Coconuts?

Monday, in the gym, a topic of conversation was a news release touting the benefits of coconut oil for Alzheimer's Dementia.  Since there has been periodic excitement about coconut oil as a cure for many things, including breast cancer, I thought it was worth a look.  The video can be viewed at http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/LJO190v1_WS. 


It describes how one patient who took coconut oil showed signs that the Alzheimer's "slowed considerably.  Some of his symptoms even reversed".  Isn't that, after all, what we all want.


BUT, when looking at a news release and the story of only one patient, I think, where is the data: the number of patients treated vs the controls, the risks and benefits, the evidence and verification, like being published in a peer review journal or several different labs reporting similar results?  I tried to find evidence elsewhere, in journals or by looking at the work of the two doctors in the video.  Perhaps there will be some evidence published in the future.  I was not convinced.




What do we know about coconut oil?  And could it have breast cancer prevention powers?  One tablespoon of pure coconut oil has 116 calories and 14 grams of fat!  Pure coconut oil is a source of plant saturated fat and most of that fat is medium chain triglycerides (MCT).  The "bad" saturated fats are from animals and are mostly long chain triglycerides (LCT).  MCT's have about 10% fewer calories by weight, are absorbed more readily, deposited in fat cells slower and are more quickly metabolized for energy.  So, some have studied coconut oil for weight loss, but the results have not been promising.  


The only study I could find specifically substituting coconut oil for cottonseed, sunflower or corn oil did show that changes in fat in rat diets could slow breast cancer development.  The authors note that other factors like differences in omega6 amounts might also be at work and I could find no follow-up studies from this 1996 article in Nutrition.  


So if you want to try coconut oil make certain that is is pure or virgin coconut oil and not processed.  It is when coconut oil is hydrogenated (processed to make it last longer on the shelf or look prettier on cakes, candies and coffee) that it becomes a trans fat, which is the worst kind of fat and to be avoided at all costs.




For now, lets stick with the best data we have:  


KEEP MOVING, BE LEAN and REGULARLY EXERCISE!