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2003/10/14, 08:21 PM
Why should you be using coconut oil versus any other type of oil? Because it can:
Help you lose weight, or maintain your already good weight
Reduce the risk of heart disease
Lower your cholesterol
Improve conditions in those with diabetes and chronic fatigue
Improve Crohn’s, IBS, and other digestive disorders
Prevent other disease and routine illness with its powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents
Increase metabolism and promotes healthy thyroid function
Boost your daily energy
Rejuvenate your skin and prevent wrinkles
In short, after unjustly getting lumped in the “no-fat” craze of past decades, coconut oil is now starting to get the respect it deserves as not only the healthiest oil you can consume, even superior to olive oil which contains trans-fat, but as one of the most nutritious of all foods.
It is great to cook with, does in no way break down into hydrogenated oils.
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Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
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2003/10/14, 09:16 PM
I'm goin on the coconut oil.
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I have seen the enemy.....and it is me.
Mojo_67
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2003/10/14, 10:58 PM
Good reading on coconut oil...
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has been used as a cooking oil for thousands of years, and is still a staple in the diets of many people living in tropical areas today. It was once popular here in the United States as well, until shortages of imported oils during WW II created the need to promote local oils like soybean and corn oil. Soon, polyunsaturated fats became the norm in this country; and with it came a rise in obesity, higher cholesterol levels, and degenerative diseases related to aging.
Coconut oil has been shown to reduce the symptoms of digestive disorders, support overall immune function, and help prevent bacterial, viral and fungal infections. People who consistently use coconut oil, report changes in their ability to go without eating for several hours without experiencing the effects
of hypoglycemia.
A study conducted in Yucatan, where coconut oil is a staple, showed that metabolic rates of people living there were 25% higher than in comparable test subjects living in the United States. Increased metabolic rate is a key to healthy weight management and could account for the leanness of people living in areas where coconut oil is consumed on a daily basis. The study further observed that local women displayed none of the symptoms commonly associated with menopause.
Good Fat vs Bad Fat
Research done in the 1950s concluded that all fat was bad! Today, many people still equate fat with weight gain, clogged arteries, and high blood pressure. However, certain fats actually help to prevent those conditions and are essential to good health.
Early researchers failed to distinguish between saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. They assumed at the time, that all fats (including coconut oil) were unhealthy because they raised serum cholesterol levels. But, in revisiting those studies, researchers found that hydrogenated (refined) coconut oil had been used. All hydrogenated oils produce higher serum cholesterol levels, and contribute to greater oxidation and free radicals in the body. In fact, further research has shown that excess amounts of trans-fatty acids (found in hydrogenated vegetable oils) increase the risk of degenerative diseases and other age-related maladies.
Studies have shown that the amount of unsaturated oil in the diet strongly affects the rate at which
wrinkled skin develops. Taken internally and used topically, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil™ is effective at slowing down that process.
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil™ has tremendous antiviral properties. Lauric Acid makes up 50 to 55 % of the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil. In the body, Lauric Acid converts into monolaurin, a
compound which is good at fighting viral pathogens, and is also present in large quantities in breast milk, where it protects infants from viral, bacterial and parasitic infections.
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Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
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2003/10/15, 12:02 AM
That IS good reading bb1, I am definitly goin on the coconut oil now. I'm guessing it should still be used in moderation though right?
Well.....back to chokin down this cottage cheese... actually it's not that bad, I'd say I'll be used to it in three days, the oatmeal only took me two, by the third day I had fully adapted, thanks for all the great advice.
Mojo_67
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2003/10/15, 10:21 AM
Hey Ron,
Where can I find Extra Virgin Coconut oil? (And is that why everyone loses so much weight on Survivor?).
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Challenge + Consistency = Results
"You do or you do not. There is no try." - Yoda
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2003/10/15, 10:39 AM
The only places I know of that are brick and mortar are health food stores. If you buy on line, go here, and even if you don't buy on line, go here and read this anyway! http://www.mercola.com/2001/mar/24/coconut_oil.htm
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Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
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2003/10/15, 12:08 PM
Very good article and something alot of people should consider using. My question is has any one used this for cooking and what does it taste like? Meaning how much of a coconut flavor does it give to foods cooked?
