Coconut Oil : An Important Functional Food

The health and nutritional benefits COVER STORY
derived from coconut oil are
unique and compelling. Although
Mary G. Enig is an expert of international renown in the
the baker and food processor have
recognized the functional advantages of
field of lipid biochemistry. She has headed a number of
coconut oil in their industries, over most
studies on the content and effects of trans fatty acids
competing oils, for many years, I believe
found in coconut oil and has successfully challenged
these benefits are underappreciated today
assertions that dietary animal fat causes cancer and heart
by both the producer and the consumer.
It is time to educate and reeducate all those
disease. Recent scientific and media attention on the
who harbour this misinformation.
possible adverse health effects of trans fatty acids has
Historically, coconuts and their
brought increased attention to her work. Mary Enig has
extracted oil have served man as important
been vehemently arguing for the nutritional values of
foods for thousands of years. The use of
coconut oil for the past several years. This article
coconut oil as a shortening was advertised
contains excerpts from the study she presented at various
in the United States in popular cookbooks
at the end of the 19th century. Both the
seminars in Kerala as well as other parts of the world.
health-promoting attributes of coconut oil
and those functional properties useful to
Coconut Oil:
the homemaker were recognized 100 years
ago. These same attributes, in addition to
some newly discovered ones, should be
of great interest to both the producing
An Important
countries as well as the consuming
countries.
Heart hypothesis
Functional Food
For the past several decades you have
heard about animal and human studies
Dr. Mary.
Dr.
G.
Mary. Enig
G.
feeding coconut oil that purportedly
showed increased indices for
cardiovascular risk. Blackburn et al (1988)
have reviewed the published literature of
coconut oil’s effect on serum cholesterol
and atherogenesis and have concluded that
when ...[coconut oil is] fed physiologically with
other fats or adequately supplemented with linoleic
acid, coconut oil is a neutral fat in terms of
atherogenicity. After reviewing this same
literature, Kurup and Rajmohan
(1995)(Dr. T.Rajmohan and Kurup are
Thiruvananthapuram based researchers.
They contribute their latest views on the
topic in separate articles in this issue-
Editor.) conducted a study on 64
volunteers and found ...no statistically
significant alteration in the serum total cholesterol,
HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL
cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio and LDL
cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio of triglycerides
from the baseline values... A beneficial effect
of adding the coconut kernel to the diet
was noted by these researchers.
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How did coconut oil get such a
negative reputation?
The problems for coconut oil started
four decades ago when researchers fed
Cholesterol Q&A
animals hydrogenated coconut oil that was
purposefully altered to make it completely
devoid of any essential fatty acids. The
hydrogenated coconut oil was selected
Q: At what age should one start ???????????????????????????????????????? Because a diabetic’s risk of having a
instead of hydrogenated cottonseed, corn
having his cholesterol checked?
heart attack is typically as high as a
or soybean oil because it was a soft enough
A: Experts recommend that all adults
person with heart disease, their LDL
fat for blending into diets due to the
over the age of 20 have their
goal and cholesterol-lowering
presence of the lower melting medium
cholesterol measured at least once
treatment are the same as for someone
chain saturated fatty acids. The same
every 5 years.
who has heart disease. High
functionality could not be obtained from
Q: Does menopause affect cholesterol
triglyceride and low HDL levels are
the cottonseed, corn or soybean oils if
levels?
often present in people who have
they were made totally saturated, since all
A: Yes. Before menopause, women
diabetes. After an LDL goal has been
reached, attention may have to be paid
their fatty acids were long chain and high
usually have total cholesterol levels
to the high triglyceride and low HDL
melting and could not be easily blended
that are lower than those of men the
levels.
nor were they as readily digestible.
same age do. As women and men get
Q: How does smoking affect one’s
The animals fed the hydrogenated
older, their blood cholesterol levels
risk?
coconut oil (as the only fat source)
rise until about 60 to 65 years of age.
