Revisiting the Coconut « Health Now, Wealth Forever

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By Marilyn, on June 29th, 2011

The coconut is becoming more popular again.  People are finding that it is good for you!  I am amazed that you can find three or four different brands and refinements!  When I first posted in September, 2010 it was hard to find two brands.  You can also find many different varieties of water and different products.  So I want to reiterate why the coconut is so great all the way around.

In an article written by Heather Pratt, CNT in the August/September 2009, Natural Grocers Newspaper, she stated the coconut tree is considered the “Tree Of Life” in the Philippines.  Coconut oil is high in saturated fats.  These saturated fats are what make coconut oil so healthy, despite what you have been told by the USDA, corn and soy growers, and the food industry.

The majority of the saturated fats in coconut oil are medium chain triglycerides (MCTs).  According to Heather Pratt, MCTs are more water soluble which makes them easily absorbed and used for energy rather than being stored as fat.  In studies done from 1959-1995, it was shown that coconut oil added to the diet produced better measures of blood lipids than the diet recommended by the American Heart Association.

Besides containing MCTs, coconut oil contains Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs).  About 49% of the MCFAs are lauric acid and 6-7% are capric acid. The only other natural source of lauric acid is breast milk as it is important to infant nutrition. Also, lauric acid and capric acid work together as the potent antimicrobials monolaurin and monocaprin. They are very efficient at preventing infection at all ages.

Besides being great for your health coconuts are quite versatile:

  • Coconut oil is great for cooking, baking and using as a topical for dry skin and dry hair.
  • Coconut water is now being offered as a great electrolyte drink.  It is naturally high in electrolytes without the added sugar and coloring of the commercially made drinks.
  • The coconut’s meat can be used to decorate and flavor, but it also is high in fiber.  It is also made into a gluten-free, grain-free, and high in fiber flour.
  • Coconut milk is now readily available in most grocery stores as a vegan and lactose free alternative to cow milk.

The coconut tree really is a “tree of life”!