The scientific name for coconut is Cocos nucifera. Early Spanish explorers called it coco, which means "monkey face" because the three indentations (eyes) on the hairy nut resembles the head and face of a monkey. Nucifera means "nut-bearing."
The coconut provides a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk, and oil that has fed and nourished populations around the world for generations.
On many islands coconut is a staple in the diet and provides the majority of the food eaten. Nearly one third of the world's population depends on coconut to some degree for their food and their economy. Among these cultures the coconut has a long and respected history.
Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is classified as a "functional food" because it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional content.
The coconut palm is so highly valued by them as both a source of food and medicine that it is called "The Tree of Life." Only recently has modern medical science unlocked the secrets to coconut's amazing healing powers.
If there was an oil you could use for your daily cooking needs that helped protect you from heart disease, cancer, and other degenerative conditions, improved your digestion, strengthened your immune system, and helped you lose excess weight, it is Coconut oil.
Coconut oil is of special interest because it possesses healing properties far beyond that of any other dietary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Pacific Islanders consider coconut oil to be the cure for all illness.
Coconut oil has been described as the healthiest oil on earth. Its unique concentration of medium-chain fats allows for a variety of medicinal uses beyond simply being consumed as a food. Particular effects stand out when you begin to consume coconut oil.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL
Cleansing
In the tropical areas where palm trees grow, coconut oil has a long history of medicinal use beyond simply being a food. The University College of Los Angeles reports how coconut oil contains a number of medium-chain fatty acids, which demonstrate a powerful antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial action. These effects can help restore intestinal bacteria back to a more beneficial balance and support efforts to eradicate pathogenic organisms like Candida.
Energy Production
The body handles the medium-chain fatty acids differently from other fats. Whereas most dietary fat enters circulation only after diffusing from the intestines into the lymphatic system and then joining together with cholesterol compounds, the medium-chain fats take a more direct route. They travel directly from the intestines to the liver through the portal vein, ready for immediate oxidation. Canadian research from 2003 led by Dr. Marie-Pierre St. Onge looked into the effects of medium-chain fats in the body and showed that their consumption increased the metabolic rate of individuals by 6 percent.
Cardiovascular Protection
Mary Enig, Ph.D., a lipid researcher and a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, explains that coconut oil can reduce cardiovascular risk. The oils from the plant remain stable in the body, which reduces their ability to form atherosclerotic plaques, and the polyphenol content of coconut oil can inhibit oxidation of cholesterol. Enig refers to studies that show coconut oil consumption reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and lipoprotein-a.
Weight Loss
Coconut oil can enhance weight loss because of the unique structure of medium-chain fatty acids, which make up three-quarters of the coconut's oil content, according to Fife, who explains that, because of the increased energy production that results from the way they are handled by the body, individuals burn more fat. He refers to a study that showed that a group who consumed coconut oil lost significantly more weight than those that did not.
Expert Insight
Fife suggests using coconut oil several times a day, adding it to food or consuming it on its own. Because of the low melting point of coconut oil, it can be used in many recipes and can even be applied to the skin, through which absorption can occur.
Moreso, Research and clinical observation have shown that medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA's), like those found in coconut oil, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below:
Kills viruses that cause mononucleosis, influenza, hepatitis C. measles, herpes, Aids and other illnesses
Kills bacteria that cause pneumonia, earache, throat infections, dental cavities, food poisoning, urinary ract infections, meningitis, gonorrhea, and dozens of other diseases
Kills fungi and yeast that cause candida, jock itch, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash and other infections
Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites
Provides a nutritional source of quick energy
Boosts energy and endurance enhancing physical and athletic performance
Improves digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and amino acids
. Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose
. Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body
. Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis
. Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes
. Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis
. Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.
. Helps protect against osteoporosis
. Helps relieve symptoms of gallbladder disease
. Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers
. Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids
. Reduces chronic inflammation
. Supports tissue healing and repair
. Supports and aids immune system function
. Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers
. Is heart healthy; does not increase blood cholesterol or platelet stickiness
. Helps prevent heart disease, atherosclerosis, and stroke
. Helps prevent high blood pressure
. Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay
. Functions as a protective antioxidant
. Helps protect the body from harmful free-radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease
. Does not deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do
. Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation
. Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome
. Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement)
. Reduces epileptic seizures
. Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections
. Helps prevent liver disease
. Is lower in calories than all other fats
. Supports thyroid function
. Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate
. Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.
. Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems
. Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward off infection
. Reduces symptoms associated with psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis
. Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin
. Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking
. Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots
. Promotes healthy-looking hair and complexion
. Provides protection from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun
. Controls dandruff
. Helps you look and feel younger
. Is resistant to oxidation, so has a long shelf life
. Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperatures like other vegetable oils do
. Has no harmful or discomforting side effects
. Is completely non-toxic to humans
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