Coconut oil supplementation found to have benefits for health
Posted on 18 May 2009
The poor reputation that saturated fat has led many to avoid consuming not just animal foods such as red meat and cheese, but certain plant foods that are rich in this brand of fat, notably coconut. However, the fact that there is no evidence that saturated fat causes heart disease (see here), not that fat is inherently fattening means that I can see no particular reason for avoiding saturated fat rich food, whether animal or plant in origin.
Some have suggested that certain saturated fatty acids might have benefits for health. Coconut oil, for instance, is rich in what are known as medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which some work suggests might actually help to protect against fat accumulation in the body [1]. In a recent study, women were prescribed a lower-calorie diet (and 50 mins of walking a day) and in addition were supplemented with 30 mls of coconut oil each day for 12 weeks [2]. Another group of women were prescribed the same diet and exercise programme, but instead of being supplemented with coconut oil, were given soybean oil instead.
Both groups lost weight, but only the group taking the coconut oil saw a significant reduction in their waist circumference. This is significant, in that waist circumference is a measure of
Published May 18, 2009 . Filed under: Exercise and Activity, Healthy Eating, Nutrients and Supplements, Weight Loss
I bet those folks eating coconut oil were happier too!
May 20, 2009 @ 3:30 am
[...] it quite a lot in cooking, its delicious and healthy, though of course in moderation. And, as this article from Dr Briffa shows, it has been found to help reduce abdominal obesity or fat around the [...]
May 20, 2009 @ 6:03 am
I’ve been a fan of creamed coconut for some while: it goes especially well in combination with hot chillies.
Recently decided to try the coconut oil and failed to find it. HINT: it is nearly solid at room temperature and comes in a JAR not a bottle (duh!)
Thanks to the ever reliable Mark Sisson for this
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/coconut-encrusted-chicken-salad-recipe/
which is quite outstanding. I’ve been tinkering further with the combination of coconut oil, coconut powder and ground almonds which also works well with prawns, and various hot spices. Suitably low carb, highly satiating and did I mention delicious?
May 21, 2009 @ 12:01 am
The comments about coconut oil are further endorsed at this website
http://www.tiana-coconut.com/coconut_weight_loss.htm
I was looking at this website in relation to my gluten free diet as coconut flour apparently makes quite a good substitute for ordinary flour in baking, though I think the proportions have to be different as explained further in the website.
Georgina
May 29, 2009 @ 1:40 am