My neighbor is very into extra virgin coconut oil and it's supposed properties that increase metabolism. I've read some interesting articles on it, but I was wondering if any of you have tried it.
By the way, the current claim is that the coconut oil that was banned from movie theaters was refined, not natural, and that was the problem with it.
Kathy
90 Day Challenge Goal: 8 glasses water and post plan and actual daily.
If there was a safe, natural, inexpensive food that increased metabolism... and actually worked... I think that it is pretty safe to say that we'd ALL be eating it. OK... some of us might object to the taste or texture... but if it worked REALLY well... yeah... we'd all be eating it. I'm pretty sure...! [/QUOTE]
Nodding to Denise...yep, if it were only true, heck I'd swallow it to boost my metabolism. I agree that a lot of people would definitely do this.
However, until scientific research from a well-known establishment such as AMA, or such, I won't believe it or try it.
Originally posted by schoolmom: My neighbor is very into extra virgin coconut oil and it's supposed properties that increase metabolism.
If there was a safe, natural, inexpensive food that increased metabolism... and actually worked... I think that it is pretty safe to say that we'd ALL be eating it. OK... some of us might object to the taste or texture... but if it worked REALLY well... yeah... we'd all be eating it. I'm pretty sure...!
Me personally... I'm very cynical and skeptical when people tell me about metabolism boosters...
Denise
Posts: 8686 | Location: Silicon Valley, CA | Registered: March 17, 2004
Food & Fitness: Coconut oil fans battle back in cholesterol war
Coconut oil—a key to happiness?
Posted 6/13/05 By Katy Kelly
Coconut oil, long shunned as a saturated cholesterol booster, is, in some quarters, coming into vogue. Three of the many prococonut books, The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife, The Coconut Diet: The Secret Ingredient That Helps You Lose Weight While You Eat Your Favorite Foods by Cherie Calbom, and Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Mary Eig, have been selling well and generating enthusiastic feedback on Amazon.com. ("A 'miracle' of a book!" writes one Calbom fan. "I've lost 25 pounds," says another.)
The authors say the oil has been wrongly maligned, lost in the pro-soybean frenzy. And, they say, rather than undermining your health, it heals, improves, and protects it. This is because the oil contains medium chain fatty acids, which they say are easily absorbed, the energy created is rapidly spent, and, they add, consumption boosts metabalism. Eig recommends 3 tablespoons a day for those weighing up to 130 pounds, 41/2 tablespoons for those between 131 and 180, and, for those over 180, 6 tablespoons daily.
Sound advice? "Add 800 calories of fat and lose weight?" asks Alice Lichtenstein, professor of nutrition at the Friedman School at Tufts University and coauthor of the new Strong Women, Strong Hearts. "I'm absolutely astounded."
The Harvard School of Public Health website says coconut oil raises both types of cholesterol, the heart-plaque-causing LDL and the desirable HDL.
And Dr. Andrew Weil, a proponent of natural medicine, has looked at both sides of the argument. His conclusion? "I do not recommend using it."
"My friend indicated that because the organic coconut oil he had given me was non-hydrogenated and contains no trans fatty acids, it is both healthy and not a source of cholesterol. Can you shed any light on this issue?
The fatty acids in coconut oil are 85 to 90 percent saturated. According to the NIH, saturated fatty acids "are the biggest dietary cause of high LDL levels ('bad cholesterol')," and "too much saturated fat is one of the major risk factors for heart disease." So the scientific consensus against saturated fats seems quite clear.
Nevertheless, a small group of people reject this mainstream judgment and champion coconut oil as a near-panacea that, among other things, promotes weight loss and prevents liver damage from alcohol consumption. (Viva la piña colada!) Not incidentally, promoting coconut oil also sells the coconut-centered diet books written by these people. Your friend has apparently swallowed their arguments along with the shredded coconut (45 percent fat) on his Hostess Sno Balls.
As your friend asserts, coconut oil is indeed cholesterol-free. That's because all vegetable fats are cholesterol-free. Only animal products contain cholesterol. And as your friend also asserts, coconut oil is indeed non-hydrogenated and hence trans-fatty-acid-free. The reason is that it is already so saturated, there would be no point in hydrogenating it. That would be even more senseless than hydrogenating lard, which is 39 percent saturated.
Determining the relative healthfulness of various fats is a complex and ongoing pursuit, and no single fat can be said to be a cure-all. People may sing the praises of coconut oil in books and on the Internet, but labeling coconut oil as cholesterol- and trans-fat-free is just as pointless as labeling it nonradioactive and plutonium-free.
Robert L. Wolke (http://www.robertwolke.com) is professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. His latest book is "What Einstein Told His Cook 2, the Sequel: Further Adventures in Kitchen Science" (W.W. Norton, 2005)."
Okay, I found the magazine which is actually "Delicious Living" not "Delicious Eating", we can tell what I was thinking about last night. Anyway, it states coconut oil is nourishing for hair and that Ayurvedic docs sometimes prescribe it for treating yeast infections. Jill
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
I had never heard of coconut oil being good for you so I did a check on WebMD and while it said there were 51 matches this is the only one I saw that was actually about coconut oil. Not just oil or high fat diets.
I was just reading something in an organic foods magazine about coconut oil but I absolutely cannot remember what it was. I do remember the article recommended it for a specific medical condition, if I can find the article I'll reply again. The magazine was from our local organic food store but I think it might be a national magazine, "Delicious Foods" I believe is the name.
Jill
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
OK... some of us might object to the taste or texture... but if it worked REALLY well... yeah... we'd all be eating it. I'm pretty sure...!