In women, menopause often causes
naturally became essential fatty acid
A: Smoking affects heart disease by
an increase in their LDL-cholesterol
deficient; their serum cholesterol levels
working together with other risk
and a decrease in their HDL-
increased. Diets that cause an essential
factors to increase your risk even
cholesterol level, and after the age of
fatty acid deficiency always produce an
further. Smoking has been shown to
50, women often have higher total
increase in serum cholesterol levels as well
raise LDL cholesterol levels and speed
cholesterol levels than men of the
up atherosclerosis.
as an increase in the atherosclerotic
same age.
indices. The same effect has also been seen
Q: What can I do to cut back on
Q: Can stress affect one’s cholesterol
when other essential fatty acid deficient,
cholesterol and fatty foods?
levels?
highly hydrogenated oils such as
A: For about a week, write down
cottonseed, soybean, or corn oils have
A: The word “stress” refers to the
everything you eat and drink. Also
been fed; so it is clearly a function of the
condition that results from a person’s
write the time you ate, where you ate,
hydrogenated product, either because the
response to physical, chemical,
and what you were doing and thinking
emotional, or environmental factors.
oil is essential fatty acid (EFA) deficient
????????????????????????????????
when you ate. By creating a diary, you
It can mean physical effort as well as
or because of trans fatty acids (TFA).
will see patterns you may not have
mental tension. All people feel stress
Coconut oil as part of the
known existed, such as eating when
differently and react to it in different
normal diet
you’re feeling stressed or when you’re
ways.
bored. When you’re aware of what’s
Kaunitz and Dayrit (1992) have
Stress may play a role in raising
going on, it’s much easier to change
reviewed some of the epidemiological and
cholesterol by affecting an individual’s
it. Say YES only to foods high in fiber
experimental data regarding coconut-
habits. Some people try to console
(fruit, vegetables).
eating groups and noted that the available
themselves during stressful periods by
Q: Can children have high cholesterol?
population studies show that dietary coconut oil
overeating or eating foods with high
does not lead to high serum cholesterol nor to
fat content or by smoking. It is the
A: It is possible for children to have
high coronary heart disease mortality or morbidity.
saturated fat and cholesterol in these
high cholesterol. While very few
They noted that in 1989 Mendis et al
foods combined with smoking that
children have it, about 90% of those
reported undesirable lipid changes when
contribute to high cholesterol. Instead
who do have a parent with elevated
young adult Sri Lankan males were
of trying to relieve stress with high-
levels. It is important to check a child’s
changed from their normal diets by the
fat foods or cigarettes, try exercise. It
level if a parent has high cholesterol
substitution of corn oil for their
can be a healthy way to reduce your
or if there is a family history of early
customary coconut oil. Although the total
stress levels.
heart disease.
serum cholesterol decreased 18.7% from
Q: How can diabetes affect one’s
The best course of treatment is to
179.6 to 146.0 mg/dl and the LDL
cholesterol?
make family-wide changes in diet and
cholesterol decreased 23.8% from 131.6
A: Having diabetes is a strong risk
exercise habits. Also, it is best to start
to 100.3 mg/dl, the HDL cholesterol
factor for developing heart disease.
these habits at an early age.
decreased 41.4% from 43.4 to 25.4 mg/
KERALA CALLING May 2004
13

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dl (putting the HDL values below the
Halden and Lieb (1961) also showed
as corn oil or safflower. Both groups fared
acceptable lower limit) and the LDL/
similar results in a group of hyperchole-
better than the untreated controls.
HDL ratio increased 30% from 3.0 to 3.9.
sterolemics when coconut oil was included
More recently, Sundram et al (1994)
These latter two changes would be
in their diets. Original serum cholesterol
fed whole foods diets to healthy normo-
considered quite undesirable. As noted
levels were reported as 170 to 370 mg/dl.
cholesterolemic males, where
above, Kurup and Rajmohan (1995)
Straight coconut oil produced a range
approximately 30% of energy was fat.
studied the addition of coconut oil alone
from 170 to 270 mg/dl. Coconut oil
Lauric acid and myristic acid from coconut
to previously mixed fat diets and report
combined with 5% sunflower oil and 5%
oil supplied approximately 5% of energy.
no significant difference.
