IMHO, coconut oil is very healthy.

1. it does not break down easily from heat unlike oils that have a lot of
unsaturated fatty acids (olive oil, say)

2. caprylic acid has known anti-fungal properties, could help control the
yeasties

3. peoples in Malaysia and Indonesia have used palm oil and coconut oil for
a long time and do not have high rates of heart disease (except this could
be for other reasons of course.)

4. some people say it helps "raise metabolism" which can lead to increased
"fat burning."

I think it is more mythology about the supposed terrible oils like palm and
coconut oil. For some reason they hydrogenate these oils and I could
understand that these are very unhealthy. But the people who complain then
eat up synthetic margarine and "nutri ceuticals", so I can't give them much
credibility.

I used to use it all the time. Lately I use clarified butter because of the
flavor, great fat profile, and resistance to heat. Yes, I know it's not
paleo, but it has very few proteins in it.

I used to use coconut oil quite a bit. Now I eat coconut milk from a can
(without the preservative) during berries season. Berries and cream, yumm!

--Richard



----- Original Message -----
From: "Marianne Fuller" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 1:56 PM
Subject: [P-F] coconut oil


> does anyone have any thoughts/opinions/knowledge about coconuts and
coconut
> oil? I've read it is the worst of saturated oils, and I've read that it
has
> great healing properties or something. Pretty extreme on both ends . . .
>