According to the nutritionist and biochemist Dr. Mary G. Enig, who is renowned for her research on the nutritional aspects of fats and oils, coconut oil appears to offer protection against many diseases including high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Coconut oil is predominately a saturated fat. However, it contains a unique set of fat molecules that are responsible for its positive effects on health. These fats are known as medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA).
Functional Food
According to Dr. Enig, coconut oil is a functional food that provides health benefits beyond basic nutritional value. Dr. Enig explains that approximately 50 percent of the MCFAs found in coconut oil come from lauric acid, which appears to exert antiviral, antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties. MCFAs may benefit cardiovascular health, metabolism and energy, and digestion and nutrient absorption.
Cholesterol and Heart Disease
Extra virgin non-hydrogenated coconut oil tends to increase the heart friendly high-density lipoproteins and improve total cholesterol profile. According to the study conducted by Nevin et al on the beneficial effects of virgin coconut oil on lipid parameters, published on September 2004 in "Clinical Biochemistry," extra virgin coconut oil may be beneficial in lowering lipid levels in serum and tissues. These properties may be attributed to the polyphenol components found in the oil, which also help protect the body from damage caused by oxygen.
Obesity
According to study conducted by Marie-Pierre St-Onge et al, published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in the year 2005, medium-chain fatty acids, compared to long-chain fatty acids, increase energy expenditure and result in faster satiety. MCFAs found in coconut oil may aid as a beneficial replacement of other fats in the diet to help promote fullness and increase caloric expenditure. The fat content helps slow down the emptying of the stomach, and as medium-chain fatty acids, they are directly broken down and transported to the liver as fuel. Thereby, coconut oil is utilized for energy and is less likely to get stored as fat. According to the study conducted by Assuncao et al, published on May 13, 2009 in the journal of "American Oil Chemists' Society," dietetic supplementation with extra virgin coconut oil does not cause a disruption in the amount of lipids in the blood. Rather, coconut oil appears to promote a decrease in abdominal obesity.
Other Uses
Coconut oil may be used to feed the elderly and critically ill, newborns, and people with digestive problems. According to the study conducted by Jiang et al, published in the "Annals of Surgery" in the year 1993, it appears that fat emulsions that contain up to 50 percent MCFAs are safe for use in critically ill patients who are in a state of metabolic breakdown of complex molecules into smaller ones, and require intravenous nutrition. These fats may provide an alternative fuel that improves protein metabolism.
References
- "British Medical Journal"; Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition; Miles Irving; November 16, 1985
- "Intensive Care Medicine"; Comparison of medium and long chain triglyceride metabolism in intensive care patients on parenteral nutrition; M.J. Ball et al; January 9, 1989
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Dietary fats, teas, dairy, and nuts: potential functional foods for weight control?; Marie-Pierre St-Onge; January 2005
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; Physiological Effects of Medium-Chain Triglycerides: Potential Agents in the Prevention of Obesity; Marie-Pierre St-Onge et al.; 2002
- "Trends in Food Science and Technology"; Virgin coconut oil: emerging functional food oil; A.M. Marina et al; October 2009
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