Coconut Central, THE HOME OF EVERYTHING FROM THE COCONUT PALM

Caribbean Enters Virgin Coconut Oil Market

2008-04-04T05:58:00.000-07:00

Being a person of Caribbean extraction, I have to say that I'm excited that one of the CARICOM nations is now entering the market. I know nothing of the quality of the product and if someone were to send me a bottle I would gladly review here. See the link above to the article. I have high hopes for this Jamaican virgin coconut oil

Marico of India Making Coconut Oil Sexy

2007-11-03T00:50:00.001-07:00

Rejuvenate yourself with Parachute Advansed hair massager

India Infoline News Service / Mumbai Nov 03, 2007 12:25

Use it post oiling your hair with Parachute Advansed to get the "Perfect Champi". Not only does it nourish your scalp and hair but it also relaxes you

Parachute Advansed brings to you a unique personal massager to help you make your ‘Champi’ personal and convenient. This personal massager comes to you as a combination pack with the Parachute Advansed 300 ml bottle. Use it post oiling your hair with Parachute Advansed to get the "Perfect Champi". Not only does it nourish your scalp and hair but it also relaxes you. Parachute Advansed coconut hair oil from Marico has been made especially keeping in mind the needs of your hair. It penetrates the hair roots better than other hair oils, strengthening your hair from within. With regular use of Parachute Advansed, hair strength is known to increase by up to 16%. What’s more, when applied pre-wash, Parachute Advansed reduces protein loss up to 28% and restores the health of hair. Use the Parachute Advansed Massager along with Parachute Advansed oil to loosen key pressure areas on your scalp, lulling you to a world of calm. The result – beautiful hair and a relaxed, beautiful you. The combo pack is specifically designed to cater to the needs of the modern woman. Now, be assured, you have a personal massager to help you beat that stress and keep you looking truly Gorgeous Hamesha!!! This combination pack is available at select outlets at just Rs. 99/- (MRP incl. of all

Filipina Beauty Guru praises VCO

2007-10-31T23:14:00.000-07:00

Cory power

By Nicolo F. Bernardo

IMAGINE being a granny and still gorgeous with an hourglass figure, flawless cream-white skin, clean health bill, and engagements here and there like a young busy-body. You’re never to go under the knife, exploit chemicals, or be like Snow White’s step mom. You need only time-tested wisdom and natural potions you could scour from your backyard.

Sounds like old maid fantasy?

Ask Cory Quirino, the country’s top beauty guru, who must have found the ambrosia to eternal youth despite being a lola. Indeed, she must be “naturally gifted,” and she credits that to her motto: “Go natural.”

Her advice: exercise, laugh, pray, take fruits and veggies, natural products, and her latest discovery: cracking the miracles of the coconut tree.

“It is the tree of life. The healthiest and most nutritious food you can eat,” the host of Studio 23’s The Good Life and dzMM’s Ma Beauty Po Naman shares. “The coconut is central to my advocacy.”

This presidential granddaughter of the late Elpidio Quirino happens to be the namesake of another president, Cory Aquino of the People Power Revolution. But eschewing politics, Quirino (real name Soccoro Alicia) is launching an all-Filipino beauty revolution through natural products she herself use and prove effective. She tells all with Standard Today.

Bearing fruit

It was 20 years back when Quirino found herself overweight. In “panic,” she hit the gym and committed herself into fitness courses. Eventually, Cory loved the works, mastered the how-to’s, and forever changed her lifestyle and eating habits.

“I lost 15 pounds in two weeks as I went vegetarian and hit the gym daily,” she remembers. “I have learned to be kinder to my body.”

About a decade after, her head-turning physique would call the attention of her gymmates who would eagerly ask her advice. She would meet them every after aerobics class until she decided to write them a book, Forever Young. From there she started her career as a beauty and fitness guru.

“I did not realize that this book inspired by a few ladies would address the common problems of thousands of Filipinas who were waiting for guidance. Eventually, it became a bestseller,” the former IBC-13 and RPN-9 broadcaster recalls. “Needy, helpless women inspire me. They are the ones who give me the motivation as I believe all Filipinas are beautiful and if they don’t feel that, I will show them how.”

Quirino’s regimen is simple: low fat, low sugar and sodium, low carbs, and high fiber such as fresh fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, or white meats like chicken and fish (boiled not fried). Drink soy milk and 10 glasses of water daily. Observe six hours of sleep. And exercise three times a week for at least 20 minutes.

“The foundation of beauty is health,” she quips.

