FertilehealthyAiming for success, not perfection…

I’ve written about fats before (and here), but let me recap the most salient points:

- Our bodies can’t function without dietary fat.  In fact, you can’t lose weight without dietary fat, since all systems in the body, including the hormonal system – which controls weight, fluid-balance and metabolism – need fat in order to work properly.

-  We must make sure to consume Omega 6 (found in fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds) and Omega 3 (flax and hemp seeds and oils, leafy green vegetables and oily fish) fatty acids on a regular basis.

-  Processing fats with heat and chemicals denatures them and renders them dangerous to our health.  You can buy the best quality oil, but if you heat it, you are changing the molecular structure and creating a very dangerous and harmful product.  Roasting nuts has the same effect.

-  Most of the fats used in processed foods are highly processed themselves – another reason why whole foods are healthier.

My way of dealing with these facts had been to avoid cooking with oil or fat as far as I could.  That meant frying in stock or water and dry-roasting and then adding the olive oil afterward to coat, if needed.  I make my own salad dressings using cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil.  We buy only raw nuts and seeds.

But this past year I’ve been researching coconut oil and it has made my life a lot easier.  Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so it can be heated to higher temperatures than other fats before it gets damaged.

Since it is primarily a saturated fat, coconut oil was discredited along with all other saturated fats a few decades ago.  But it’s making a wonderful comeback because research has shown that it does not cause the same health problems as animal fats.  In fact, coconut oil is very good for our health and I myself am very pleased with the results so far.

The first thing we need to understand is that coconut oil is predominantly made up of medium-chain fatty acids and some short-chain fatty acids.  Short-chain fatty acids have 2 to 6 carbon atoms, medium-chain fatty acids 8 to 12, while long chain-fatty acids have more than 14.  The length of the carbon chain is a key factor in the way dietary fat is digested and metabolized and how it affects the body.

The vast majority of fats in our diet are composed of long-chain fatty acids.  When we eat these fats they are broken down into individual fatty acids and converted into lipo-proteins, which are then sent into the bloodstream and deposited into our fat cells.  Medium-chain fatty acids are digested and utilized differently.  They are not converted into lipo-proteins and do not circulate in the bloodstream.  Instead they are sent directly to the liver where, like carbohydrates, they are converted into energy.  (Unlike carbohydrates, they do not affect blood sugar.)  Long-chain fatty acids contain 9 calories per gram, while coconut oil contains 6.8 calories per gram.  Furthermore, medium-chain fatty acids stimulates the thyroid, thereby raising the metabolism.  This means that coconut oil, being a medium-chain fatty acid helps control weight gain and fat deposition, as has been demonstrated in numerous human and animal studies.

Most of the criticism aimed at coconut oil in the past was based on the fact that it is a saturated fat and therefore implicated in raising cholesterol levels and promoting heart disease.  Research has shown, however, that because of the way it is metabolized, it has a neutral effect on cholesterol.  Similarly, it does not contribute to platelet adhesiveness (blood stickiness) associated with heart disease since it does not circulate in the bloodstream.  In fact, it may indirectly help prevent heart disease, since it is a powerful anti-viral and anti-microbial agent and research is showing more and more that chronic inflammation and low-grade infection may be instrumental in the formation of arterial plaque.

Coconut oil helps kill viruses that cause mononucleosis, influenza, hepatitis C, measles, herpes, AIDS and bacteria that causes pneumonia, ear and throat infections, dental cavities, food poisoning, UTI, meningitis and gonorhea.  It has been shown to be effective against yeast and fungal infections like candida, ringworm, athlete’s foot and diaper rash.  It is also used to help expel or kill tapeworms, giardia and other parasites.

Coconut oil aids in the absorption of nutrients and therefore greatly benefits people suffering from diabetes, obesity, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, Crohn’s disease and some forms of cancer.   Premature and sick babies, whose digestive organs are underdeveloped are able to absorb medium-chain fatty acids with ease.  In fact, breast milk contains significant amounts of MCFA, predominantly in the same form as coconut oil – lauric acid.

I don’t only consume coconut oil, I also use it on my skin as a moisturizer.  It is absolutely amazing.  I clean my face using the Oil Cleansing Method and then rub coconut oil into it.  Until a year ago I had an oily skin.  Not anymore!   The anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties of coconut oil are also especially helpful for the skin.  I haven’t tried using it as a hair-treatment yet, but I hear it’s amazing!

Interestingly enough for me, I have not had a gallbladder attack since I started using coconut oil regularly, and I used to get them increasingly often last year.  Apparently it helps the body deal better with other fats too.  Furthermore, I only had one cold all year and no flu.  Craig has been just as blessed.

I have converted all my recipes to coconut oil* and even use it to grease oven-dishes and pans.  And although you can cook and bake with coconut oil, it should never be heated to its smoking point.

As with all other oils, quality is very important.  Your coconut oil should be made from fresh coconuts (not “copra”, as some cheaper oils are), there should be no heat processing or refining, no chemicals added, no bleaching, no deodorization and no hydrogenation.  Even here in South Africa good quality organics brands are readily available in pharmacies and health food stores.

I love coconut oil!  I even add it to pre-workout smoothies for an energy boost (a trick I learned from Brendan Brazier, professional triathlete and author of Thrive).

How about you?  Do you use coconut oil?

*  I have also substituted all dairy milk and cream in recipes for coconut milk and cream and it works perfectly.  I’ve even succeeded in making sour cream from coconut cream by adding lemon juice and paprika.

Resources:

The Coconut Oil Miracle – Bruce Fife

Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill – Udo Erasmus

Dr. Mercola