While many Americans are of the belief that "fat" makes you fat, I am here to tell you that this myth that has been handed down generation after generation is simply not true. Fats, especially the kind that come from organic sources are not only good for you, they are vital to your overall health. And here is the reason why I think that most people should buy coconut oil and incorporate it into their diet whenever they are thinking about grilling food.

• Promotes Weight Loss- That's right, I said it. Coconut oil can actually be good for either losing or maintaining weight. Coconut oil is used by the body to make energy as opposed to storing the energy as fat, unlike some of the more conventional fats that most Americans consume.
• Coconut oil will help with bacterial and viral infections as well as help to contain parasites- Studies have demonstrated that coconut oil is not only good for weight loss, it also has medicinal properties that make for an effective defense against viruses such as herpes, influenza, and giardia. The secret? Coconut oil has something called MCFA.
• Coconut oil is good for the heart- When coconut oil was fed as 7% of energy to patients recovering from heart attacks, the patients had greater improvement compared to untreated controls, and no difference compared to patents treated with corn or safflower oils. Populations that consume coconut oil have low rates of heart disease. Coconut oil may also be one of the most useful oils to prevent heart disease because of its antiviral and antimicrobial characteristics. JAMA 1967 202:1119-1123; Am J Clin Nutr 1981 34:1552

How to use Coconut Oil

You can use coconut oil in a variety of ways. Here are a few....

• Use as a spread just like butter- Because coconut oil is solid naturally, many people will simply replace butter and margarine and use coconut oil instead.
• Use in a an alternative to Olive Oil when cooking- Unlike olive oil which will turn rancid at high heat, coconut oil is perfect for cooking and doesn't become rancid or change molecular structure at high heat. The sweet, buttery flavor is perfect for white fish.
• Treat skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema

There is a difference between coconut oil and the typical vegetable oils. The difference is in the science.

Coconut oil contains many medium chain triglycerides (MCT). Because they are of the medium chain variety, they won't make you pack on the pounds as many of the other oils.

• Lauric Acid- Lauric acid is the answer to why so many viral and bacterial pathogens can't survive in the body. What happens is this MCT is converted to monolaurin which helps the body inactivate enveloped viruses such as influenza and HIV. While this claim is bold, there have been many studies that have proven the effect of Lauric acid on pathogens.
• Myristic Acid
• Capric Acid
• Oleic Acid
• Linolic Acid

The short answer is a resounding no. Let me explain....

Prior to World War II, coconut oil was widely used in the United States. Enter the soybean and soybean oil which also happens to be the largest oil exporter in America. The soybean oil lobby coupled with the American Heart Association were bent on a mission to change the American diet. So good was the marketing machine that they were even able to convert some South Pacific Islands into believing that importing polyunsaturated fats and incorporating these into their diets were more beneficial than the traditional tropical oil diet that they had used for centuries.

Early studies on saturated fats were a bit misleading....

Earlier studies ratified the presupposition that coconut oil was bad but the difference was they didn't differentiate between saturated fats and stated that they were bad because they raised cholesterol serum levels. These studies were done on hydrogenated coconut oil, nevermind the fact that ALL hydrogenated oils produce higher cholesterol levels. Hydrogenation is a man made process and is not found in coconuts in their natural state.

What are the benefits of coconut oil?

1. Doesn't increase cholesterol levels.
2. Doesn't increase the chances of weight problems.
3. Is heart healthy....
4. Doesn't increase the chances of blood clot formation....
5. Helps control diabetes...
6. Helps prevent osteoperosis...
7. Naturally supports immune function
8. Helps prevent premature aging and wrinkles...
9. Helps protect against bacterial, viral, fungul and parasitic infection...
10. Great for the skin....