Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
The FDA’s priorities and viewpoints are questionable; there is no doubt they have money in mind whenever they make a decision. The FDA claims certain compounds are safe like aspartame and sucralose, but when it regards natural substances like curcumin or coconut oil, they have yet to evaluate their benefits and promote them as natural medicines. Though coconut oil has been scientifically shown to have a wide range of health benefits, because of the FDA’s faulty guidelines concerning saturated fat that were based on corrupt research in the mid-to-late 1900s, the FDA has not acknowledged them.
In a previous article, we examined how the sugar industry paid Harvard scientists to fake nutritional research, stacked nutrition boards with pro-sugar advocates, and had a sugar industry insider appointed to the head of the FDA. With all this manipulation, the sugar industry was able to point the blame for increased rates of obesity and heart disease to fat consumption away from sugar. When the FDA changed its guidelines and finally recommended a low-fat diet, the low-fat food market exploded, and because low-fat food tastes horrible, manufacturers needed to add more sugar to make the product taste better. Thus, we saw an increase in America’s sugar consumption and, correspondingly, a stark rise in obesity and heart disease rates.
Moreover, during that same period, one of the corrupt researchers, Ancel Keys, constructed the idea of lipid theory, which blames saturated fat and cholesterol for causing heart disease. Keys’ original study has been proven false and full of selective biases so that he could prove his point. Now, Keys’ opinion is junk science [1].
Nevertheless, during a 1970s Congressional hearing, the faulty research was used to decide nutritional guidelines, even though many scientists raised objections during the hearing [2].
These faulty nutritional guidelines are still instilled in the FDA’s opinion today. This caused any products with saturated fats that had amounts higher than the FDA’s recommended dosage prohibited from being labeled healthy – this includes coconut oil because coconut oil is over 90% saturated fat, like butter.
There are also conflicts of interest. Most polyunsaturated fats, which are quite toxic, are derived from corn and soybeans, and those two industries are highly subsidized by the United States government, which also helps to make them cheap. Therefore, the rise in popularity of coconut oil, which has to be imported mainly, can be seen as a threat to the edible oil and pharmaceutical industries.
Further, the USDA promoted the use of polyunsaturated oils as heart healthy, even though they have been repeatedly shown in many clinical studies to have contrary effects.
In a 2013 report, the British Medical Journal reviewed data from a 1960 study that disagreed with Keys’ research. The report concluded:
“Advice to substitute polyunsaturated fats for saturated fats is a key component of worldwide dietary guidelines for coronary heart disease risk reduction.
However, clinical benefits of the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acid, omega 6 linoleic acid, have not been established. In this cohort, substituting dietary linoleic acid in place of saturated fats increased the rates of death from all causes, coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular disease.
An updated meta-analysis of linoleic acid intervention trials showed no evidence of cardiovascular benefit.
These findings could have important implications for worldwide dietary advice to substitute omega 6 linoleic acid, or polyunsaturated fats in general, for saturated fats.” [3]
In the investigation, the researchers found that “substituting dietary linoleic acid in place of saturated fats increased the rated of death from all causes, coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular disease” (Bold added) [3].
This just proposes the idea, “What other guidelines have the FDA published that are completely false?”
For the remainder of this article, we will review the scientifically backed health benefits of coconut oil. These studies show that coconut oil is a good and healthy saturated fat with a wide range of health applications.
Abdominal (Waist) Fat-Burner
It may seem counter-intuitive – a fat being able to burn body fat – but there are two human studies with support this idea.
The first study was published in 2009, was a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial, and involved women. Over the study’s duration, which was 12 weeks, the women received two tablespoons of coconut oil a day. The researchers concluded that diabetic supplementation of coconut oil increased HDL levels, reduction in BMI, and promote a reduction in abdominal obesity [4].
The second study was published in 2001 and involved men. The researchers gave obese men two tablespoons of coconut oil a day, taken in 2 divided doses, half an hour before each meal, for one month. On average, the men experienced over a one-inch reduction in their waist reduction (2.86 cm) [5].
Brain Booster
One of the main components of coconut oil is its medium-chain triglycerides (MCT).
A 2006 study published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging found that administering MTCs to patients with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment resulted in significant increases in ketone bodies within 90 minutes of administration versus the placebo’s effects. Increases in these ketone bodies is closely associated with measurable cognitive improvement in those with cognitive dysfunction [6].
Wound Healing
Coconut oil has been used for wound healing before history began to be recorded [7].
A 2010 study identified three mechanisms behind the oil’s healing effects: its ability to accelerate re-epithelialization [the formation of new tissue in a wound], improve antioxidant enzyme activity, and stimulate higher collagen cross-linking within the tissue being repaired [8].
Further, a 2008 study demonstrated coconut oil works synergistically with silver sulphadizine to accelerate burn wounds [9].
NSAID Alternative
A 2010 study demonstrated that coconut oil has anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, and fever-reducing properties, meaning the oil could be an NSAID alternative [10].
Anti-Ulcer Properties
A 2008 study demonstrated that coconut milk, which includes coconut oil, has anti-ulcer properties. The researchers found that coconut milk reduced the mean ulcer area by 54% [11].
Anti-Fungal
Candida is one of the most prolific and common fungi in the human body and is known to cause complications, especially in someone who has a diet high in sugar. A 2007 study found that coconut oil has antimicrobial properties on Candida species. The researchers stated, “Coconut oil should be used in the treatment of fungal infections in view of emerging drug-resistant Candida species” [12]. [To read more about the rise in drug-resistant diseases, click here.]
Male Health
There are no studies which demonstrate coconut oil increased testosterone levels in humans, but there are several which show it increases testosterone in male rats.
A 2008 study found that coconut oil acted as an antioxidant in the rat’s testes, which resulted in significantly high levels of testosterone, as well as other enzymes [13].
Additionally, in a 2007 study, researchers found that coconut oil reduced the size of a swollen prostate in rats [14].
Bone Health
A 2010 study found that coconut oil reduced oxidative stress in the bone, which could help patients with osteoporosis [15].
Sun Blocker
Coconut oil has been shown to block about 20% of UV rays, meaning coconut oil could be a natural alternative for artificial sunscreen chemicals that can end up in the bloodstream [16].
Conclusion
As shown above, many studies have demonstrated that coconut oil has a wide range of uses. Now, remember that this is only coconut oil. Other parts of the coconut like the hull have other benefits.
If you are interested in trying coconut oil, Healthmasters offers Coconut MCT Oil, which has a high level of the beneficial medium chain triglycerides
If you have any questions about Healthmasters’ Coconut MCT Oil, please feel free to call our office at 800.726.1834.
References:
[1] https://healthimpactnews.com/2011/ancel-keys-was-wrong-about-heart-disease-and-cholesterol/
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbFQc2kxm9c
[3] https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.e8707
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19437058
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3226242/
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15123336
[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12063927
[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20523108
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20040946
[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20645831
[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18521965
[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17651080
[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18549927
[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17637195
[15] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22927879
[16] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263051/
[18] http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/13-evidence-based-medicinal-properties-coconut-oil
