On Tue, 20 Jun 2000, Siobhan wrote:

>   Perhaps someone can clarify this.  I've been under the impression for a
> long time that coconut fat and free radicals are just about synonymous. If
> anyone has a reply that refutes this, I'd appreciate it if you'd explain it
> with hard science.  My impression came from that realm.  Thanks :-)

Could you, then, say something about what scientific support
there is for the claim that coconut fat is associated with free
radicals?  On the face of it, I don't see why this should be so.
Coconut oil is extremely saturated, and consequently very
resistant to oxidation.  It can be kept for years at room
temperature without becoming rancid.  I've had a jar in the
bathroom, in fact, for 3 years with no sign of rancidity (i.e.,
no smell or taste of rancidity).  Since free radicals are the
by-products of lipid peroxidation, an oxidation-resistant oil
such as coconut oil should cause very little free radical
production in the body.  In contrast, the polyunsaturated fats
are quite prone to oxidation; if anything, they would be the most
likely suspects for free radicals.

Todd Moody
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