As a strategy to manage your weight, you may try to avoid eating too much fat in your diet. But dietary fats are important for human health. Fats supply energy and transport the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are also a source of antioxidants and are structural components of brain cells and other cell membranes. Two sources of fats that have many health benefits are fish oil and coconut oil.
Fatty Acids
Fatty acids are fat-like chemical compounds made from carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, arranged as a carbon chain skeleton with a carboxyl group at one end. The chemical structure of fatty acids distinguishes them from one another. Monounsaturated fatty acids have one double bond between the carbon atoms, and polyunsaturated fatty acids have more than one double bond. In saturated fatty acids, carbon atoms are saturated with hydrogen, with no double bonds. It is the fatty acids in coconut and fish oils that give them their beneficial role in human health.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains lauric acid and other fatty acids. In the body, lauric acid breaks down to monolaurin, a compound which has antiviral, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and antifungal properties. Monolaurin disrupts the lipid membranes in viruses, bacteria and fungus, destroying those harmful organisms. According to the USDA National Nutrient Data Base, 92 percent of the fatty acids found in coconut oil are saturated fats. For that reason, coconut oil was once thought to be unhealthy. However, we now know that the saturated fatty acids in coconut oil are predominately medium-chain fatty acids. According to the Coconut Research Center, medium-chain fatty acids help to prevent heart disease and do not have a negative effect on cholesterol.
Fish Oil
Fish oil contains both docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. According to the Mayo Clinic, DHA and EPA have been found to lower blood pressure, slow the buildup of plaque on arterial walls, lower serum triglycerides and reduce the risk of heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms and stroke in people with cardiovascular disease. DHA also appears to play a vital role in brain function. The Linus Pauling Institute cites animal studies that show that depletion of DHA in the brain can cause learning deficits.
Dietary Sources
To enjoy the benefits of fish oil and coconut oil, you need not buy expensive supplements. The Mayo Clinic recommends eating fish at least twice per week, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring, whitefish, sea bass, anchovies, bluefish, carp, catfish and halibut. Coconut meat, coconut milk and coconut oil are all good sources of lauric acid. One teaspoon of dried coconut contains about 2 g of lauric acid, and 2 oz. of coconut milk contain about 3.5 g. One tablespoon of coconut oil contains about 7 g of lauric acid. Coconut oil expert Dr. Mary G. Enig says adults and growing children can benefit from 10 to 20 g daily.
References
- Mayo Clinic; Omega-3 fatty Acids, Fish Oil, Alpha-linolenic Acid
- Organic Facts; Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
- NaturalNews.com; Learn About the Many Benefits of Lauric Acid in Coconut Oil; Elizabeth Walling; August, 2009
- Scientific Psychic; Fats, Oils, Fatty Acids, Triglycerides; Antonio Zamora, 2008
- Coconut Research Center: Coconut
- Linus Pauling Institute; Micronutrient Information Center; Essential Fatty Acids
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