LoveToKnow Diet:AllComments

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Hi J.J.,

You're right. Studies done on native diets high in coconut consumption do reveal that these people are generally in good health. They don't suffer as much as us from many of what I'll call modern-day diseases which are prevalent in western nations. The problem is, that often people want to ADD coconut oil to their diet without eliminating the other bad sources of fat from their diet. This practice is unhealthy.

However, coconut oil is now being recognized by the medical community as another tool to be used against immune diseases. Several studies have shown it to be effective, but research continues to learn more about the nutritional value of pure coconut oil.

-- Contributed by: Donna Sundblad

Darlene, my answer to your question and to all people who are considering taking coconut oil or coconut products is: YES YES YES please do!!!! Why? Because coconut has been the mainstay in the diets of islanders and tropical people since the dawning of time. If it were so bad for you why is this class of people not extinct? It is when they start eating like we do in the western world that they get all our diseases and afflictions. I myself, would take coconut oil anytime over all the other so-called "good-for-you" oils that all the doctors and nutritionists recommend. Give me a good ol' chunk of raw coconut for a snack over just about anything in the world and I am a happy (and healthier) camper.

-- Contributed by: J J

It seems that there is no clear cut answer to your question Donna. A cup of coconut milk has more than twice the saturated fat that anyone should have. Since saturated fat is know to contribute to high cholesterol it would seem that it would not be a good food for someone who is watching their cholesterol.

Claims of coconut lowering cholesterol have not been proven to my knowledge. From what I can tell, there are other factors that need to be considered before jumping to such a conclusion.

Some studies have found that tropical oils may help prevent chronic heart disease. Coconut also contains lauric acid which can also be found in mother's milk. It is believed to be converted into an antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotazoal componant called monolaurin.

So as you can see, there are many pros and cons. My personal opinion (and I am not a doctor) is that, like anything else, in moderation coconut is fine. Don't get carried away with it though.

As always, your best bet is to discuss it with your doctor.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

Hi, I get the best results losing weight on the Atkins Diet. I am just reading a book by Kevin Trudeau and in it he proclaims the virtues of coconut. He claims it will lower cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc and lose weight while you are using it. I bought some at my local health food store yesterday. I am wondering if you can tell me if the claim about lowering cholesterol is true. Your site seems to indicate that too much of this oil is bad for you. I do have moderate to high cholesterol. Thanks for any information you can give me.

-- Contributed by: darlene
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