In Regular Coconut Oil the natural Vitamins and Minerals are almost damaged because of applying heat, but in case of Virgin Coconut Oil the extraction will be in cold process and extracted from Fresh Coconut. The extraction will be within two hours from the braking of coconut otherwise natural bacterias will attack it.
Hence the oil is extracted through Cold Process, the oil is rich in natural vitamins, minerals and nutrients nutriational values are as follows.
Per 100g:
Medium chain fatty acids: 62g
Caprylic C8: 8g
Capric C10: 10g
Lauric C12: 48g
Myristic C14: 17g
Long chain fatty acids
Palmitic C16: 9g
Stearic C18: 2g
Unsaturated Fat: 6.2g
Of which
Polyunsaturated (PUFA): 2.1g
Energy: 900kcal
Trans-fat: 0
Sodium: 0
Recommended intake per day: 3.5 tablespoons
Recommended Dietary Fat Intake
- Fats: 20-25% of total calories.
- Cooking oil: 6%
- Cholesterol: 300mg/day
- Equal amounts of saturated, mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats of which essential fatty acids: Omega6:Omega3 in a ratio of 4:1
Coconut oil Scientific facts
Metabolic Syndrome: (Obesity, Dyslipidemia, Hypertension and Diabetes)
Saturated medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil:
- Provide early satiety and have lower calorific value per gram of fat; hence help loose weight
- Direct source of energy rather than storage fat.
- Atheromas causing heart disease are made up of 74% unsaturated fat (of which PUFA38%-present in sunflower oil) whereas saturated fat forms only 26%.
- Stearic acid is heart protective.
- Decreases platelet stickiness unlike PUFA, which promotes clot formation leading to stroke and heart attack.
- Increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels.
- Stable when heated and no harmful free radical release unlike sunflower oil.
Protective antioxidants prevent oxidant damage
.
Cancer:
- Saturated fats expose cancer cells to immune destruction.
- Protect against carcinogens.
Hypothyroidism:
- Saturated fats improve metabolic rate by free absorption and utilization.
- Increase tissue response to thyroid hormone.
Liver function:
- Low metabolic load improves liver functions such as detoxification, bile production for digestion, regulation of blood sugar levels.
- Saturated fat protects against alcohol induced liver damage and cirrhosis.
Digestion:
- MCT (medium chain triglycerides) are fatty acids with 8-10 carbon chain lengths and are used as nutritional supplement associated with no weight gain.
- MCT get absorbed directly from the gut mucosa unlike LCT, which require pancreatic lipase and micelle formation.
- MCTs are more efficiently absorbed as they are not re-esterifies following absorption, hydrolyzed to medium chain fatty acids, don’t require chylomicron formation to exit intestinal epithelial cells, and exit is via portal vein rather than lymphatic; hence they are better absorbed in conditions like:
o Pancreatic insufficiency.
o Reduced intraduodenal bile acids.
o Small intestinal mucosal disease like Crohn’s.
o Abetalipoprotenemia.
o Intestinal lymphangiectasia.
- MCTs decrease gut mucosal irritation in Irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disorders and protect against cancer colon.
- Ideal omega6:omega3 ratio enhances essential fatty acid utilization.
Infections:
- Lauric acid found only in coconut oil and mother’s milk has antiviral properties and has been found to decrease viral load even in HIV infection.
- Capric and lauric acids in coconut oil boost immune function and have antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and antiprotozoal effects.
Kidney function:
- Myristic acid present in high amounts in coconut oil improves signaling across cell membranes thereby enhancing kidney function.
Diabetes:
- Myristic acid has been used in the production of a new insulin analogue-Insulin detemir, which allows for better and consistent glucose control and promotes weight loss as opposed to other insulin’s, which cause weight gain.
Osteoporosis:
- Saturated fats are necessary for Vit D metabolism for bone strength.
Lung function:
- Palmitate found in coconut oil is a component of surfactant, which protects the lung
Skin:
- Moisturizer and anti microbial.
Production of Virgin Coconut Oil
1) Extraction:
- Cold extraction process, which preserves the integrity of the fatty acids and conserves the precious antioxidants. (No high temperatures used-unlike during polyunsaturated oil processing causing omega3 linolenic acid to break releasing harmful free radicals which cause brain damage and cancer)
2) No Hydrogenation process:
- Such as that used to solidify vegetable oils producing harmful trans-fat responsible for cancer, athrosclerotic heart disease, diabetes, obesity, immune dysfunction, low-birth weight babies, birth defects, sexual dysfunction, sterility, visual defects and bone, joint disease.
3) No solvents, chemicals to bleach, flavor, or dyes used.
Disadvantages of PUFA containing oils i.e. Sunflower, Safflower, Corn, Soya and Cottonseed oils.
Excess omega6:omega3 ratio (150:1) is found to be atherogenic and diabetogenic.
Heat processing releases harmful free radicals.
Not suited for heating such as in baking, frying, or cooking-polymerize and cause digestive problems.
Other uses of Virgin Coconut Oil.
Nutritional fat supplement in Total Parental Nutrition and in Cachexia such as in Cancer
Topical application as moisturizer and anti microbial.
Carrier for other essential oils.
References.
Journal of Indian Medical Association 1998 Oct, 96(10) Lancet, 344:1195-1196.1994 Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine 17th edition