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2003/10/15, 02:00 PM
I am useing it, and find it has the faintest taste if any. I use it mainly for my eggwhites. It only takes a bit, I use about 2-3 tsps. for 5 eggwhites. Probably the more extra virgin you get, the more of a small taste it may have.
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Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
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2003/10/15, 03:13 PM
Okay, so Amy asked the 'where can I get it?' question, now I am going to ask how you think it compares in nutrition with flax oil? I am just about out of olive oil and will look into coconut oil for making my salad dressing. If you already have olive or coconut oil in your daily diet, do you think you still NEED flax oil? I guess that question is for Ron.
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~Victoria~
...There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.--Beverly Sills
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2003/10/15, 04:57 PM
Sounds like you can cook with the coconut oil. You cannot cook with flax oil.
But, Ron, what about that? Do we get our EFA's from coconut oil, or continue with flax and Evening Primrose Oil as well?
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Challenge + Consistency = Results
"You do or you do not. There is no try." - Yoda
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2003/10/15, 07:12 PM
You cannot cook with flax oil, and olive oil gets hydrogenated under intense heat anyway. Olive oil is still great to use without heat. I would and did change my protocol to cooking with extra virgin coconut oil, and taking fish oil rather than flax. This is where research pays off. The supplement companies tout a product, and use sound science, but fail to enlighten totally or leave something out to make their product sound good. This is from one of the top experts in the country on fats and their benefits. Check this out as comparison of fish oils and flax oil.
Both fish and flax oils contain compounds called omega 3 faty acids, but the easiest way to reap the reputed health benefits of omega 3 is to eat fish or take fish oil supplements. Flaxseed oil contains alpha linolenic acid(ALA), the so called "parent" compound from which all other omega 3 faty acids are derived. Fish such as mackerel, salmon, and trout (and oil capusles made from them), on the other hand, contain the omega 3 fats eicosapentaneoic acid (EPA)and docosahexaneoic adid (DHA). Researchers of omega 3 fats have looked at the effects of EPA and DHA in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, cancer and certain inflammatory conditions. Results indicate that EPA and DHA, not their parent fat ALA, are beneficial in this area. The body can convert ALA to EPA and DHA, but not very efficiently. Although many studies have found that if you increase your intake ALA, you also increase levels of EPA in your body, the increase is modest at best, as the body uses most of the ALA in flax for energy rather than converting it into EPA. Almost none of it is made into DHA. In contrast, taking even small amounts of preformed EPA and DHA increases body stores of these 2 fats considerably. If you dislike fish, taking flaxseed oil and preformed DHA supplements (derived from algae) is an alternative. But you will have to take in significantly more flaxseed oil than EPA iteself to get the intended effect.
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Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
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2003/10/15, 07:39 PM
This is good to know. I always though coconut oil ranked up there with palm oil. Don't know where I got my information. Always ate coconut sparingly because of it. Thanks Ron.
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2003/10/16, 12:05 PM
More on coconut oil...
What Oil Should You be Cooking With, and Which Should You Avoid?
By Dr. Joseph Mercola
with Rachael Droege
Anytime you cook a food you run the risk of creating heat-induced damage. Well, suppose there was a type of oil that is stable enough to resist heat-induced damage and so healthy that it helps you lose weight, prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol. Would you choose to use this oil?
If you said yes then you will want to get some coconut oil today. Naturally, when choosing an oil to cook with you want an oil that will not be damaged by high cooking temperatures. Of all the available oils, coconut oil is the oil of choice for cooking because it is nearly a completely saturated fat, which means it is much less susceptible to damage when it is heated.
