Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Coconut Milk Revealed as Super-Healthy & Non-Fattening

By Russell Eaton


Coconut milk made from the flesh of the coconut and the coconut juice is absolutely delicious and is bursting with super-healthy nutrition. Best of all, coconut milk is non-fattening compared to dairy milk.

It used to be thought that because coconut oil is saturated it is therefore bad for your health - but this is not so. Past research was often based on hydrogenated coconut oil, rather than virgin coconut oil, thus giving a false impression that it was fattening and bad for health. Also, it was not realized that some saturated fats end up as surplus body fat while others get used up as energy or broken down to unsaturated fats, depending on their atomic structure.

All the modern research shows coconuts to be a great source of healthy nutrition. Although about a third of the white coconut flesh is technically classed as saturated fat, most of this fat is made up of MCFA's (fatty chains that are burnt up as energy rather than ending up as body fat). Because of this, coconuts are increasingly used in weight-loss regimes.

About 50% of these MCFA's are made up of lauric acid. This is the most important essential fatty acid in building and maintaining the body's immune system. The only other rich dietary source of lauric acid (apart from coconut oil) is human milk.

Coconut milk provides an excellent source of nutrition in any weight loss regime because the saturated fat is made up of short-and medium-chain fatty acids that are easily and quickly assimilated by the body - they are not stored as fat in the body like the long chain fatty acids in dairy products.

'One of the remarkable things about coconut oil is that it can help you lose weight.' Dr. Mary G. Enig, (Ph.D. in nutritional sciences), USA.

'In tests, animals which ate just a little pure unsaturated oil were fat, and animals which ate a lot of coconut oil were lean. The anti-obesity effect of coconut oil is clear.' Dr. Raymond Peat (scientist and biochemist), USA.

So although coconut milk may be high in so-called saturated fat, it is a good source of nutrition in any weight loss regime because most of the fat is used up as energy instead of being stored as fat. Coconut milk contains calcium and good for your bones, it is highly nutritious, and it helps build up a strong immune system to ward off disease and illness.

All the recent research is showing that coconuts are rich in many vitamins, minerals, and health promoting oils.

Anybody can make coconut milk at home quickly and easily once you know how. No special equipment is required. When you experience the cool, luxurious, absolutely delicious flavor of coconut milk you will always want it again and again.

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