In the latest edition of her book, Cory advises using natural remedies within every Filipino’s reach: banaba as blood cleanser; guava as mouthwash; garlic as antibiotic; yerba buena as analgesic; apple as tonic; pineapple as energy drink; citrus fruits for good skin; pansit-pansitan for rheumatism; ginger for stomach and throat problems; sambong for kidney stones; ampalaya to lower sugar levels; lagundi to cure cough, asthma, and fever; papaya to control bowels; carrots and tomatos to fight cancer; and introducing, the coconut.

“Because they are natural, they have no side effects and have no restrictions. In fact, my youngest follower is 10 years old, and the oldest, 70,” she says. “Interestingly enough, when they did a survey on my show Ma Beauty Po Naman, I got almost equal male and female audience.”

Secrets in a (coco)nutshell

Quirino endorses the coconut not only for its healthy meat and milk, but also for its all-in-one therapeutic oil, which is said to be so effective, it has promising cures for HIV/AIDS.

“The virgin coconut oil is without equal. It has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, and anti-viral properties,” she says. “What’s more, because of its lauric acid content, it’s almost like being given mothers’ milk. Our immune systems are boosted, metabolism jumpstarted, and our energy levels sustained.”

Three years ago, Quirino with Nutra Medica arranged to try concoctions and applications of VCO products that now bear her name: “Cocozen by Cory Quirino” in “Forever Young Kits.” She tried these on herself even before they could be approved for market.

“VCO is great for all skin types. The only difference is the amount one should use. Liberal for dry skin, minimal for oily.”

With VCO, one does not need separate anti-allergy, anti-aging, sunblock, skin whitener, moisturizer, and relief lotions. These are all properties of VCO. Its medium chain fatty acids fight harmful microorganisms. It also keeps connective tissues strong and supple to prevent skin sagging and wrinkling as it removes dead cells to restore damaged or diseased skin. Further, it protects from solar rays and reduces inflammations.

“It is the coconut (products) that will resurrect the Philippine agricultural economy and give hope to millions of Filipino coconut farmers and their families—easily, 15 million lives can be uplifted,” Cory stresses. “It is 100 percent Filipino. We should patronize it and make it part of our lifestyle.”

Quirino does so with her routine: hair care with Cocozen Hot Oil pack, Cocozen Body Oil after baths, Cocozen Facial Oil as moisturizer and make-up cleanser, Cocozen Hand and Foot Cream for softer hand and foot skin, Cocozen Roll-On rose (antiseptic) and citrus (aphrodisiac) scents for perfume, and the Cocozen Massage Oil to bust stress. The latter bagged the Best Product Award from the 4th National Coconut Festival and the 9th Cocoweek Celebraion in 2005. Cory Quirino’s coconut kits are now available in beauty carts.

But besides pampering her body, Cory is no vain. Living a primadonna lifestyle is not in her list.

Despite her busy schedule, she finds time to be the director of the Philippine General Hospital Foundation and the Volunteers for Crime and Corruption, vice president of Streetwatch Dial 117, fundraiser for Tuloy sa Don Bosco Home for Streetchildren, active member of the Rotary Club and El Shaddai Catholic charismatic community, and more. She takes her civic engagements as her means to be holistically healthy, mentally active, and quintessentially full of life.

“Wellness is the harmony of body, mind, and spirit,” she advises. “Therefore, what you believe you will become. So think healthy, think beautiful. And be happy.”

Coconut Oil and Milk Included in Hair Loss Remedy

2007-10-24T16:28:00.000-07:00

Home Remedies for Hair Loss that are both Easy and Safe
Nick Mutt

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=41095

Nick Mutt is an active writer on health related topics. He writes on alternative health and has contributed lot of articles on natural cure, ayurveda, massage, yoga and home treatments. His articles have been published on top article directories.

He has gained an expert authors status from many reputed author's society. He has published many e-books on men and women health care. He is also an active member of many social networks. His articles on home remedies for common ailments have gained tremendous popularity worldwide.

Some of his popular blogs are:

Natural Cures Blog

Home Remedies Blog

Erectile Dysfunction Treatments

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Nick Mutt
October 24, 2007

Many of us are concern about a common topic - hair loss. In this article I have tried to cover some of the common hair loss treatments that you can try even at home. These home treatments help in controlling your hair fall. Try them as they natural and safe.

Home Remedies for Hair Loss

• Soak fenugreek in deep pot of water throughout the night. Massage the liquid into the scalp and wrap with a cloth for three hours. Repeat everyday for one month.

• Massage the scalp with uncooked egg yolk, leave for one hour and wash.

• Boil one cup of water, add one teaspoon of mustard seeds, cook for five minutes, cool and drink.

