Since the 1960s, coconut oil has been mistakenly described as unhealthy. The media reported on studies finding that tropical coconut oils were laden with artery-clogging fats. What went unreported was the fact that the coconut oil used in the studies was hydrogenated—not the virgin oil used for centuries as a staple food. Coconut oil is about 50 percent lauric acid, a rare medium-chain fatty acid found in mother's milk that supports healthy metabolism and is now being studied for its anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial health-protecting properties. Overall, coconut oil contains 92% saturated fats, and only 1% Omega-6, the fat Americans get way too much of. |
