December 6th , 2009 → 4:20 pm @ Nathan & Jenni Oates // 4 Comments

When America went to a low fat or no-fat diet years ago, heart disease sky-rocketed. This is partially because a lot of the foods people switched too that were advertised as low-fat or low-cholesterol type foods contained partially hydrogenated replacements.  So we swapped out the good fat for the bad!

When we are asked what type of fats or oils we use, we recommend only three types: extra virgin olive oil, organic or, preferably raw butter, and organic coconut oil. Most people understand the first two but cringe at the thought of eating coconut oil or have even heard some bad media about it being too high in fat.

“Swap Out” This… (canola andvegetable oils)

…For This (coconut oil).

Here is a summary of the health benefits of coconut oil. The below is a great summary that we have lived by and have personally seen the incredible benefits.

Source: http://www.coconut-info.com/coconut_oil_why_it_is_good_for_you.htm; research by research of Ray Peat, Ph.D. and Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.

In general, coconut oil stimulates thyroid function and has wonderful antiseptic properties.

The Stability of Coconut Oil

Unsaturated oils in cooked foods become rancid in just a few hours, even in the refrigerator, one reason for the “stale” taste of leftovers. However, according to Peat, eating fresh unsaturated fats is even worse, because once inside the body, they will oxidize (turn rancid) very rapidly due to being heated and mixed with oxygen. Not so with coconut oil. Even after one year at room temperature, coconut oil shows no evidence of rancidity even though it contains 9% linoleic (omega – 6) polyunsaturated acid. Peat theorizes that coconut oil may have antioxidant properties, since the oil doesn’t turn rancid and since it reduces our need for vitamin E, whereas unsaturated oils deplete vitamin E.

Thyroid-Stimulating, Anti-Aging Effects of Coconut Oil

Many researchers have reported that coconut oil lowers cholesterol (Blackburn et al 1988, Ahrens and colleagues, 1957). In 1981, Prior et al. showed that islanders with a diet high in coconut oil showed no harmful health effects. When these groups migrated to New Zealand and lowered their daily coconut oil intake, their total cholesterol and especially their LDL cholesterol – the so-called evil one – increased. The cholesterol-lowering properties of coconut oil are a direct result of its ability to stimulate thyroid function. In the presence of adequate thyroid hormone, cholesterol (specifically LDL-cholesterol) is converted by enzymatic processes to the vitally necessary anti-aging steroids, pregnenolone, progesterone and DHEA. These substances are required to help prevent heart disease, senility, obesity, cancer and other diseases associated with aging and chronic degenerative diseases.

Weight Loss Stimulating Properties of Coconut Oil – a Direct Result of Thyroid Stimulation

In the 1940’s farmers tried coconut oil to fatten their animals but discovered that it made them lean and active and increased their appetite. Whoops! Then they tried an anti-thyroid drug. It made the livestock fat with less food but was found to be a carcinogen (cancer causing drug). In the late 1940’s, it was found that the same anti-thyroid effect could be achieved by simply feeding animals soybeans and corn.

Anti-Cancer Effects of Coconut Oil

In 1987 Lim-Sylianco published a 50-year literature review showing the anti-cancer effects of coconut oil. In chemically induced cancers of the colon and breast, coconut oil was by far more protective than unsaturated oils. For example 32% of corn oil eaters got colon cancer whereas only 3% of coconut oil eaters got the cancer. Animals fed unsaturated oils had more tumors. This shows the thyroid-suppressive and hence, immuno-suppressive effect of unsaturated oils. (Cohen et al. 1986).

When Albert Schweitzer operated his clinic in tropical Africa, he said that it was many years before he saw a single case of cancer. He believed that the appearance of cancer was caused by introduction of the European diet to the Africans. Many studies since the 1920’s have shown an association between consumption of unsaturated oils and the incidence of cancer.

Antimicrobial (Antiseptic) Effects of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids such as lauric (C-12), caprylic (C-10) and myristic (C-14) acids. Of these three, coconut oil contains 40% lauric acid, which has the greater anti-viral activity of these three fatty acids. Lauric acid is so disease fighting that it is present in breast milk. The body converts lauric acid to a fatty acid derivative (monolaurin), which is the substance that protects infants from viral, bacterial or protozoal infections. This was recognized and reported in 1966 (Jon Kabara). Work by Hierholzer and Kabara (1982) showed that monolaurin has virucidal effects on RNA and DNA viruses, which are surrounded by a lipid membrane. In addition to these RNA and DNA viruses, in 1978, Kabara and others reported that certain medium chain fatty acids, such as lauric acid have adverse effects on other pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, yeast and fungi. These fatty acids and their derivatives actually disrupt the lipid membranes of the organisms and thus inactivate them (Isaacs and Thormar 1991; Isaacs et al. 1992). This deactivation process also occurs in human and bovine milk when fatty acids are added to them (Isaacs et al. 1991).

Here are two of my coconut oil salad dressing recipes:

Lita’s Ranch Salad Dressing

One egg
4 tbsp cider vinegar (try 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar plus 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or 4 tbsp of rice vinegar)
1/2-tsp salt
1/2-tsp dry mustard
Spike or other seasoning to taste

Add the above ingredients to your blender. Then very slowly dribble into blender one cup of oil consisting of about 3/4-cup coconut oil (melted and cooled) plus 1/4-cup extra virgin olive oil to the blender and blend till smooth. (The more coconut oil, the thicker the dressing). (If oil added too fast, or oil is too hot, mixture will curdle).

Then add the following ingredients to the mayonnaise you just made to make a thick and creamy Ranch dressing that can be uses as a substitute for mayonnaise:

1-1/4 cup buttermilk
4-6 tbsp or so sour cream, cream cheese or honey yogurt
Onion flakes to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Salt
Juice of one lemon
Spike to taste or other seasoning
Black pepper
Parsley flakes

Blend until smooth. Refrigerate. This dressing will thicken as it cools. You can use it instead of mayonnaise and can dilute it with more buttermilk if you want a thinner Ranch dressing. If this tastes too tart, add a little honey.

Other suggestions for using coconut oil in your diet:

1) When you make pastries, substitute 50% coconut oil for whatever fat is recommended, hopefully butter.

2) When you fry or sauté eggs, fish, veggies or whatever, toss in some coconut oil. Add butter or olive oil you wish, for flavor.

To come: coconut oil ice cream!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Not intended to diagnose, prescribe for, treat or claim to prevent, mitigate or cure any human disease. The third party information referred to herein is neither adopted nor endorsed by this web site but is provided for general informational purposes.

References:

Peat, Raymond, Ph.D., From PMS to Menopause: Female Hormones in Context, Chapter 29, page 175. Copyright 1997 by Raymond Peat, P.O. Box 5764, Eugene, OR 97405. Price including S&H is $14.

Reprinted with the permission of the author. ©2001

Tags: Fat, Food, Oil