Fatty Acids Composition of Virgin Coconut Oil

Whenever we hear the word fat something negative always comes to mind. Eating fatty foods will cause heart problems, obesity, etc. The cliché has been repeated time and again that it became a constant, indisputable truth. The fact that coconut oil is predominantly saturated fat earned it a bad reputation. But we need to be informed that not all fats are evil. There are different types of fats and some of them are actually good for you.
Fats are essential substance as it is the body’s main source of energy. Consuming the right fat in the right amount can be beneficial. How much fat should one take in a day differ individually because it depends on a persons’ metabolism. The most important thing to keep in mind is to replace the bad fats in your diet with the good fats.
Getting to Know the Good Fats
Coconut oil that is primarily saturated and contains medium chain fatty acids is definitely one of the good fats. Its 92% saturated fat content raises concern over the adverse effects it may cause on one’s health. Recent discoveries however prove that coconut oil has a 62% concentration of Medium Chain Fatty acids (MCFAs). This is coconut oils’ unique characteristic that is not present in other saturated fat. It may even be healthier than most saturated oils. Unsaturated fat have a high concentration of long chain fatty acids unlike MCFAs which are easily absorbed by the body as it require less energy and fewer enzymes, thereby improving digestion.
Short and medium chain fatty acids are transported directly to the liver where they are immediately converted to energy. Modern researches also discovered that MCFA can prevent and heal a lot of sickness because of its antimicrobial properties. Aside from its ability to improve the immune system, MCFA also aids in the absorption and retention of magnesium, calcium and some amino acids.
Beneficial MCFAs that are present in virgin coconut oil include Caproic Acid, Caprylic Acid, Capric Acid and Lauric Acid and Myristic Acid. Consuming MCFAs has shown no negative toxicological or pharmacological side effects. Virgin coconut oil and human breast milk are the richest source of medium chain fatty acids.

Virgin Coconut Oil

About Virgin Coconut Oil:

This is coconut oil that is derived from fresh coconuts, not copra, and has not undergone the RBD (refined, bleached, deodorized) process that refined coconut oil derived from copra goes through.
Almost all of the "unrefined" coconut oils on the market being marketed as "Virgin" are produced one of two ways.

Manufacturing Methods:

1. Quick drying of fresh coconut meat which is then used to press out the oil. Using this method, the coconut meat is quick dried, and the oil is then pressed out via mechanical means.

2. 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.
Unlike olive oil, there is no world or governing body that sets a standard definition or set of guidelines to classify coconut oil as "virgin." but the Philippines being the largest producer/exporter has recently established a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) governmental standard.

Advantages of using Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil has a unique role in the diet as an important physiologically functional food. The health and nutritional benefits that can be derived from consuming coconut oil have been recognized in many parts of the world for centuries. Although the advantage of regular consumption of coconut oil has been underappreciated by the consumer and producer alike for the recent two or three decades, its unique benefits should be compelling for the health minded consumer of today. A review of the diet/heart disease literature relevant to coconut oil clearly indicates that coconut oil is at worst neutral with respect to atherogenicity of fats and oils and, in fact, is likely to be a beneficial oil for prevention and treatment of some heart disease. Additionally, coconut oil provides a source of antimicrobial lipid for individuals with compromised immune systems and is a nonpromoting fat with respect to chemical carcinogenesis.

Although popular literature of epidemiological studies usually attribute an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) to elevated levels of serum cholesterol, which in turn are thought to derive from a dietary intake of saturated fats and cholesterol. But, saturated fats may be considered a major culprit for CHD only if the links between serum cholesterol and CHD, and between saturated fat and serum cholesterol are each firmly established. Decades of large-scale tests and conclusions therefrom have purported to establish the first link. In fact, this relationship has reached the level of dogma. Through the years metabolic ward and animal studies have claimed that dietary saturated fats increase serum cholesterol levels, thereby supposedly establishing the second link. But the scientific basis for these relationships has now been challenged as resulting from large-scale misinterpretation and misrepresentation of the data. (Enig 1991, Mann 1991, Smith 1991, Ravnskov 1995).

Benefits of virgin oil:

• Promoting heart health ...
• Promoting weight loss when and if you need it ...
• Supporting your immune system health ...
• Supporting a healthy metabolism ...
• Providing an immediate energy source for you ...
• Helping to keep your skin healthy and youthful looking ...
• Supporting the proper functioning of your thyroid gland ...
  With all of these fantastic perks from pure coconut oil, it probably won't surprise you to ...

There is only one oil that is stable enough to resist heat-induced damage, while it also helps you promote heart health, maintain normal cholesterol levels and even helps you lose weight -- coconut oil.

Virgin Coconut Oil