Although mainstream media portrays olive oil as the healthiest oil, this title does not extend to cooking. Olive oil is primarily a monounsaturated fat. This means that it has one double bond in its fatty acid structure. Although a monounsaturated fat is inherently more stable than a polyunsaturated fat, it is still quite susceptible to heat-induced damage that can result in trans fat. Olive oil is a healthy fat to include in your diet in a non-heated form, however.
Polyunsaturated oils, which include vegetable oils like corn, soy, safflower and canola, are the worst oils to cook with because they tend to become easily oxidized or rancid when exposed to heat from cooking. This results in the formation of trans fat and damaging free radicals.
As you can see in the chart below, coconut oil contains the most saturated fat of all edible oils. Don't be scared away by the negative view of 'saturated fat' portrayed by the media. Many studies have shown that a low-fat diet is not the answer for preventing heart disease, and some scientists are calling for new dietary guidelines that reflect this discovery. To really understand the benefits of saturated fat, I suggest you read Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon’s article “The Truth About Saturated Fat” to first dispel any lingering notions you may have that all saturated fats are dangerous.
Type of Oil Monunsaturated Polyunsaturated Saturated
Canola 58.9 29.6 7.1
Coconut 5.8 1.8 86.5
Corn 12.7 58.7 24.2
Flaxseed 22 74 4
Grapeseed 16.1 69.9 8.1
Olive 77 8.4 13.5
Palm 37 9.3 49.3
Palm Kernel 11.4 1.6 81.5
Peanut 46.2 32 16.9
Safflower 12.6 73.4 9.6
Sesame 39.7 41.7 14.2
Soybean 23.3 57.9 14.4
Source: http://www.virgintogo.co.uk/template.asp?PageID=44&MenuID=57
So anytime you need an oil to cook with, coconut oil can automatically be used in place of butter, margarine, olive oil or any other type of oil in all types of recipes. However, coconut oil can vary widely in terms of the types of coconuts used, the manufacturing processes used to make the oil, and more, and all of these factors play a major role in the effectiveness of the oil.
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Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
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2003/10/16, 04:22 PM
Ok, now I'm really confused about the saturated fats. The coconut oil has the highest of all listed. Can that be good? So coconut oil for cooking, olive oil for drizzling or dressings and fish oil for EPA/DHA? If I generally cook with PAM should I change to coconut oil for the nutritional value (and added calories/fat)or stick with PAM?
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~Victoria~
...There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.--Beverly Sills
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2003/10/16, 07:30 PM
yes, I would change to coconut oil for cooking. And if you have flax, feel free to use it, it does have many benefits. I was just pointing out what some benefits of fish oil are in comparison. My own protocol these days is cook with extra virgin coconut oil, use olive oil, fish oil, and nuts like walnuts and natural peanut butter for my healthy fats. Flax would be and is my next choice.
Azredhead, here is something for you to read, by one of my favorite people, way ahead of the curve. Look at the end of the article the references. Tons of doctors.
http://www.mercola.com/2002/aug/17/saturated_fat1.htm
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Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
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2003/10/17, 03:32 PM
Great reading, thanks Ron. Then men in my husbands family have long history of early death related to cardio related disease. So, we are doing everything to keep him around a long time and break that pattern!
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~Victoria~
...There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.--Beverly Sills
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2003/10/18, 12:53 AM
I have one question, either taken coconut or flaxeed oil, if taken alone, how many table spoon should I be taking? Thank you for your answer...
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2003/10/18, 11:20 AM
The answer to this depends on your diet macros. Whatever amount is needed to fill them(your fat amount in your total calories). No matter how healthy something may be, if you exceed your calorie amount it result in the same thing, excess calories.
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Quoting from flexxa:
I have one question, either taken coconut or flaxeed oil, if taken alone, how many table spoon should I be taking? Thank you for your answer...
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Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
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2007/01/22, 04:41 PM
ok..i had to post this cause i bought the skippy *natural* peanut butter and found it had palm oil in it..so i did some research and found this..hehehe
http://www.cspinet.org/palmoilreport/index.html
SAVE THE MONKEYS!!!!
anyway...back to *real* natty butter :(
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