I always thought that saturated fat in coconut oil would pose a health threat to the body. But this belief was challenged when I read the October 2005 issue of The Whole Dog Journal about coconut oil's multiple benefits for dogs. And by the time I finished reading the book The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife,C.N.,N.D., my earlier belief was turned completely upside down. I now feel that coconut oil is actually good for our health and also for our pet's health. I learned that eating coconut oil can give you many health benefits.

What makes the saturated fat in coconut oil so different from all the other fats such as animal fats and other vegetable oils is that coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). Medium-chain fatty acids are unique in that they are used predominantly for energy production and seldom end up as body fat. They aid weight loss, not weight gain. Medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid -- all of which provide health benefits to our body. For example, medium-chain fatty acids are found in mother's milk to protect babies from getting viral or bacterial infections. It has been reported that the Pacific Islanders who consume traditional coconut-based diet on a daily basis rarely develop degenerative diseases westerners commonly experience. Those islanders have been observed "lean and healthy" in spite of their large consumption of saturated fat of coconuts.

There seem to be countless health benefits you can get from coconut oil. I recommend reading the book The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife,C.N.,N.D. The author explains in plain words why coconut oil is different from all the other types of oils. You can also visit www.coconutresearchcenter.org for more information.

I learned that there are indeed different kinds of fats. In my kitchen, more coconut products have been added lately. I also share some with my dog occasionally.