Amazing Health Benefits Of Coconut

by the Coconut Research Center

Updated March 31, 2012

Coconut
(Cocos nucifera)

The Tree of Life

The scientific name for coconut is Cocos nucifera. Early Spanish explorers called it coco,
which means "monkey face" because the three indentations (eyes) on the hairy nut resembles
the head and face of a monkey. Nucifera means "nut-bearing."

The coconut provides a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk, and oil that has fed and nourished
populations around the world for generations. On many islands coconut is a staple in the diet
and provides the majority of the food eaten. Nearly one third of the world's population depends
on coconut to some degree for their food and their economy. Among these cultures the coconut
has a long and respected history.

Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is classified as a
"functional food" because it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional content.
Coconut oil is of special interest because it possesses healing properties far beyond that of any
other dietary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific
populations. Pacific Islanders consider coconut oil to be the cure for all illness. The coconut
palm is so highly valued by them as both a source of food and medicine that it is called "The
Tree of Life." Only recently has modern medical science unlocked the secrets to coconut's
amazing healing powers.

Coconut In Traditional Medicine

People from many diverse cultures, languages, religions, and races scattered around
the globe have revered the coconut as a valuable source of both food and medicine.
Wherever the coconut palm grows the people have learned of its importance as a
effective medicine. For thousands of years coconut products have held a respected and
valuable place in local folk medicine.

In traditional medicine around the world coconut is used to treat a wide variety of health
problems including the following: abscesses, asthma, baldness, bronchitis, bruises,
burns, colds, constipation, cough, dropsy, dysentery, earache, fever, flu, gingivitis,
gonorrhea, irregular or painful menstruation, jaundice, kidney stones, lice, malnutrition,
nausea, rash, scabies, scurvy, skin infections, sore throat, swelling, syphilis, toothache,
tuberculosis, tumors, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach, weakness, and wounds.

Coconut In Modern Medicine

Modern medical science is now confirming the use of coconut in treating many of the

Coconut_Research_Center_Overview.pdf Page 1 of 6 Last revised on: 03/30/2012

above conditions. Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form
or another, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized
below:

 Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other
illnesses.
 Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease
and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.
 Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper
rash, and other infections.
 Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.
 Provides a nutritional source of quick energy.
 Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.
 Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and
amino acids.
 Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
 Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
 Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
 Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.
 Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
 Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong
bones and teeth.
 Helps protect against osteoporosis.
 Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.
 Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach
ulcers.
 Improves digestion and bowel function.
 Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.
 Reduces inflammation.
 Supports tissue healing and repair.
 Supports and aids immune system function.
 Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.
 Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.
 Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart
disease.
 Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.
 Functions as a protective antioxidant.
 Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and
degenerative disease.
 Does not deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do.
 Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.
 Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
 Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).
 Reduces epileptic seizures.
 Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.
 Dissolves kidney stones.

Coconut_Research_Center_Overview.pdf Page 2 of 6 Last revised on: 03/30/2012

  Helps prevent liver disease.
 Is lower in calories than all other fats.
 Supports thyroid function.
 Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.
 Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like
other dietary fats.
 Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.
 Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.
 Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
 Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.
 Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.
 Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
 Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.
 Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
 Helps control dandruff.
 Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like
other vegetable oils do.
 Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.
 Is completely non-toxic to humans.

See Research to read some of the published studies regarding the above mentioned uses of
coconut products.

Coconut Oil
While coconut possesses many health benefits due to its fiber and nutritional content,
it's the oil that makes it a truly remarkable food and medicine.

Once mistakenly believed to be unhealthy because of its high saturated fat content, it is
now known that the fat in coconut oil is a unique and different from most all other fats
and possesses many health giving properties. It is now gaining long overdue recognition
as a nutritious health food.

Coconut oil has been described as "the healthiest oil on earth." That's quite a
remarkable statement. What makes coconut oil so good? What makes it different from
all other oils, especially other saturated fats?

The difference is in the fat molecule. All fats and oils are composed of molecules called
fatty acids. There are two methods of classifying fatty acids. The first you are probably
familiar with, is based on saturation. You have saturated fats, monounsaturated fats,
and polyunsaturated fats. Another system of classification is based on molecular size or
length of the carbon chain within each fatty acid. Fatty acids consist of long chains of
carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached. In this system you have short-chain fatty
acids (SCFA), medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), and long-chain fatty acids (LCFA).
Coconut oil is composed predominately of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), also
known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCT).

Coconut_Research_Center_Overview.pdf Page 3 of 6 Last revised on: 03/30/2012

The vast majority of fats and oils in our diets, whether they are saturated or unsaturated
or come from animals or plants, are composed of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Some
98 to 100% of all the fatty acids you consume are LCFA.

The size of the fatty acid is extremely important. Why? Because our bodies respond to
and metabolize each fatty acid differently depending on its size. So the physiological
effects of MCFA in coconut oil are distinctly different from those of LCFA more
commonly found in our foods. The saturated fatty acids in coconut oil are predominately
medium-chain fatty acids. Both the saturated and unsaturated fat found in meat, milk,
eggs, and plants (including most all vegetable oils) are composed of LCFA.

