by Russell Eaton
Discover amazing facts about coconut oil. The latest scientific research is showing that coconut fat is not at all fattening. Now you can enjoy delicious coconut recipes that help you lose weight. This article explains why coconut oil is not fattening due to its unique molecular structure.
In fact, modern research shows coconuts to be a valuable source of healthy nutrition. About a third of the white coconut flesh is fat, and although most of this fat (90%) is technically classed as saturated it is mostly made up of MCFA's (medium chain fatty acids). MCFA's are chains of molecules that are burnt up as energy rather than being stored as body fat. Because of this, coconut oil/fat is increasingly used in weight-loss regimes. Note: MCFA's are also known as MCT's (medium chain triglycerides).
About half of these MCFA's consist of lauric acid, the most important essential fatty acid in building and maintaining the body's immune system. Apart from coconuts, the only other source of lauric acid found in such high concentrations is human breast milk.
Coconuts provide important antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiprotozoal properties that make up the building blocks of a healthy immune system. More importantly, they are nature's richest source of super-healthy MCFA's. In research, coconut oil that has been kept at room temperature for a year has then been tested for rancidity without showing any evidence of it because of its antimicrobial properties.
Many scientific studies show that the fatty acids from MCFA's in coconut oil are not easily converted and stored as triglycerides (fatty tissue). Also, the research shows that MCFA's cannot be easily used by the body to make the larger fat molecules that make up the surplus fat in our bodies. One study concluded that "the change from a low-fat diet to a MCFA diet is attended by a decrease in the body weight gain" [Hill JO, et al, Thermogenesis in humans during overfeeding with medium-chain triglycerides, Metabolism, July 1989;38,7: 641-8].
In another study by the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Canada, the effects of diets rich in medium-chain and long-chain fats were assessed in overweight men. The study concluded that "Consumption of a diet rich in medium-chain fatty acids results in greater loss of stored body fat compared with long-chain fatty acids" [source: St-Onge MP, et al, Medium-chain triglycerides increase energy expenditure and decrease adiposity in overweight men, Obes Res. 2003 Mar;11(3):395-402].
Another study compared metabolic rates in the human body (i.e. the rate at which calories are burnt up). The study compared meals with MCFA's and LCFA's (long-chain fatty acids found in animal fats). The authors concluded that replacing dietary fats with MCFA's could "over long periods of time produce weight loss even in the absence of reduced [caloric] intake" [source: T. B. Seaton, et al, Thermic effects of medium-chain and long-chain triglycerides in man, Am J Clin Nutr, 1986;44:630-634].
There is no shortage of research showing that MCFA's in coconuts are not fattening and that MCFA's are much less prone to being stored as body fat compared to LCFA's (the long chain fatty acids found in animal foods and dairy products). Note also that the Glycemic Index ratings for coconuts and tinned coconut milk are low (45 and 41 respectively), showing that coconuts are non-fattening in terms of blood glucose and body-fat storage. This is why you can adopt a coconut oil weight loss plan and lose excess body fat quickly and permanently.
About the Author
Russell Eaton is the author of the highly acclaimed book "The Foolproof Diet". For more information about coconuts see The Incredible Coconut Book. Claim your free copy now by going to ==> http://www.the-coconut.com/
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