• Boil rosemary leaves in water, strain and keep the liquid in a glass bottle. Use it to wash your hairs daily. You can also put rosemary water in a sprayer and spray your hairs every morning.

• Massaging scalp with coconut milk will nourish the hair and promote hair growth. Coconut milk is prepared by grinding the coconut shavings and squeezing them well.

Herbal Treatments for Hair Loss

• Amla oil - Amla helps in rejuvenating the hairs and promotes hair growth. It helps in redefining the root of hairs by facilitating the nutrition to them. It also helps in improving the circulation in the scalp when massaged on it as oil.

You can prepare amla oil by boiling dry amla pieces in coconut oil. It is considered as a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth. A mixture of equal quantities of fresh amla juice and lime juice used as a shampoo stimulates hair growth and prevents hair loss.

• Aloe Vera - It is believes that the regular use of aloe vera gel activates the production of nitric oxide and contains an enzyme known as superoxide dismutane. Some experts feel that these two substances combine to stimulate hair regrowth in those suffering from male pattern type baldness.

• Red pepper (Capiscum) - It helps to draw blood and nutrients to the scalp and encourages the release of histimines to stimulate cell division and hair regrowth.

• Safflower oil (Carthamus tinctorious) - Safflower oil applied to the scalp acts as a vasolidator that dilates blood vessels. This allows more blood to deliver nutrients to the hair follicle thus helps in promoting hair regrowth.

• Dong Quai - It is a traditional Chinese herb that contains phytoestrogens that reduces the formation of DHT. Hence, this herb is believed to stop hair loss and even regrow hairs.

• Saw Palmetto - It is a small creeping palm containing free fatty acids and phytosterols, which block the formation of DHT and by inhibiting the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that contributes to androgenetic alopecia.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Know more on Home Remedies for Hair Loss and various other ailments at http://www.home-remedies-guide.com for easy and effective home remedies for all common health problems from acidity to yeast infection.

Author misinformed about saturated fat and coconut oil.

2007-10-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

How To Reduce Saturated Fat
Nikhil Jain

Author's email:nikhiljain89@hotmail.com

October 23, 2007

To reduce the amount of saturated fat in their diets, many people choose foods and snacks whose labels say they are made with "100% pure vegetable oil" or "pure vegetable shortening." The assumption is that because it is a pure vegetable oil, it is free of saturated fat and healthier.

Several vegetable oils are more highly saturated than lard and beef fat. Coconut oil and palm kernel oil are the worst. They contain 86% and 81 % saturated fat, respectively, and they are widely used in snack items, such as crackers, chips, cookies, cake mixes, and granola bars. Individuals should look beyond the "vegetable oil" banner displayed prominently on many snack packages and scan the ingredients list for the words "coconut," "palm kernel," and "palm oil." Many items outside the snack aisle also contain palm or coconut oil. For instance, cool whip contains both palm kernel and coconut oils, making it more highly saturated than real whipped cream.

Experts recommend a diet that achieves a total fat intake of 30% of total calories or less, with 10% coming from each type of fat (saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated), and a cholesterol in take below 300 milligrams per day. For a person on a 2200 calorie diet, 73 grams of fat are allowed. Average levels of fat consumption of 116 grams per day for men and 75 grams per day for women are substantially higher than the DRV.

Because many foods, such as vegetables and fruits, have little or no fat, other foods can provide more than 30% fat and still fit into a healthy diet. Fortunately there is no need to calculate the percent of fat in each food item consumed. an occasional moderate serving of a high fat food favorite with low fat foods. Remember, the 30% fat-calorie recommendation is a maximum; aim for less fat grams, on average.

Suggestions for meeting these recommendations are as follows:

Limit meat, seafood, and poultry to no more than 5 to 7 ounces per day.

Use chicken or turkey (without the skin) or fish in most meals.

Choose lean cuts of meat, trim all the visible fat, and throwaway the fat that cooks out of the meat.

Substitute meatless or low meat main dishes for regular entrees.

Use no more than 5 to 8 teaspoons of fats and oils per day for cooking, baking, and preparing salads.

Choose foods that contain less than 3 grams of fat per 100 calorie serving.

Use low fat dairy products.

To control cholesterol, the following can be used as guidelines:

Use no more than four egg yolks per week, including those used in cooking.

Limit consumption of shrimp, lobster, sardines, and organ meats.

Avoid fried foods, substitute a cooking method other than frying (baking, grilling, broiling, roasting).

Jamaican man treats a AIDS patient with Coconut Oil.

2007-10-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

It's good to see more of this stuff coming out now.

