Coconut oil does not contain any trans fatty acids. At temperatures below 25 degrees C, coconut oil becomes solid and is therefore also referred to as coconut butter. It as a very widely used ingredient in massage oils and in ice cream without milk. Coconut butter is very rich in nutrients and it is beneficial to the skin, but it lacks important trace minerals like zinc and chromium.
Coconut oil is beneficial for the liver which transforms the fats without being disposed to storing it as fat. This makes coconut oil well-suited for people suffering from diabetes and reduced metabolism. The fatty acids in coconut oil are primarily comprised of medium length triglycerides and can therefore pass though the intestinal wall and enter the blood where they travel to the liver. Here the function as a fast energy supplement instead of becoming body fat.
The Philippine natives and other groups who have diets rich in coconut seldom experience fungal infections. This is due to the many fungus inhibiting substances in coconuts. Capryilic acid, capric acid, and lauric acid are among these substances and are effective against Candida infections (thrush).
Coconut oil contains the substance of laurin which is transformed into monolaurin in the intestine. Monolaurin is believed to dissolve the surface coat proteins of various vira, including the Epstein Barr-, herpes-, and HIV virus, and thereby counteract the propagation of vira. It also kills many health detrimental bacteria.
There have also been reports about beneficial effects of coconut oil on intestinal inflammation like in Crohn's disease.
Even though there is a lack of documentation, examples of coconut oil having helped people with arthralgia and psoriasis have been observed. Take 1 tbsp. of unheated coconut fat a day which can be smeared onto a piece of bread. If you do not experience any improvement within a couple of months, it will probably not be of benefit to continue the diet.
Dosage
Adults: 3 - 4 spoonfuls a day. Against fungus: Slowly increase the dose until the named dose is reached.
For internal use, you should only use coconut oil of high quality - i.e. virgin coconut oil.
Also see "Caprylic Acid".
