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Research
The Miracle of
Coconut Oil
"I started
using coconut oil myself and began recommending it to my clients
(I am a certified nutritionist and naturopathic physician). I've
seen it get rid of chronic psoriasis, eliminate dandruff, remove
pre-cancerous skin lesions, speed recovery from the flu, stop
bladder infections, overcome chronic fatigue, and relieve
hemorrhoids, among other things.
In addition to
this, the scientific literature reports its possible use in
treating dental caries (cavities), peptic ulcers, benign
prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate), epilepsy, genital
herpes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS. Yes, as incredible as it
sounds I learned that coconut oil can be used to fight AIDS!
Another remarkable
benefit of coconut oil is its ability to prevent heart disease.
While for years we have been led to believe that coconut oil promotes
this condition, recent research proves otherwise! In
fact, in the near future it may gain wide acceptance as a
powerful aid in the fight against heart and other cardiovascular
diseases."
- Dr Bruce Fife
in The
Coconut Oil Miracle
What is Virgin Coconut Oil ?
Virgin Coconut Oil can only be
achieved by using fresh coconut meat or what is called non-copra
(see below for a definition of copra). Chemicals and high
heating are not used in further refining. There are currently
two main processes of manufacturing Virgin Coconut Oil:
- Quick drying of fresh
coconut meat which is then used to press out the oil. Using
this method, minimal heat is used to quick dry the coconut
meat, and the oil is then pressed out via mechanical means.
- Wet-milling. With this
method the oil is extracted from fresh coconut meat without
drying first. "Coconut milk" is expressed first by pressing.
The oil is then further separated from the water. Methods
which can be used to separate the oil from the water include
boiling, fermentation, refrigeration, enzymes and mechanical
centrifuge.
The method used by most
suppliers is fermentation. The coconut milk
expressed from the freshly harvested coconuts is fermented for
24-36 hours. During this time, the water separates from the oil.
The oil is then slightly heated for a short time to remove
moisture, and filtered. The result is a clear coconut oil that
retains the distinct scent and taste of coconuts. This is a
traditional method of coconut oil extraction that has been used for hundreds of years.
Nutico is processed
using the latest Direct Micro Expeller (DME) method
whereby the oil is extracted from freshly grated coconut which
have been dried and pressed. This allows for an extraction of
about 90% oil and 10% water. When both components are separated
the oil yield has a very light to medium texture. Using DME we
have successfully created a product which is extremely clear
while retaining all the flavour and goodness of virgin coconut
oil.
Laboratory tests show that
this is a very high quality coconut oil, with the lauric acid
content being 52% and saturated medium chain triglycerides of
about 62%. This oil is not mass produced, but
made by hand just as it has been done for hundreds of years.
Since our suppliers live in the community where the coconuts
grow, they personally guarantee that the best organic coconuts
available are used in producing this Virgin Coconut Oil, and
that no chemicals whatsoever are used in the growing or
processing of the coconuts.
How is Virgin Coconut Oil
different from other coconut oils?
Most commercial grade coconut
oils are made from copra. Copra is basically the dried kernel
(meat) of the coconut. It can be made by smoke drying, sun
drying, or kiln drying, or derivatives or a combination of these
three. If standard copra is used as a starting material, the
unrefined coconut oil extracted from copra is not suitable for
consumption and must be purified - that is refined. This is
because the way most copra is dried is very unsanitary. Most of
the copra is dried under the sun in the open air, where it is
exposed to insects and molds. The standard end product made from
copra is RBD coconut oil. RBD stands for refined, bleached, and
deodorized. Both high heat and chemicals (e.g. solvent
extractions) are used in this method.
RBD oil is also often
hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. Hydrogenated oils have
been shown to increase serum cholesterol levels which contribute
to heart disease.
One of the main differences
between Virgin Coconut oil and refined coconut oils is the scent
and taste. All Virgin Coconut Oils retain the fresh scent and
taste of coconuts, whereas the copra-based refined coconut oils
have no taste at all due to the refining process.
Research Links
Is coconut oil a thyroid and diet, weight loss
cure?
- by Dr.
Ken Woliner
Dr. Bruce Fife's Positive Review of Coconut Oil
- by Bruce
Fife, ND, CN
How to Help Your Thyroid With Virgin Coconut Oil
- by Cherie Calbom, M.S. and Brian Shilhavy
Coconut Oil: Miracle Medicine and Diet Pill
- by Eric Armstrong
Virgin coconut oil supplemented diet increases the antioxidant
status in rats
- by K.G. Nevin and T. Rajamohan
Beneficial effects of virgin coconut oil on lipid parameters and
in vitro LDL oxidation
- by K.G. Nevin and T. Rajamohan
Health Oils From The Tree of Life
(Nutritional and Health Aspects of Coconut Oil)
- by John
J. Kabara, Ph.D.
Coconut Oil In Health And Diseases:
Its And Monolaurin's Potential As
Cure For HIV/AIDS
-
by Conrado S. Dayrit, MD., FACC., FPCC., FPCP.
The Truth About Coconut Oil: Why it Got a Bad Rep When it’s
Actually Good
- by Dr.
Joseph Mercola
Comprehensive
list of health benefits of coconut from
Coconut Research Center
More research papers from
Coconut Research Center
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