Coconut oil, the forgotten marvel.

I remember my first encounter years ago with coconuts when I was in Fiji. The stately palm trees often shown on postcards are probably coconut palms and the very first lesson I learned was to never sit under one. When fully ripe the nuts would drop and being quite hard and weighing at least a couple of pounds (before the husk was removed) they could do a number on a human head. Thankfully my native contact was most helpful in guiding me past the dangers in this otherwise South Sea Paradise.

Something about him piqued my interest; his appearance was that of a much younger man. His skin was remarkably free from wrinkles and this condition was the rule for every Fijian I met. Upon inquiry I found that not only were coconuts a staple in the Fijian diet, by drinking the milk and chewing the meat which when squeezed gave the most delicious cream, but also coconut oil was applied liberally to their skin which they considered to be the reason for their youthful appearance.

Coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid rich in lauric acid. For a detailed description see http://www.coconutoil.com/research.htm.

At one time coconut oil was popular in Western countries including the USA being used extensively in the baking industry but due to the politics of food production coupled with slanted research (known today as "junk science"), it was subjected to a clever PR campaign designed to discredit it. Because it is a form of natural fat it fell under the blanket indictment that "all fats are bad," giving rise to the low-fat craze during which time obesity in the US has reached epidemic proportions.

The Rise and Fall of a Fad.

Medical research in the USA has often been marked by knee-jerk reactions which have resulted in perhaps an unintentional "throwing out the baby with the bath water." Due to questionable research the man-made chemical stuff called margarine was touted as being "good for you." A different opinion is based at http://www.coconutoil.com/beatrice_hunter.htm.

However true progress cannot be ignored forever. There was something rotten in this meal of half-truths and misinformation, genuine researchers could smell it and finally we discovered that not only were all fats not bad, but some were actually necessary for optimum health.

A New Look at Coconut Oil.

In the arena of weight management coconut oil has a thermogenic effect which may be surprising to some of us who struggle with our weight. The low-fat myth dies hard after 20 plus years of daily bombardment by special interest groups, but a more in-depth view can be found at http://www.coconutoil.com/litalee.htm. I have found that coconut oil has a very mild flavor--almost nut-like, it's very good for cooking most any kind of food. Anything that you would normally fry can be cooked much more healthfully in coconut oil.

One caveat, due to a lower smoke point it will not stand the high heat normally used in frying so keep the temperature to 250°F maximum, or else it will smoke and possibly catch fire.

It's also great for grey hair. When used sparingly it will darken mine for a more natural look. You can find it at Wal-Mart for a reasonable price.

In winter when the house is cool, the oil will be a white waxy solid at anything below 76°F so you'll need to nuke it in the microwave for few seconds.

Here's to your health.