Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., F.A.C.N. in her article "Coconut:
In Support of Good Health in the 21st Century"
explains that
approximately
50% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are lauric acid.
Lauric
acid is a medium chain fatty acid, which has the additional
beneficial function of being formed into monolaurin in the human or
animal body.
Monolaurin is the antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal
monoglyceride used by the human or animal to destroy lipid-coated
viruses such as HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, various
pathogenic bacteria, including listeria monocytogenes and
helicobacter pylori, and protozoa such as giardia lamblia. Some
studies have also shown some antimicrobial effects of the free
lauric acid.
Also, approximately 6-7% of the fatty
acids in coconut fat are capric acid.
She also
stated that all
statements pointing that any
saturated fat is a dietary problem is not supported by evidence
(Enig 1993).
This
article is quite long and at the end, she said that coconut
products are of the greatest importance for the health of the entire
world for inedible and especially edible uses .
