Is Coconut A Superfood?

[Daimyo]

Young coconut is great. I love it.

 

[forterpride]

Well, I jumped up to 5 tablespoons today. Let's see what happens. I was usually taking around 2.

Good day Charlie. I was wondering if you could report on how this jump in CO consumption turned out for you. I'm thinking about increasing the amount as well after reading the "leaching" post. Thanks for your time chap.

 

[DaveFoster]

Coconut isn't a super food. MCFA's are though.

I was up to 12 TBSP for a while, but I felt bloated.

 

[charlie]

Good day Charlie. I was wondering if you could report on how this jump in CO consumption turned out for you. I'm thinking about increasing the amount as well after reading the "leaching" post. Thanks for your time chap.

I don't remember what happened, it's been a while, but I did not stick with it.

 

[Bahaa El wazzan]

Is coconut a superfood?
http://www.news.com.au/news/is-coconut- ... 6479855288

A GROWING band of supporters – including some scientists - are singing the healing and restorative praises of coconut.

They cite research and evidence to back their arguments and claim this humble, hairy fruit contains properties that can prevent, or even cure, a wide range of ailments from heart disease to Alzheimer's.

They haven't convinced everyone: the Heart Foundation strongly disputes their claims and says coconut oil in particular is an unhealthy saturated fat and should be avoided. But retired CSIRO scientist and honorary research fellow at the University of Queensland, Mike Foale, says the Heart Foundation has got it wrong. Foale has been studying the coconut palm for more than four decades and believes coconut is a superfood.

"There is both scientific and abundant anecdotal evidence of great health benefits, including increased energy, weight loss, natural antibiotic activity, cholesterol reduction and insulin stabilisation," Foale says.

While the popularity of bottled coconut water could be described as a fad, Foale is a devotee of the oil. "Coconut oil is a staple for millions of tropical coastal people worldwide and those people do not suffer from heart disease while on their traditional diet," he says.

The case for coconut

"Coconut oil is the healthiest oil on earth," says Dr Bruce Fife, who runs the Coconut Research Centre in the US. While he doesn't dispute that the oil, extracted from the meat of mature coconuts, is mostly made up of saturated fat, Fife says scientific evidence shows it is a healthier version.

"Coconut oil is unique because it is composed predominately of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)," he says. "The size of the fatty acid is extremely important because physiological effects of medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are distinctly different from the long-chain fatty acids more commonly found in our diet.

"It's the MCTs in coconut oil that make it different from all other fats and, for the most part, gives it its unique character and healing properties. Few foods nowadays contain MCT. By adding coconut oil to your diet you can literally eat your way to better health."

He cites a long list of ways coconut oil has been found to benefit human bodies. He says it:
•Protects against heart disease by increasing good cholesterol and lowering the ratio of bad and good cholesterol.
•Helps treat malnutrition because it is easy to digest and absorb.
•Kills disease-causing bacteria, fungi, yeasts and viruses because of the antimicrobial effects of its fatty acids.
•Helps diabetics by slowing sugar release into the bloodstream.
•Prevents strokes and brain disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
•Boosts metabolism and increases energy because it is more likely to be burned as fuel than stored as body fat.

Click here to read rest of article.

Amazing Charlie

Thanks a lot

 

[Bahaa El wazzan]

Coconut isn't a super food. MCFA's are though.

I was up to 12 TBSP for a while, but I felt bloated.

Mcfa is medium chain tri glyceride ???

Coconut oil and butter grassfed are Mcfa

I didn't get what's your point

Would you please explain more

 

[Bahaa El wazzan]

I wish I could take that much CO. I use about 2T throughout the day. If I up it, I come down with a viral infection. As I understand it, some people are sensitive to high amounts of arginine compared to lysine. I seem to be one of these. I keep getting Herpes zoster (shingles) when I get a lot of arginine, even though I know coconut oil has antiviral properties. So, yes, it's a superfood for some but not for me.

For more on this controversy:

Coconut Oil - Nurture Wiki

Arginine in Co ?

 

[DaveFoster]

@Bahaa El wazzan

MCFA's are pro-metabolic, and particularly good for the brain and liver IIRC.

 

[Bahaa El wazzan]

@Bahaa El wazzan

MCFA's are pro-metabolic, and particularly good for the brain and liver IIRC.

ive been reading alot on this forum
i learned alot

so what are MCFAs ?
what are the best sources of it please ?

