Once the villain, coconut oil now a charm

Sep 23, 2013 News

– scientists now know what grandmother knew all along

By Rehana Ashley Ahamad
There has been much controversy surrounding the benefits of coconut and its byproducts. Years ago, our fore parents not only utilized the various components of coconut to make food, but they also sold the nuts in order to provide for themselves and their families.
Despite what our ancestors thought they knew about this “great” product, overseas based scientists, just a few years ago, deemed especially coconut oil as being “very unhealthy”.

A must have in the Guyanese kitchen –
the coconut grater

In speaking with my grandmother, Zabeda Ahamad, she explained that ever since the revelation that coconut oil was bad for health, many, herself included, converted to vegetable oils.
“Coconut oil bin good yes. Everybody used to mek it and use it fuh cook. But then after the white people seh it bad, everybody start buying bottle oil. But me personally bin always know that coconut was good. Me grow up knowing that,” my 71-year-old grandmother said.
She explained that when I was a kid, my parents used to grate coconut for her (my grandmother) to make oil to cook with.
My grandmother noted too that her mother, (my great grandmother) had always cooked with coconut oil, and that she lived a long healthy life. “One, two people does still cook with coconut oil though,” she said.
Admittedly, I have intense dry skin, and for many years now, my grandmother would lament the need for me to use coconut oil. She would say- “yuh think cream and all them fancy things could get yuh skin good? No! me keep telling yuh fuh rub coconut oil pon yuh skin, yuh nah hear. Da the best thing; use it and yuh guh see how good yuh skin guh get.”
I believe that that is true, because my sister uses it, and the good results are evident. I have always abstained from the use of coconut oil, mainly because of its smell.
But my grandmother yesterday explained however, that usually, the coconut oil we buy from supermarkets is not always fresh, thus developing the ‘funky’ smell.
“Them coconut oil that people does buy these days, most ah them does be rancid. You gah get freshly made coconut oil; dah don’t smell bad,” my grandmother explained, advising that I use coconut oil after it is freshly made.
But it appears that the scientists have now discovered the value of this product, something that my grandmother and other elders always knew. The humble coconut is now a darling of the natural-foods world, dominating Guyana’s agricultural exports in 2012.
Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy had said that the coconut industry is one of the sectors with large potential for further development.
In 2011, coconut earned hundreds of millions of dollars, as the sector produces over 92 million nuts annually. Coconut is the third leading export product, behind sugar and rice. It is in vast demand on the international market.
The scientists who once said coconut oil is unhealthy because of its high saturated fat content, now say that the fat in coconut oil is a unique and different from most other fats. They now say that this oil possesses many health giving properties, and is gaining long overdue recognition as a nutritious health food. Coconut oil can not only be used to prepare food, but it is also used in the process of making medicine.
Coconut oil was even described as “the healthiest oil on earth”.
It is now being said that the saturated fatty acids in coconut oil are predominately medium-chain fatty acids. It does not have a negative effect on cholesterol and helps to protect against heart disease. According to the scientists, it helps to lower the risk of both atherosclerosis and heart disease.
It was reported on various online websites, including the New York Times, that people whose diets are naturally very high in unrefined coconut foods, show surprisingly low incidences of cardiovascular disease.
The various articles published suggest that the only thing better than coconut oil, is extra virgin coconut oil.
More and more locals are beginning to appreciate the benefits of coconut oil. While they are not cooking with it as was the case before, persons are investing in the byproducts of coconut.
Some of these products included roofing tiles made from coconut husk, extra virgin coconut oil, coconut base wine, coconut butter, coconut flakes, ornaments, jewelry, and kitchen utensils.

2 thoughts on “Once the villain, coconut oil now a charm”

Besmart September 23, 2013 at 3:33 pm

I was never a PNC supporter but we must give credit where it is due. These are the things that Mr LFSB was trying so hard to teach this nation how to use our own resources . but there is an old saying better late than never..Thank you Mr LFSB for teaching this nation the true meaning of the word { Independence}
Mia Gordon Travel Writer September 24, 2013 at 12:08 am

Personally I love coconut oil, I use it in lots of my natural skincare recipes and in baking. Its great for Alzheimer’s prevention and for health in general