MCFA are very different from LCFA. They do not have a negative effect on cholesterol
and help to protect against heart disease. MCFA help to lower the risk of both
atherosclerosis and heart disease. It is primarily due to the MCFA in coconut oil that
makes it so special and so beneficial.

There are only a very few good dietary sources of MCFA. By far the best sources are
from coconut and palm kernel oils.

Copyright © 2004 Coconut Research Center

Original URL for the above article: http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/index.htm

Here are some additional links from the Coconut Research Center web site:

(Note: The journal articles accessed by the links listed below are just a small sampling of the many
published studies involving coconut oil, medium-chain triglycerides, and other related subjects.

Is there enough evidence to support the health claims attributed to coconut oil and related coconut
products? Click the links below to find out.)

Note: In case you are reading this article in printed, hard-copy form, and you wish to
access the links, the article is also available in electronic digital form, with all links intact
at: www.MyHealthOptimizer.com/archives Then scroll down to the letter C, (articles
are listed in roughly alphabetical form), and Click the Link for the Coconut Article.

http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/research-link.htm Then Click the Coconut

Oil Button to access the topics listed below. (Sorry, there are no direct links provided
by the web site.)
Antimicrobial Effects

Cardiovascular Health

Anticancer Properties

Diabetes

Digestion and Nutrient Absorption

Coconut_Research_Center_Overview.pdf Page 4 of 6 Last revised on: 03/30/2012

 Epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and other Neurological Disorders

HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Disease

Hospital Patient Care/Enteral and Parental Nutrition

Intestinal Health

Kidney Health

Liver Health

Malabsorption Syndromes

Metabolism and Energy

Weight Management

Other Health Concerns Involving Coconut Oil, Medium Chain Fatty Acids

Scrolling down will give you access to the following topics and sub-topics.
(There are no direct links on the site to these categories and topics.)

Coconut Water:
Anticancer Properties

Cardiovascular Health

Coconut Phytohormones (growth stimulators/modulators)

Intravenous Therapy

Oral Rehydration Therapy

Preservation of Living Tissue

Other Health Aspects of Coconut Water

Scientific and Medical Papers RE: Coconut Meat/Kernel

Scientific and Medical Papers RE: Coconut Milk

Scientific and Medical Papers RE: Coconut-Eating Population Studies

The coconutresearchcenter.org web site is for educational purposes only. The information supplied there
comes from a variety of sources and authors and not every statement made has been evaluated by the
FDA. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Coconut_Research_Center_Overview.pdf Page 5 of 6 Last revised on: 03/30/2012

Jeff Bell’s Comments: The article above makes coconut oil sound almost too good to
be true. When I first encountered some of the research on coconut oil a few years ago,
I was somewhat skeptical about some of the claims, particularly those that centered
around the more dramatic benefits of consuming coconut oil. However, as time has
elapsed and as we have used and consumed coconut oil for the past several years, I
find that my skepticism has melted away. We are experiencing benefits, and many of
my clients report significant benefits, as well.

I also want to confirm that we use organic coconut oil almost exclusively as our cooking
oil. (We also use organic butter for some cooking.) Some colleagues and others have
expressed concerns that we are consuming “too much saturated fat”, and that we may
be clogging up our arteries and paving the way for other serious health problems.
However, that has not occurred. Since making a point of taking quite a bit of coconut oil
in my diet every day, my circulation has improved. My overall body, and especially
brain chemistry seems markedly better, as well. And it you dig into the science of how
oil is really digested and metabolized in the body, these are the real results you would
expect.

By the way, I take approximately 5 teaspoons of coconut oil each day. This is in
addition to any I use in cooking, since it is too hard to measure how much coconut oil I
am actually getting in my cooked food. Because there is no problem with eating more
of it than I need, I do my best to add the 5 teaspoons each day over and above
whatever I may get in my food.

Please feel free to send your questions or comments to: [email protected]

To your great health!

Jeff Bell
Please visit www.MyHealthOptimizer.com for more valuable health information.

Disclaimer: Please note that the information in this document is provided for educational purposes only.
This document is not intended to diagnose, prescribe or otherwise provide specific recommendations in
relation to specific health problems. It is not intended to take the place of the services of professional
and/or appropriately-licensed health care providers. The statements made in this document have not
been evaluated by the FDA or any other regulatory body. If you have a serious or potentially serious
health condition, it is recommended that you consult a qualified health care provider. The author of this
document invokes the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America and
specifically the rights to free speech guaranteed therein. The contents of this document are his legal free
speech expression according to those rights.

Copyright © Jeff Bell / www.MyHealthOptimizer.com – 2011 – All rights reserved.

This article may be copied and/or freely distributed, as long as the doctrine of “Fair Use” is maintained in
the course of such distribution or re-distribution. It must not be altered without the written consent of the
author, Jeff Bell. Compensation, monetary or otherwise must not be required as a condition of its
distribution or its receipt.

Coconut_Research_Center_Overview.pdf Page 6 of 6 Last revised on: 03/30/2012