Hi again,

Is anyone out there using Coconut Oil? I've read the hoopla on it and it appears sound, I'm wondering if it has any effect in practice .... in the WW program?

I'm not so sure I agree with "canola" oil being one of the oils you are suppose to add to your diet on WW, it seems to me that there are much better options...but then, I'm not a nutritionist!

Donna

Coconut oil is primarly saturated fats. Diets high in saturated fats predispose a person to atherosclerosis, heart disease, high cholesterol etc. I do not use coconut oil for this reason. Canola oil on the other hand has almost no saturated fats, which is why I cook with it.

According to the information on Coconut oil, all saturated fats are not created equally and coconut oil is actually very beneficial and good for you...and even helps lose weight. Here's one quote from one of the 100s of web sites:
"Saturated Fat ~ A Vital Ingredient for a Healthy Body: Over many decades coconut oil received bad publicity due to its saturated fat content, but research has shown that not all saturated fats are alike and coconut oil is unique in its structural make-up. It is not only the highest source of saturated fats (92%) but included in this is the highest source of saturated medium chain triglycerides (62%) of any naturally occurring vegan food source. Furthermore around 50% of these MCT’s are made up of lauric acid, the most important essential fatty acid in building and maintaining the body’s immune system. "

Research in the past was done on hydrogenated coconut oil...which isn't good for you.

There are sites about canola oil being bad (even deadly) for you...but I don't know how much fact there is to the claims. Nor for that matter to the claims about coconut oil, other than there seems to be research backing up at least some of the claims about coconut oil. I'd like to actually know someone that's using it and seeing results though...

Donna

donna, caitbeans is absolutely correct. your a nutritionist and you have no idea that coco oil is pure saturation? thats scary!

Read it again, I said I'm NOT a nutritionist

Donna

my apologies, you are correct. however that other stuff is hupla! i use it in very very small quanties on my hands bc i have thyroid related skin issues and coco oil is the only thing that helps it. however, its very very greasy bc its saturated fat therefore a very lil goes a long way.

Are you talking about coco butter? The stuff they make hand cream from and smells like chocolate?

I'm asking about cocoNUT oil. It's purported to help with weight loss and have health benefits besides.

Donna

I've been told by my doctor for years to use coconut oil. It's one of the only oils I will actually cook (I add other oils to foods, just not heated).

My last cholesterol reading was 146. My sisters are on cholesterol-lowering medications, so the genetic potential for me to have elevated cholesterol is certainly there. The only thing I am in charge of is my lifestyle component, which includes exercise and diet. I'm doing something right!

There's a lot of good information out there that supports the health benefits of coconut oil, so I encourage people to keep an open mind and do more research.

I've heard coconut oil is good for you. I found that out when I looked up Bugles snacks once... it's coconut oil that gives Bugles their unique flavor. A pre-diet favorite of mine

i had read about it on a makeup site about moisturizer for hair/body. i too found loads of info about it. i found it cheap (5.00) at walmart by the cooking oils, and the vigin in the health dept for ($10). i use the cheap stuff for the body and the good stuff i use 1 tblsp daily on my bagel, toast, what ever and i found that i do have increased energy. i am new to using it, so don't know about the other things yet. it goes along with the use of natural items, your body knows what to do with natural food. it goes back many generations to making our own food and eating from the earth.

I remember when saturated fat was the biggest deal... now it's trans fats. I've even heard on the radio that saturated fat is not as horrible for us as we once thought. Not that it's great, just that it's not as horrible.

Eitherway, I haven't tried coconut oil... didn't even know it existed. I just use plain old first press extra virgin olive oil

I was looking up information on this very subject just last week. Here is an excerpt from a site... (hope its okay to include the info here).

*Start
Believe it or not, you can lose weight while eating coconut oil!
You may be asking, "Isn't coconut oil bad for you?"

The history of coconut oil shows it got a bad reputation during the anti-fat crusade over 50 years ago.

Outdated studies using hydrogenated coconut oil saw an increase in cholesterol levels...and we all know that any hydrogenated fat is bad for you.

BUT...did you know there's a difference between 'regular' coconut oil and virgin coconut oil?

Unlike 'regular' coconut oil, virgin coconut oil is not hydrogenated and has no cholesterol. This is one of the healthiest fats to have in your diet.

Here's how you can lose weight with virgin coconut oil:



Increases Your Metabolism and Encourages Fat Loss


Virgin coconut oil is high in medium chain fatty acids (MCFA), also called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT).


Your body digests these fatty acids more easily than other fats. In fact, they follow a completely different pathway when eaten. They're sent directly to your liver to be metabolized and converted into a rapid source of energy.


This increases your metabolism, meaning more energy and faster weight loss.


Reduces Food Cravings


Low-fat diets make your body crave fat - so you're always hungry and experience food cravings. This won't happen when you get a good source of healthy fats (such as virgin coconut oil) in your diet. You'll feel full and satisfied, with no late-night munchies sneaking up on you.


Less food cravings means you eat less calories per day
*End

I started to use the "virgin coconut oil" this past week. I've eaten it right off the spoon when in a hurry - but I prefer to put it in a smoothie, where its in tiny bits as opposed to letting it melt in your mouth so you can actually swallow it.

Purchased some from the health food store and did not do a thing as far as I could tell.

Not a thing? Not even taste great and make cooking more easy with less fat overall? 'Cause that's what it does for me!

SoulBliss, LOL. Yes it tasted good but I did not notice an increase in my metabolism or fat loss.

What all do you cook with it? I would use it in my eggs in the mornings but that was about it.