 

[DaveFoster]

ive been reading alot on this forum
i learned alot

so what are MCFAs ?
what are the best sources of it please ?

Let me google that for you

 

[Bahaa El wazzan]

Let me google that for you

hahahahahah thanks

 

[managing]

I realize this is a very old thread. But the original premise is intriguing: Can CO (or MCT) be utilized to maintain ketosis while simultaneously eating carbs?

From an RP perspective, it has promise. Losing weight, if one needs to, is obviously desirable (estrogen, serotonin, etc). But burning PUFA has always presented a paradox, because that is bad. However, burning CO/MCT along with PUFA, Peat himself has said the CO is protective and that this is THE way to get rid of PUFA.

So, in theory, this is good (if possible): Burn/

Yes thats 5 tablespoons with other foods. I do weight training 4 days a week and short sprints + kettlebell swings on varoius days (Short workouts to minimise stress). I seem to burn a lot of calories.

When I have coffee I have a tablespoon of coconut oil in it, I cook almost everything with it and I also just eat it straight off the spoon.

The body becomes more efficient at utilising fats for fuel when you stay in ketosis. That is why the experiment done in the 50s where they fed cattle tons of coconut oil they all became leaner and more active even though they were in calorie excess and should have put weight on. I would speculate that the massive amount of coconut oil was rapidly leaching PUFA + enabling the body to utilise ketones for energy pushing the cattle into oxidative metabolisms. Ray Peat mentions this experiment in his article on coconut oil. Not only does the body burn the ketones the liver produces, it starts burning off more body fat too, essentially going into overdrive. Im pretty sure there are plenty of studies on pubmed and other journals as to the reasons why.

The majority of excess ketones in the blood are excreted in the urine instead of being stored in the body for later use. This is why "Ketostix" you can buy let you know whether you are in a state of ketosis as when you pee on them they pick up the ketones in the urine.

This is anecdotal but I have read about so many people who have introduced high quantities of coconut oil into their diets and it has increased the rate of weight loss.

Ketones have been shown to be massively antibacterial and antiviral. (Paul Jaminet sites research on his site although I can't find it right now)

Ketones are the other fuel source that our brains can use for energy. Ketone bodies as a therapeutic for Alzheimer's disease. - PubMed - NCBI There is ongoing research into the use of ketones for dementia and other neurological diseases (Not that anyone here on a peat diet should have that issue!)

The therapeutic implications of ketone bodies: the effects of ketone bodies in pathological conditions: ketosis, ketogenic diet, redox states, insu... - PubMed - NCBI

Chronic in vitro ketosis is neuroprotective but not anti-convulsant. - PubMed - NCBI

Paul Jaminet talks about going into ketogenic states as a way to treat neurological ailments (Depression etc) due to the potential effects of what he believes is one cause - Bacterial brain infection. Although his approach differs to a Peatarian, having ketones in the body has benefits and seemingly no negatives (Unless on zero carb where ketoacidosis can occur). The neuroprotective and PUFA leaching effects of coconut oil make it a definite addition to my daily diet.

Paul on his site has talked about starting with a high dose each day ensuring ketosis and then reducing it gradually to find the lower limit where you remain in a mild ketogenic state without consuming vast amounts of coconut oil.

Im at work at the moment so this post is a bit rushed with not much cited research but there is lots out there.

- Ray Peat



http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/un ... oils.shtml

- Ray Peat

I realize this is a very old thread. But the original premise is intriguing: Can CO (or MCT) be utilized to maintain ketosis while simultaneously eating carbs?

From an RP perspective, it has promise. Losing weight, if one needs to, is obviously desirable (estrogen, serotonin, etc). But burning PUFA has always presented a paradox, because that is bad. However, burning CO/MCT along with PUFA, Peat himself has said the CO is protective and that this is THE way to get rid of PUFA. He assumes slowly over time. But MANY of us have not found that to happen. So, what if one can consume CO/MCT in such a way as to maintain ketosis and burn fat? Even if this is much slower than low carb, it would be desirable to actually see progressive results.

And I believe he has also attributed increased thyroid activity to CO (through increased utilization of cholesterol I think) .

So, in theory, this is good (if possible): Burn/reduce PUFA safely, lose weight, increase metabolism, all while suppressing stress hormones through proper carb consumption.

Thoughts? Experiences? Would powdered ketones have same effect?

 

[not_James_Bond]

Anyone still have a love for the Coconut oil, and regularly consume it??

Refined, or Virgin??