olive oil produced a range of 140 to 240
Relative to the baseline measurements of
Previously, Prior et al (1981) had
mg/dl.
the subjects prior to the experimental diet,
shown that islanders with high intake of
Earlier, Hashim and colleagues (1959)
this lauric and myristic acid-rich diet
coconut oil showed no evidence of the high
had shown quite clearly that feeding a fat
showed an increase in total serum
saturated fat intake having a harmful effect in
supplement to hypercholesterolemics,
cholesterol from 166.7 to 170.0 mg/dl
these populations. When these groups
where half of the supplement (21% of
(+1.9%), a decrease in low density
migrated to New Zealand however, and
energy) was coconut oil (and the other half
lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from
lowered their intake of coconut oil, their
was safflower oil), resulted in significant
105.2 to 104.4 mg/dl (-0.1%), an increase
total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol
reductions in total serum cholesterol. The
in high density lipoprotein cholesterol
increased, and their HDL cholesterol
reductions averaged -29% and ranged
(HDL-C) from 42.9 to 45.6 mg/dl
decreased.
from -6.8 to -41.2%.
(+6.3%). There was a 2.4% decrease in
the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio from 2.45 to
2.39. These findings indicate a favorable
alteration in serum lipoprotein balance was
achieved when coconut oil was included
in a whole food diet at 5% of energy.
Tholstrup et al (1994) report similar
results with whole foods diets high in
lauric and myristic acids from palm kernel
oil. The HDL cholesterol levels increased
significantly from baseline values (37.5 to
46.0 mg/dl,) and the LDL-C/HDL-C
ratios decreased from 3.08 to 2.69. The
increase in total cholesterol was from
154.7 (baseline) to 170.9 mg/dl on the
experimental diet.
When unprocessed coconut oil is
added to an otherwise normal diet, there
is frequently no change in the serum
cholesterol although some studies have
shown a decrease in total cholesterol. It
appears from many of the research reports
that the effect coconut oil has on serum
When coconut oil was
cholesterol is the opposite in individuals
Bierenbaum et al (1967) followed 100
deliberately fed to human
with low serum cholesterol values and
young men with documented myocardial
beings.
those with high serum values. We see that
infarction for 5 years on diets with fat
Some of the studies reported thirty and more
there may be a raising of serum total
restricted to 28% of energy. There was
years ago should have cleared coconut oil of any
cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and
no significant difference between the two
implication in the development of coronary heart
especially HDL cholesterol in individuals
different fat mixtures (50/50 corn and
disease (CHD).
with low serum cholesterol. On the other
safflower oils or 50/50 coconut and
hand there is lowering of total cholesterol
For example, when Frantz and Carey
peanut oils), which were fed as half of
and LDL cholesterol in
(1961) fed an additional 810 kcal/day fat
the total fat allowance; both diets reduced
hypercholesterolemics as noted above.
supplement for a whole month to males
serum cholesterol. This study clearly
with high normal serum cholesterol levels,
showed that 7% of energy as coconut oil
Studies that supposedly showed a
there was no significant difference from
was as beneficial to the 50 men who
hypercholesterolemic effect of coconut oil
the original levels even though the fat
consumed it as for the 50 men who
feeding, in fact, usually only showed that
supplement was hydrogenated coconut oil.
consumed 7% of energy as other oils such
Contd... on page 28
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May 2004 KERALA CALLING

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Coconut Oil: An Important Functional Food
The lauric acid in coconut oil is used
by the body to make the same disease-
Continued from page 12
fighting fatty acid derivative monolaurin
that babies make from the lauric acid they
coconut oil was not as effective at lowering
of the adenocarcinomas in the colon, but
get from their mothers= milk. The
the serum cholesterol as was the more
in the small intestine animals fed coconut
monoglyceride monolaurin is the
unsaturated fat being compared. This
oil did not develop any tumors while 7%
substance that keeps infants from getting
appears to be in part because coconut oil
of animals fed olive oil did.
viral or bacterial or protozoal infections.