From A raw deal
Published on: 10/14/07.
for full article:
http://www.nationnews.com/story/294891617358745.php

"Our first AIDS victim, who came in on a stretcher, was a dance teacher who was brought to us and he came into my office and I analysed him for two hours. We decided we needed to strengthen his blood first of all.

"We did that with an infusion of chlorophyll. Every half an hour, we pumped him with a glass of chlorophyll and within the first half hour, he was able to sit up. We continued with that and we started him on our anti-AIDS programme which is very simple: four tablespoons of pure coconut oil – it is done in the East.

"We gave him the coconut oil every 15 minutes with the chlorophyll. He was able to stand up, and in two hours he was on his way to Montego Bay to conduct a three-day dance workshop." said Sherrill, who further explained the healing power of the oil.

"We have an institute at university called the Tropical Research Institute and we ran a programme about 25 years ago on malnourished children from our innercity who were eating chicken backs and rice every day, which have no nutrition.

"What they did was cook the rice in coconut milk and oil. That study went on for two years and every single child's nutrition went up. They were no longer malnourished.

"All the vitamins, proteins, chlorophyll were in their systems, and the enzymes in their bodies became healthy.

"Coconut oil is anti-viral, anti-fungal and antibacterial. What we do is add garlic to our coconut oil and you have a perfect antidote for whatever.

"So the AIDS virus, which is an acquired immune deficiency, cannot live in a well oxygenated body that is full of coconut oil."

CSU Nutritionist Slams Coconut Oil

2007-10-17T11:33:00.000-07:00

If you should feel so inclined to drop her an e-mail after reading this article, her e-mail address is at the bottom of her article. People like her need to be corrected. Be nice so that she will become an ally.

Choose popcorn snack wisely and limit portion size
By Shirley Perryman
Article Last Updated: 10/16/2007 08:25:20 PM MDT

http://www.denverpost.com/lifestyles/ci_7187906

October is popcorn month, so consider this eye-popping fact: In 1957 popcorn came in a three-cup bucket at the movies. Today the large bucket holds about 16 cups!

Movie theater popcorn is likely less healthy to consume than the microwave variety. The larger the container, the more we're likely to eat. A large movie popcorn may contain 1,650 calories.

Ask at your local movie theater what kind of oil they use to pop their popcorn. Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, and partially hydrogenated oil is loaded with trans fat, so neither is recommended for people who want to eat heart-healthy.

Popcorn might be the world's oldest snack food, dating back at least 4,000 years. However, in those early years it was more likely eaten as a fine meal mixed with water. Today we consume 16 billion quarts of popcorn as a crunchy snack that comes in many forms including plain, sweet, savory and salty.

On the plus side for popcorn: It's a whole grain, which means it is loaded with fiber - 3.6 grams of fiber in three cups. Three cups of popcorn equals a 1-ounce whole-grain equivalent serving from the grains group, and 90 calories if air-popped, 165 calories if popped in oil and considerably more, around 300 calories, if topped with butter. Once it gets mixed with chocolate and caramel and all those other yummy, sugary add- ons, the calories go out of sight.

If you can't face eating dry popcorn, try this: Spray air-popped popcorn lightly with an oil spray and then sprinkle it with parmesan cheese, any plain or flavored salt, chile powder, garlic powder, dry ranch-style seasoning mix, lemon pepper or your favorite herbs. For a sweet twist try cinnamon, brown sugar or nutmeg.

You may have concerns about microwaving popcorn after hearing the recent news report about the man with "popcorn lung." Diacetyl flavoring is added to some butter-flavored microwave popcorn. When the diacetyl is heated and becomes a vapor and if it is inhaled into the lungs over a long period of time, it can cause the small airways in the lungs to become swollen and scarred. This appears to be an isolated case for a consumer who ate at least two bags of popcorn daily and inhaled the fumes of freshly popped microwave popcorn.

Err on the side of caution and do not breathe in the steam when opening the bag after microwaving. Diacetyl occurs naturally in foods such as cheese, cocoa, coffee and certain fruits. Diacetyl flavoring has also been approved for food use in foods besides popcorn and may be found in ice cream, beverages, candy and baked goods. However, the leading manufacturers of microwave popcorn are removing diacetyl flavoring from their products.

Keep in mind popcorn pitfalls before you indulge:

At the supermarket, choose light varieties to save on fat and calories. Read the nutrition facts label and the ingredient label to note the fat source. Choose those made with oils other than palm or coconut oil or partially hydrogenated fat.

Multiply the numbers for fat grams by the number of servings you are likely to consume. Just because the serving size as listed shows zero grams of trans fat, if you're likely to eat three times that amount, your saturated or trans fat intake can quickly go past zero to 1.5 grams. A manufacturer can show zero grams of trans fat per serving if it is less than 0.5 grams. Both saturated fat and trans fat are on the list of things to avoid or limit for heart health.

