A few years ago, I participated in a food show where I kept running into this woman who was going on and on about the benefits of coconut oil. Apparently, she had been a recent convert to the product and wanted to share her new found knowledge with everyone she met…hmmm, I’m not so easily convinced. It hadn’t been that long ago when coconut oil was touted as one of the “bad” saturated oils by government know-it-alls and banished to the filing cabinet of food Siberia where the likes of pop rocks and popcorn butter still happily linger in the memory files…but her information about coconut oil got me thinking… is it really so bad for us? Were products made with coconut oil unfairly criticized and removed from our diets by faulty science that was backed by the deep pocketed food lobby? Or are all these concerns about saturated fats true? I wanted to do some of my own research and what I found out really surprised me.
Most of us know coconut milk as a sweet, milky white liquid that is derived from the meat of a mature coconut. The color and the richness of the milk, is attributed to the high fat content (17%) of the coconut juice that is found in the cavity of the coconut fruit. This product is prevalent in the cuisines of many tropical nations, most notably those of Southeast Asia (Burma, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Phillipines) as well as the cuisines of Brazil, Polynesia, Carribean, India and Sri lanka. The product is used as a drink, in desserts, sauces and soups. Coconut milk is also used as the base of many Thai curries. In order to extract the oil from the coconut juice, the product is heated gently and the oil separates from the liquid. This oil is then bottled and in the cultures where other oils are not available, coconut oil is used to fry and sauté food. It is clear, and remains a liquid at room temperature. In colder environments, it becomes an opaque solid.
Recently, more studies have begun to show the more medicinal properties of coconut oil. Apparently, saturated fats are not created equal, and coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which is a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) that converts into monolaurin in the body. It is this monolaurin that provides anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal benefits. This prompted some researchers to classify coconut as a functional food, which means that it provides more than just a nutritional benefit. Some of the uses of coconut oils in other cultures are more medicinal in nature, such as:
- uses as a laxative
- in the healing of mouth and gastric ulcers
- help for thyroid sufferers
- in natural soaps and skin products
- to increase metabolism and lose weight
- to strengthen the immune system, especially for colds and bronchitis
Now, I’m really confused….if coconut oil is so bad for you, and the FDA has seen fit to remove it from our diets then the cultures using coconut oil so predominantly in their cuisines should be dropping like flies due to heart disease, right? Wrong…what has actually been found is that the incidence of ischemic heart disease (relating to higher levels of cholesterol) in these nations is actually lower than in other more developed, industrialized nations. Although epidemiological research is very hit or miss in underdeveloped nations, there is more concern of the increased incidence of smoking affecting the prevalence of chronic diseases rather than the use of coconut oil!
So what is the verdict? Well, I hate to be a cynic, but I have lived long enough to see the strength of various lobby groups and how they affect our lives…it would not be farfetched to think that some products are “not supported” because the underlying financial rewards are not as great as what they are in supporting other industries…
In the end, we should focus on what we know is true…that a well balanced, nutritionally well rounded, moderately portioned diet is the best for us. If we want to incorporate some of the more “taboo” items, do so in moderation until you see how they will affect you…and do your own research…become your own advocate as far as your nutrition and your health is concerned. Educate yourself and stay abreast of what is happening around you. Don’t rely on “Big Brother” to give you all of the answers, because they may not be in your best interest.
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