does not drive cholesterol into the tissues
Studies by Cohen et al (1986) showed
Until just recently, this important benefit
as does the more polyunsaturated fats. The
that the nonpromotional effects of
has been largely overlooked by the medical
chemical analysis of the atheroma shows
coconut oil were also seen in chemically
and nutrition community.
that the fatty acids from the cholesterol
induced breast cancer. In this model, the
Recognition of the antimicrobial
esters are 74% unsaturated (41% is
slight elevation of serum cholesterol in
activity of the monoglyceride of lauric
polyunsaturated) and only 24% are
the animals fed coconut oil was protective
acid (monolaurin) has been reported since
saturated. None of the saturated fatty
as the animals fed the more
1966. The seminal work can be credited
acids were reported to be lauric acid or
polyunsaturated oil had reduced serum
to Jon Kabara. This early research was
myristic acid (Felton et al 1994).
cholesterol and more tumors. The authors
directed at the virucidal effects because
coconut oil to prevent coronary
of possible problems related to food
heart disease?
preservation. Kabara (1978) and others
There is another aspect to the coronary
have reported that certain fatty acids (e.g.,
heart disease picture. This is related to the
The various
medium-chain saturates) and their
initiation of the atheromas that are
governments of coconut
derivatives (e.g., monoglycerides) can have
reported to be blocking arteries. Recent
adverse effects on various
producing countries
research is suggestive that there is a
microorganisms: those microorganisms
need to put pressure
causative role for the herpes virus and
that are inactivated include bacteria, yeast,
cytomegalovirus in the initial formation
on WHO, FAO, and
fungi, and enveloped viruses.
of atherosclerotic plaques and the
UNDP to recognize
The medium-chain saturated fatty
recloging of arteries after angioplasty.
the health importance
acids and their derivatives act by disrupting
What is so interesting is that the herpes
of coconut oil and the
the lipid membranes of the organisms. In
virus and cytomegalovirus are both
particular, enveloped viruses are
other coconut products.
inhibited by the antimicrobial lipid
inactivated in both human and bovine milk
monolaurin; but monolaurin is not formed
Coconut oil fits
by added fatty acids (FAs) and
in the body unless there is a source of
the designation of a
monoglycerides (MGs) as well as by
lauric acid in the diet. Thus, ironically
very important
endogenous FAs and MGs.
enough, one could consider the
functional food.
The properties that determine the anti-
recommendations to avoid coconut and
infective action of lipids are related to their
other lauric oils as contributing to the
structure; e.g., monoglycerides, free fatty
increased incidence of coronary heart
acids. The monoglycerides are active,
disease.
diglycerides and triglycerides are inactive.
Perhaps more important than any
noted that “...an overall inverse trend was
Of the saturated fatty acids, lauric acid
effect of coconut oil on serum cholesterol
observed between total serum lipids and
has greater antiviral activity than either
is the additional effect of coconut oil on
tumor incidence for the 4 [high fat]
caprylic acid (C-10) or myristic acid (C-
the disease fighting capability of the
groups.”
14).
animal or person consuming the coconut
This is an area that needs to be
The action attributed to monolaurin
oil.
pursued.
is that of solubilizing the lipids and
Cocunut oil and
Anti microbial
phospholipids in the envelope of the virus
cancer
benefits from
causing the disintegration of the virus
In a study by Reddy et al (1984)
envelope. In effect, it is reported that the
coconut oil
straight coconut oil was more inhibitory
fatty acids and monoglycerides produce
than MCT oil to induction of colon
I would now like to review for you
their killing/inactivating effect by lysing
tumors by azoxymethane. Chemically
some of the rationale for the use of
the (lipid bilayer) plasma membrane.
induced adenocarcinomas differed 10-fold
coconut oil as a food that will serve as
However, there is evidence from recent
between corn oil (32%) and coconut oil
the raw material to provide potentially
studies that one antimicrobial effect is
(3%) in the colon. Both olive oil and
useful levels of antimicrobial activity in
related to its interference with signal
coconut oil developed the low levels (3%)
the individual.
transduction.