Regardless of what kind of popcorn you choose, keep your focus on portion size whether you're eating at home, at the theater or elsewhere. Deprivation isn't any fun, so if your portion size is large, consider sharing or saving some for later. Chosen wisely, popcorn is a healthful snack you can enjoy year round.

Shirley Perryman, M.S., R.D., is an extension specialist with the Colorado State University Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition: shirley.perryman@colostate.edu.

Devastated farming villages cash in on VCO

2007-10-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

Devastated farming villages cash in on VCO
By Jaymee T. Gamil
Inquirer
Last updated 11:31pm (Mla time) 09/23/2007

TIWI, Albay--Despite the setbacks caused by the consecutive typhoons last year, the coconut farmers of Bariis (village) and other upland villages here are finally off to an entrepreneurial venture of their own.

Last year, the Tiwi Coconut Farmers Association (TCFA) was set to open a communal coco coir processing plant as part of the livelihood program initiated by the multisector organization Tiwi Cooperation for Research and Development.

Chevron Geothermal Philippines Holdings Inc., which runs an energy plant in the municipality, earmarked a P250,000 grant as initial capital for the coco center.

The farmers of the remote hilly area were poised to stand firmly on their own feet. But nature seemed to have other plans. The super typhoons that lashed the region last year denuded their coconut farms, robbing them of their raw material and their budding plans for a stable livelihood.

Despite the loss, however, the TCFA knew it had to go on. "The funds were ready. We couldn't let them go to waste," TCFA president Vedasto Cerio said.

Cerio added that they even already had the venue for operation, referring to the Bariis Multi-Purpose Center donated by the Department of Agrarian Reform.

With the assistance of the Aquinas Foundation Inc., a nongovernment organization founded by the same Dominican university in Legazpi City, the livelihood program was reoriented from coco coir processing to virgin coconut oil (VCO) production.

The AQFI not only provided the means to acquire the coconuts needed but also drew up the preliminary marketing plan and budget allocation for the community's new business.

The Chevron grant was used largely to acquire a mechanical shredder, coconut milk extractor and purifier.

The remaining funds were used to buy containers and construct a fermentation room.

These new acquisitions were subjected to a test-run at the start of the month at the Bariis Multi-purpose Center, much to the excitement of the residents who milled around the facility to watch.

High value
Compared to other coconut products, VCO ensures high compensation even with meager resources, which is essential, since coconuts are still in low supply in the Bicol Region after the typhoons last year.

"Raw material processing and handicraft-making are the staple ventures in rural areas, but right now, it is important that our farmers aim for higher value products," said Luisa Marcelo, AQFI project manager.

VCO is commonly sold in the market as a natural health supplement and as cosmetics, such as soaps, massage ointments and aromatherapy oils.

According to engineer Emmanuel Raquid, technical staff member of the Aquinas Center for Community Extension Services, the Bariis facility is expected to produce 80 liters of VCO per day, to be priced at P150 per liter.

Primary buyer
The AQFI plans to be the facility's primary buyer and marketer.

Currently, they sell the VCO produced by a fledgling cooperative in Sangay, Camarines Sur.

The AQFI has started a line of massage and aromatherapy oils from the produce, marketing them for P100 to P150 per 100 ml bottle at the Our Lady of Manaoag Church in Pangasinan City, as well as the Aquinas Pharmacy branches in Legazpi City and Naga City.

Raquid said the AQFI looks to churches, particularly those that are Dominican-run, as the primary outlets for the VCO products.

'Recycled' resources
However, Raquid lamented that the market is currently limited to the local arena.

"To provide for an international market, we need 3,000 to 5,000 metric tons of VCO," he said.

This is a tall order, considering 800 coconuts a day are already needed to meet the 80-liter-per-day target at the Bariis facility.

"The Manaoag friars have been asking us for more VCO products, because they say there is an increasing demand for them. But we can't do anything but to ask them to wait," Raquid cited.

He foresaw that shortages would worsen in the near future.

Recycling coconuts
The AQFI compensates by "recycling" the coconuts they acquire, mostly from the Philippine Coconut Authority.

"We aid in other coconut-based social enterprises in other areas, one of which is a coco coir production facility in the Sorsogon province. The farmers there only strip off the husks but leave the coconut intact. When they are done, we pass the nuts to the Bariis facility for VCO production," said Raquid.

To further utilize the versatile coconut, he said they were encouraging farmers to make use of the discarded husks and meat for additional skills and income.

