us in almost unfathomable ways every split second with millions of processes occuring simulateously. Each of us, and every single creature, is more complex and "busy" in our biochemistry than the unchartable human interactions in a huge, sleepless city. But this "busy" state is Him! We aren't just "fearfully and wonderfully made," but are fearfully and wonderfully being made each split second. And we act like our various attempts at control are a good reflection of our depth!! We are like the flea on the dog's back, indeed.

Truly He delights in what He has made, and redeemed, and He sees his creation as each creature, each one of us, for all eternity. He is present to us in time, "as in a mirror dimly, through a glass darkly." We are present to Him Eternally, always seen. He sees us so nearly and lovingly, and seldom do we suspect it. If we actually knew how close He was, and could see this even for one second, it might scare us to death!!

Back to coconuts . . . .
 
Posts: 235 | Registered: 02 April 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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w.c., the last two paragraphs of your post above remind me of why I changed careers from biology to ministry some 33 years ago. It would often happen that while studying some biochemical process or the intracicies of our anatomy or physiology, I would drift off into a reverie of some kind about how amazing existence itself really is.
 
Posts: 3948 | Location: Wichita, KS | Registered: 27 December 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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And for me, the wonders of biochemistry, the utter magic of how microbes turned oxygen from a terrible toxin to the driving force of most plant and animal energy turns me to God in gratitude and incredulous wonder, and is one reason I persisted in science as a career for 35 years...it seems a story that keeps on telling.
 
Posts: 29 | Registered: 01 April 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Can you add garciniacambogiaextractinc.com, it is believed to be a great source of weight loss components and it is natural herbs.
 
Posts: 1 | Location: USA | Registered: 19 August 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I am in love with coconut oil!! I buy it at Trader Joe's and they sell it with the rest of their oil. I'm sure other places sell it too, but the TJ's brand is organic virgin and affordable to boot. I use it all the time. Smiler

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Fat Burner
 
Posts: 1 | Location: United States | Registered: 20 December 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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