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Some of the viruses inactivated by
Lauric acid in foods
effective in reversing severe weight loss
these lipids, in addition to HIV, are the
Whole coconut as well as extracted
in AIDS patients, but it is discontinued
measles virus, herpes simplex virus-1
coconut oil has been a mainstay in the food
when the patients leave the hospital
(HSV-1), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV),
supply in many countries in parts of Asia
because it is not sufficiently palatable for
visna virus, and cytomegalovirus (CMV).
and the Pacific Rim throughout the
oral use. The more widely promoted
Many of the pathogenic organisms
centuries. Recently though, there has been
enteral formulas (e.g., Ensure7, Nutren7)
reported to be inactivated by these
some replacement of coconut oil by other
are not made with lauric oils, and, in fact,
antimicrobial lipids are those known to be
seed oils. This is unfortunate since the
many are made with partially hydrogenated
responsible for opportunistic infections in
benefits gained from consuming an
oils.
HIV-positive individuals. For example,
adequate amount of coconut oil are being
concurrent infection with cytomegalovirus
How much lauric acid ?
lost.
is recognized as a serious complication for
Based on the per capita intake of
It is not known exactly how much food
HIV+ individuals. Thus, it would appear
coconut oil in 1985, the per capita daily
made with lauric oils is needed in order
to be important to investigate the practical
intake of lauric acid can be approximated.
to have a protective level of lauric acid in
aspects and the potential benefit of an
For those major producing countries such
the diet. Infants probably consume
adjunct nutritional support regimen for
as the Philippines, Indonesia, and Sri
between 0.3 and 1 gram per kilogram of
HIV-infected individuals, which will utilize
Lanka, and consuming countries such as
body weight if they are fed human milk
those dietary fats that are sources of
Singapore, the daily intakes of lauric acid
or an enriched infant formula that contains
known anti-viral, anti-microbial, and anti-
coconut oil. This amount appears to have
always been protective. Adults could
probably benefit from the consumption
of 10 to 20 grams of lauric acid per day.
Growing children probably need about the
same amounts as adults.
Further action
The coconut oil industry needs to
make the case for lauric acid now. It should
not wait for the rapeseed industry to
promote the argument for including lauric
acid because of the increased demand for
laurate. In fact lauric acid may prove to
be a conditionally essential saturated fatty
acid, and the research to establish this fact
around the world needs to be vigorously
promoted.
protozoal monoglycerides and fatty acids
were approximately 7.3 grams
Although private sectors need to fight
such as monolaurin and its precursor lauric
(Philippines), 4.9 grams (Sri Lanka), 4.7
for their commodity through the offices
acid.
grams (Indonesia), and 2.8 grams
of their trade associations, the various
No one in the mainstream nutrition
(Singapore). The intake of lauric acid from
governments of coconut producing
community seems to have recognized the
coconut oil in Kerala ranges from about
countries need to put pressure on WHO,
added potential of antimicrobial lipids in
12 to 20 grams per day (Eraly 1995),
FAO, and UNDP to recognizes the health
the treatment of HIV-infected or AIDS
whereas the average for the rest of the
importance of coconut oil and the other
patients. These antimicrobial fatty acids
country is less than half a gram. An
coconut products. Moreover, those
and their derivatives are essentially non-
average high of approximately 68 grams
representatives who are going to do the
toxic to man; they are produced in vivo
of lauric acid is calculated from the
persuading need to believe that their
by humans when they ingest those
coconut oil intake reported in (1981) for
message is scientifically correct. Because
commonly available foods that contain
the Tokelau Islands. Other coconut
it is.
adequate levels of medium-chain fatty
producing countries may also have intakes
of lauric acid in the same range.
Among the critical foods and nutrition
acids such as lauric acid. According to the
“buzz words” for the 21st Century is the
published research, lauric acid is one of
Only one US manufactured enteral
formula contains lauric acid (e.g.,
term “functional foods.” Clearly coconut
the best “inactivating” fatty acids, and its
Impact7); this is normally used in hospitals
oil fits the designation of a very important
monoglyceride is even more effective than
the fatty acid alone.
for tube feeding; it is reported to be very
functional food.
KERALA CALLING May 2004
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