"The husks can be made into fertilizer, or turned into accessories. The meat could be dried, pulverized, then turned into coco flour," he said.

Social enterprise
The Bariis VCO facility is planned to be formally launched this month and will be directly benefited from, and operated by, the TCFA under the guidance of their multisector donors.

According to Cerio, the association currently has 32 members, all of whom are small farmers coming from different villages across the municipality--Lourdes, Sogod, Joroan, Misibis, Mayong and Dapdap.

However, he admitted that the association was still unregistered and that they were yet to organize into a cooperative, rendering them, for the meantime, ineligible for ownership, at least on paper.

"The facilities came before the association," he said, laughing.

He added he was thankful for the aid extended to them by the provincial and municipal governments, the DAR, the PCA, as well as AQFI and Chevron.

Raquid said even if the only ones to actually earn from the VCO facility were members of the association, the enterprise can create a ripple effect on the immediate community.

"The other residents in the community could buy the oil, then create and sell VCO products of their own," he pointed out, adding that in time, it could flourish into their own little businesses.

The AQFI has been planning to open another VCO processing facility in Daraga town.

"The bottom line of this venture is capability-building. What is important is that it empowers the grassroots and those that are in need," Raquid said.

'A fight about oil - for popcorn, that is' (This article misrepresents coconut oil)

2007-04-02T12:15:00.000-07:00

A fight about oil - for popcorn, that is
By John Horn and Sheigh Crabtree

Originally published March 13, 2007
The Baltimore Sun

LAS VEGAS // Jose Mier will be working the ShoWest convention floor in Las Vegas this week, peddling his Capital Churros to theater owners there for the annual convention. He envisions the fried and sugary snacks - about 16 inches long and stuffed with Bavarian cream, caramel and strawberries - spicing up movie theater concession stands across the nation.

He's joined by other vendors, exhibitors and distributors - some 2,700 of them - at ShoWest, which kicked off yesterday. ShoWest is the industry showcase for a variety of products - rug shampoo as well as the latest DreamWorks animated movie.

And while everyone is trying to figure out what the summer's biggest popcorn movie will be, theater owners also will be wrestling with another weighty question: What kind of grease should the popcorn be cooked in?

Theater owners are determined to give audiences a thoroughly modern experience, with stadium seats, surround-sound speakers and 3-D digital projectors. But when it comes to peddling Star Wars-era junk food, exhibitors remain stuck in an artery-clogging time warp, health experts say: Although concessions are largely trans-fat free, the caldron-sized portions are still loaded with toxic saturated fats and tooth-rotting sugars.

Even after a highly publicized 1994 study forced many theater chains to steer away from cooking popcorn in coconut oil, several leading exhibitors - including Regal and AMC - pop their kernels in the unwholesome oil.

"Most foods in concession stands are high in fat. We wish they would minimize portion sizes, but we'd really like to see the more dangerous elements removed," says Dr. Pat Crawford, an adjunct professor in the School of Public Health at UC Berkeley.

Mary Beth Sodus, a registered and licensed dietitian at the University of Maryland Medical Center's weight management and wellness center, says concession stands billing food as free of trans fat may be confusing customers.

"You shouldn't be told that if it's trans-fat free, it's OK," Sodus says. "When they use coconut oil, they can say they are trans-fat free. But coconut oil is 86.5 percent saturated fat."

The theater owners say they are only responding to consumer demand for hot kernels coated in the butter-flavored fat.

"The concession stand is an entertainment destination, just like a movie theater," says Larry Etter, the president of the National Assocation of Concessionaires and vice president of the Southern chain Malco Theatres. "You don't go there to work out like a gym."

John Horn and Sheigh Crabtree write for the Los Angeles Times.

More calories, less weight?

2007-03-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

This mentions the beautiful ladies in India who use lots of fat including Coconut oil and notes the good results.

See Bolded Text below.

More calories, less weight?

By Dan Vierria
McClatchy Newspapers

Complete Health Index

Deborah Arneson is divulging things we love to hear "" no to diets, yes to fats (the right ones), ditch the scales and increase calorie consumption.

Our reward for all this abuse? Fat loss, added muscle, gorgeous skin and the bliss of wiggling into that "snappy little dress," she says.

Arneson says she's basically done clinical studies for the past 20 years at her Healing Quest Center in Chicago. Among her findings, devouring larger quantities of the right foods gets results, while eating less on a diet guarantees failure.

A clinical nutritionist, host of Chicago TV's "Health Quest" and author of the new book "Fries, Thighs, and Lies: The Girlfriend's Guide to Getting the Skinny on Fat" (Basic Health Publications, $14.95, 172 pages), her mantra is diets ultimately make people fatter.

