I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts!

Coconut Oil is the No. 1 most stable oil for cooking at high temperatures.

What’s in coconut oil?

According to http://www.manitobaharvest.com/nutrition/index.asp?itemID=183 , coconut oil is ~91% saturated fatty acids, ~7% monounsaturated fatty acids, ~2% omega-6 fatty acids and zero omega-3 fatty acids.

According to McCance and Widdowson's “The Composition of Foods”, the fatty acid composition of coconut oil is as follows:-

Name(:0=sat, :1=mono, :2=poly, n6=omega-6) Quantity (%)
Caprylic Acid (C8:0)___________________________7.5
Capric Acid (C10:0)____________________________7.1
Lauric Acid (C12:0)___________________________47.7
Myristic Acid (C14:0)_________________________15.8
Palmitic Acid (C16:0)__________________________9.0
Stearic Acid (C18:0)___________________________2.4
Arachidic Acid (C20:0)_________________________1.0
Palmitoleic Acid (C16:1)_______________________0.4
Oleic Acid (C18:1)_____________________________6.6
Linoleic Acid (C18:2 n6)_______________________1.8

Won’t all that saturated fat give me a heart attack?

Whether or not you get coronary heart disease depends on your whole diet. According to http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/34/8/1552.pdf , Pukapukans got 26% (male) to 30% (female) of their total Calories from saturated fats. Tokelauans got 47% (male) to 49% (female) of their total Calories from saturated fats. Tokelauans had total serum cholesterol 35-40mg/dL (0.9- 1.03mmol/L) higher than Pukapukans.

As Tokelauans were getting about seven times more energy from saturated fats than the 7% that current healthy eating guidelines recommend, they must have been dropping like flies from coronary heart disease or strokes, right? Wrong! To quote:-
“Vascular disease is uncommon is both populations and there is no evidence of the high saturated fat intake having a harmful effect in these populations.”
How come? Well, if you look at the rest of the Tokelauans’ diet, you’ll see virtually no refined sugar or cereal products. Basically, they weren’t eating any junk. When Tokelauans migrated to New Zealand, their sat fat intake fell to ~41% of total calories but as they were eating more refined carbs & sugar, their lipid profile got worse.

What are the benefits of coconut oil?

Medium-chain fatty acids are metabolised rapidly without passing through the liver and they provide a quick source of energy for muscles. There is some evidence that medium-chain fatty acids stimulate the thyroid gland to secrete more T4 & T3 which can be an aid when cutting. There is also some evidence that Lauric Acid has anti-bacterial & anti-viral properties. Coconut oil is also good for the skin when rubbed in.

Where can I buy coconut oil?

Don’t buy cheap coconut oil. It’s almost certainly Refined, Bleached & Deodorised which detracts from its health benefits. The best coconut oils are Organic Virgin Oils. Some good on-line sources are
http://www.fresh-coconut.com/ ,
Coconut Oil UK and
http://www.revital.co.uk/product_search.cfm?searchString="Nutiva+Organic+Extra+Virgin+Coconut+Oil"

In addition, check-out Rosso's Blog on Saturated oils.