What is so special about extra virgin coconut oil?

Answer 1

VIRGIN COCONUT OIL HAS NOT BEEN HYDROGENATED. (HYDROGENATION IS A CHEMICAL PROCESS WHICH ADDS HYDROGEN BONDS TO A MOLECULE. THE FOOD INDUSTRY HYDROGENATES MANY VEGETABLE OILS TO LENGHTEN SHELF LIFE (DECREASE SPOILAGE) AND ADD A MORE BUTTERY TASTE. IF COCONUT OIL IS NOT SPECIFICALLY NAMED "VIRGIN," CHANCES ARE VERY GOOD THAT IT HAS BEEN HYDROGENATED. HYDROGENATED FATS ARE "TRANS FATS" AND ARE KNOWN TO CONTRIBUTE TO Heart disease. In health circles, coconut oil has become a subject of controversy. The Food and Drug Administration advises consumers to avoid coconut oil, a saturated fat. The American Medical Association agrees that saturated fats should be limited in our diets. Evidence in favor of coconut oil has not yet met the FDA’s standards for recommendation; studies are regarded as either inadequately controlled or not extensive enough to be conclusive. Coconut oil's main component is saturated fat. “Saturated fatty acids tend to raise levels of LDL cholesterol (‘bad’ cholesterol) in the blood. Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol are associated with heart disease,” according to the FDA. A heart-healthy diet does not exclude saturated fat; rather, an appropriate balance of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats is best. Only a mixed-fat diet promotes a healthful ratio of LDL to HDL—the “good” cholesterol—and lowers the risk of heart disease.. However, processed or “partially hydrogenated” coconut oil is unhealthy. The fact is that when coconut oil is hydrogenated it becomes a trans fat, and trans fats are bad news. Trans fats have been closely associated with heart disease because they not only increase LDL cholesterol but impede the body’s ability to utilize HDL. Unless you are using virgin coconut oil, the only coconut oil in your diet may be hydrogenated, since that’s the form it takes in snack foods and nondairy creamers. It’s been suggested that coconut oil bolsters the immune system. Coconut oil may have properties like a natural antibiotic that renders some viruses, bacteria and fungi inactive. The work of Mary G. Enig, a biochemist who also has a doctorate in nutritional sciences, is often referenced by coconut oil enthusiasts. Enig says that the body uses an ingredient in coconut oil to make the disease-fighting substance monolaurin. (Read her speech "Health and Nutritional Benefits From Coconut Oil”). Infants use breast milk to make monolaurin, which may help prevent them from getting certain infections. According to the FDA, which has strict guidelines for validating the health benefits of foods and drugs, it “has not been petitioned to review claims for coconut oil.” More strongly, the Department of Health and Human Services sends warning letters to Web sites that market coconut-oil products based on therapeutic claims. The assertion that coconut oil can cure hypothyroidism appears to be untrue. The idea that coconut oil could cure an underactive thyroid was promoted in a 2003 article in Woman’s World magazine as well as other materials on coconut oil; however, the sources for these pieces have been questioned. According to experts at Mayo Clinic, “there is no evidence that coconut oil stimulates thyroid function. In fact, some research suggests that coconut oil may have a negative impact on the thyroid.” Used in moderation and in its virgin, unprocessed form, coconut oil may ultimately be revealed as a harmless, neutral food. But the dust is still settling on this battlefield. (information furnished by SG, a registered dietitian)

Answer 2

Coconut oil is a good source of health saturated fats, and medium chain fatty acids such as Lauric, Caprylic, and Capric acid. These fats are used as energy for the body, and the oil is good for a low carbohydrate diet.

Answer 3

"Virgin" in the name of any oil refers to the fact that it comes from the first pressing or extraction of the oil from the source, in this case coconut.

Answer 4

it is used in my Hair

it is good

I recommend you to use it.=)