Rather than pounds registered on scales, the key numbers, she says, are waist-to-hip ratio, body-mass index, body fat percentage and daily calorie allowance. Her mission is to jump-start fat burning in clients through proper eating, sleeping, hydrating, detoxing and exercising.

Exercising? OK, not everything she advocates is so appetizing. You'll have to sweat some, too.

Here's what Arneson told us during a telephone interview:

Q: What do you have against diets?

A: Diets tend to be extreme. Most people don't eat enough, they turn off their metabolism and gain weight. We need body sugars, proteins and fatty acids. You go on a diet and take out one of those and you're going to do harm to the system.

Q: You say the low-fat approach is out of date. What's the modern advice on fats?

A: Eat fats, but only healthy fats. The ugly fats are trans fats, saturated fats. We need to choose polyunsaturated fats (also monounsaturated) from raw sources to lower our risks for certain diseases. Note: Sources of good fats include olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, most nuts, avocados and fish.

Q: Did you have some sort of epiphany?

A: I was on a mission to find out what worked and went to India 15 years ago. I saw lean, supple women in India eating avocados off trees like apples. They would use clarified butter to cook their rice. They'd cook fish in coconut oil. These women were beautiful, some in their 80s, with full cheeks, luminescent eyes, shiny hair. They used tons of oil in their cooking. With 1,500 calories a day, 750 of them from fat, they melted the fat away.

Q: If many fats are good for us, why do we still feel we should avoid fats in general?

A: Our phobia with fats makes no sense. Fat-phobic people age quickly. Fats calm down the central nervous system.

Q: Which foods help burn excess body fat?

A: Polyunsaturated fats, unprocessed foods, organic oils from raw seeds and nuts. Avocados are fabulous, and humus. Spicier foods, foods with ginger or cayenne.

Q: You claim we must exercise for more than 25 minutes at a time to lose fat. Why is that?

A: Between 26 and 30 minutes you begin to burn fat. I do 70 minutes, three to four days a week using a variety of equipment, elliptical, bike, treadmill, StairMaster and weights twice a week.

Q: Why do you oppose weighing on scales?

A: Weight is just a measurement. You can look in the mirror and tell. If you get on the scales, you're only measuring pounds of something "" bones, fat, water, clothing, hair. It's an ambiguous number that just gives a ballpark figure. Scale numbers can go up or down four or five pounds a day. One cup of water weighs a quarter of a pound.

Q: How often do you weigh?

A: Twice a year, on my birthday (July) and the day after Christmas.

Q: Name three foods you'd outlaw?

A: Anything with trans fats. Dairy products, because of bovine growth hormone that has been indoctrinated into the feed of our dairy cows. Corn and corn by-products cause a lot of fat storage.

Q: What's your personal food nemesis?

A: French fries. I buy �em at Whole Foods. I'm a sucker for onion rings, too.

Q: What would you want people to remember most about this interview?

A: Eat more, eat live (fresh foods) and don't fear the good fats.

Hot new coconut products to compete for dwindling raw material supply

2007-03-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

Mike Banos

March 22, 2007

The American Chronicle

Already reeling from increasing demand and decreasing production, authorities fear the full implementation of the bio-fuels law and new sunrise products could exert tremendous pressure on the country’s coconut production and raise prices of raw materials, eroding the country’s competitiveness in the global market.

“The mandated infusion of bio-diesel will increase pressure on copra production,” noted Luis G. Cruz, regional manager of the Philippine Coconut Authority during the Quarterly Regional Economic Situationer for Region 10 recently hosted by the National Economic Development Authority in this city. “Our present production is insufficient to meet the expected demand.”

The Philippines remains to be the only country in South East Asia to mandate the use of bio-diesel and would like to cut down on the US$4 billion it spent importing 77 million barrels of crude and refined petroleum products in 2005.

In a recent presentation at a biofuels forum hosted by this city, Mr. Andy Ulgado, DOE senior science research specialist, said the mandated shift to coco bio-diesel (coco-methyl-ester or CME) would result to savings of US$420,000 for government vehicles using one percent blend at a volume of 882,000 liters and US$41 million nationwide at a volume of 86 million liters. When the law requires the CME blend to rise to five percent, the country stands to save US$205-million at a volume of 429,400,000 liters.

However, while only five percent of the country’s coconut oil production or 70 million liters of coconut oil per year are needed to supply the required one percent blend for bio-diesel, increasing demand expected from other “sunrise” products such as virgin coconut oil and coconut sugar which have tremendous export potential could also exert even more pressure on the existing coconut production in the country.

