CategoriesCoconut Oil

Book Review – “The Coconut Oil Miracle” by Bruce Fife

If a 250 page book has to be written exclusively on one product, without much repetition, making full sense with understandable logic, by veteran nutritionist, then this should suggest how miraculous the product (Coconut Oil) should be. Now, why isn’t there a similar book that talks about the so called healthy and widely used oils like Sunflower Oil, Soyabean Oil or Hydogenated Oils (Vanaspati)?

Book is smartly organised because the author understands that readers have been misinformed so far. In the first chapter he works on dispelling the deeply held myths. In the next he builds the foundation by discussing about the basic of fats and human body. In each of the subsequent chapters he discusses each one of those benefits giving scientific reasons and examples. To conclude he guides the reader on how one can buy and use coconut oil.

Summary of the book
The truth about the miraculous benefits of coconut oil has been hidden by the western companies to protect their business interests. Tropical oils like Coconut Oil and Palm Kernel oils used to be popular in America and was a threat to their domestic soyabean oil industry. In order to popularise their products they had to somehow prove that tropical oils were bad. So they funded a research to say that coconut oil contains saturated fats and saturated fats are the cause for heart related diseases. They proved this by testing using a hydrogenated fat on rat. Later the went on a massive campaign against tropical oils and promoting their oils. The domestic edible oil companies made their monies but with it went the health of average american. He has acquired obesity, heart disceases and many others.

Saturated fats are highly stable as all the carbon atoms have formed bonds with hydrogen atoms and carbon atoms bond with each other through stable single bonds. Unsaturated fats have a few double bonds between carbon atoms and they are free to break down into toxic free radicals and oxidation causing rancidity. Oxidation and free radical formation are accelerated when heat, light and pressure is applied. That is why Coconut oil can be stored conveniently for 2 years while other oils hardly last 6 months.

Fatty acids have chains of varying length of carbon atoms ones with less than 12 carbon atoms are medium chain and more than 12 atoms are long chain. Shorter the length easier it is to digest. Fatty acids found in coconut oil are medium chain and they are quickly digested by lever to get energy while other fats are stored. That is why replacing other oils by coconut oil can promote weight loss. Also coconut oil is used by athletes who need quick burst of energy.

Coconut Oil has excellent anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties with no side effects. That is why it is among the ultimate natural medicine. If people come to know of this the pharmaceutical companies will lose business big time. Coconut Oil is used in most Ayurvedic therapies and ancient Indians were aware of the benefits. AIDS has no cure and AIDS patients are advised to consumer coconut oil as it gives them immunity that they severely lack.

Coconut Oil is a great anti-oxidant, removes dead cells and gives complexion to skin and hair. It is very good at preventing premature aging of skin.

Coconut Oil can be Virgin or refined(RBD – Refined, Bleached & Deodorized). Virgin is one which is extracted by least amount of processing, it has the natural coconut smell and taste. In Refined version it is subjected to about 200 degree heat and chemicals, it is bland and will not overpower the taste of food on which it is used. Author recommends the Virgin Coconut Oil.

This is just a summary and the book contains a lot more interesting facts and analysis to make for a fascinating reading. I personally am both delighted and angered on reading the book. Delighted because I have grown up (still continue) consuming coconut oil for all purposes (edible and cosmetic). Never knew such wonderful properties of coconut oil. Angered because the american companies, doctors have maligned people from consuming coconut oil into unhealthy refined and hydrogenated oils. The author or I don’t suggest that Coconut Oil is the only healthy oil. Other healthy fats are Butter/Ghee, Olive Oil, Til Oil and Palm Kernel Oil in raw form. But Virgin Coconut Oil is the healthiest of all.

Read the book online @ Google Books

Buy the book @ flipkart.com

2 Comments

  1. I wanted to know, whether the book is available in Marathi.

  2. Wanted to read in Marathi

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *