subject: The Health Benefits of Coconut Oil [print this page] So, now that you know that you want organi, virgin, coconut oil...Do you know why? What exactly are the nutritional benefits of ingesting this stuff?
The current medical research indicates that at least thrity percent (30%) of our diet should be made up of fats. Each fat is not equal, how ever, affecting the body in a different way. coconut oil is generally favorable, and has been shown tocreate a more favorable hdl/ldl ratio in the body. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, which have been described as having a negative effect on the cholesterol but coconut oil is different from other saturated fats in many ways.
Coconut oil is the highest vegan source (62%) of medium chain triglycerides. At least half of these medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) are made up of lauric acid which is the single most important fatty acid in building and maintaining a healthy immune system. The amount of lauric acid in coconut oil is similar to the percentage in breast milk. No other vegetable oil has lauric acid and only milk and butter come close to the percentage, measuring in at 3%!
Virgin coconut oil has been show to raise cholesteral level in some individuals, however it is the beneficial and protective levels that are raised contributing to a healthier ratio of hdl/ldl cholesterol. Studies have also shown that the current popular oil, canola oil, actually was one of the worst oils to use, producing high levels of trans-fatty acids when used in cooking.