Mr. Cruz said recent tests have shown that coconut sugar has a Glycemic Index (GI) of 35 which make it ideal for diabetics and a sure winner in the booming global health and wellness industry.

Joy Aster Gamolo, project consultant (not owner and manager as earlier reported) of Sphyte Global Enterprises, which is pioneering the production process and technology of coconut sugar as the One-Town, One-Product (OTOP) for Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, says the firm is now producing 3.5 metric tons a month from its two hectare pilot area but could easily transfer the technology to more areas in the province and region.

However, the increased production of virgin coconut oil and coconut sugar could adversely affect the present production of copra and coconut oil which supplies the raw materials for a major portion of the country’s exports since trees dedicated for the production of these products would no longer be available for the production of copra.

Consolidated figures released earlier this month by the Department of Trade and Industry in Region 10 show coconut-based products as the region’s top export item with 47% of the region’s export pie. The Mindanao Economic Development Council said crude and refined coconut oil also remained Mindanao's top export items in 2006 with coconut oil accounting for 85-95 percent of total coconut exports by volume and 80 percent by value. The Department of Agriculture estimates some 80 percent of local coconut production goes to the export market .

PCA figures for 2005 show Mindanao has 49.3 percent of the country’s coconut bearing trees, yielding 58 percent (8.6 million tons) of the country’s production.

Already, PCA figures show copra production in 2006 dropping 17 percent to 2.14 million metric tons (MT) from 2.6 million MT a year earlier. PCA Administrator Oscar Guarin attributed the decrease to aging coconut trees and damage from typhoons estimated to have reduced production by at least 300,000MT.

Although the PCA petitioned the Coconut Industry Investment Fund to release P300-million for the rehabilitation of typhoon-damaged coconut farms in Bicol and Eastern Samar, only P100 million was approved, which led to a further reduction in output by 100,000MT, Mr. Guarin said.

Mindanao will play a key role in the country's bid to increase the use of biofuels although an energy department official says the Philippines has a long way to go to match other countries performance in the field.

“Although the Bio-fuels law mandates the use of bio-ethanol and coco-diesel, we are still in our infancy compared to other countries like Brazil,” said Energy Undersecretary Mariano Salazar said in a recent forum. “We have a lot of hard work ahead of us and there remains a strong opposition to the use of biofuels in the country.”

Coconut oil and its converts (surprisingly balanced)

2007-03-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

Coconut oil and its converts

Many now embrace it for a range of ills, contrary to warnings about its saturated fat

BY BETH DECARBO
Special to Newsday

This article can be found here

It's amazingly balanced for someone who sounds as reluctant as this girl does. She doesn't go into lauric acid's antiviral properties.

I would not have written the article this way, but I'm very biased. Her article nevertheless shows that the mainstream media is taking notice of our product.

VIDEO: Healing Powers of the Coconut - The (Local) Mainstream media is telling the truth now.

2007-03-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

Of course I would have told them more than what's on the video, but it's a good start.

Caption on site:

"You may know about the coconut's ability to heal dry skin, but did you know it's good for your insides too? As FOX's John Hammarley reports, despite common belief, the coconut isn't filled with fat that's bad for you."

VIDEO: Healing Powers of the Coconut

Taking Guilt Away From Eating Chocolate- (Mentions Virgin Coconut Oil ....see bold text)

2007-03-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

If you love chocolate, KXAN has a story for you. Right before Valentine's Day, KXAN's Kate Weidaw was in Whole Foods, and there were samples of this chocolate called Innocent Chocolate.

It was unlike anything Weidaw had ever tasted before. Since she is a self-proclaimed chocoholic, when she noticed this new product, she just had to check it out.

Inside the Hill Country health food store in Marble Falls, something delicious is being made.

"It took about a year and a half to really come up with the final recipe," said Innocent Chocolate President Elaine McDaniel.

McDaniel came up with the recipe that takes the guilt out of eating chocolate. That's why it's called Innocent Chocolate. And it's unlike anything on the market.

"And what we decided to do is take the cocoa powder, which is separated from the cocoa butter, and add the rich coconut oil to it and some other 100-percent organic, healthy ingredients," said Innocent Chocolate Vice President Rosita Alvarez.

And like most unique inventions, this was born out of necessity, or in McDaniel's case, a health crisis with her thyroid.

"And in her research, she discovered that virgin coconut oil was rich in lauric acid, which supports the thyroid function. Well, she needed to eat a lot of it, so she turned it into chocolate," said Alvarez.

To keep it all natural, agave nectar replaces sugar.

"Well, agave is a low-glycemic sweetener, so people that have blood sugar issues can generally enjoy it," said McDaniel.

But in order for this chocolate concoction to go from kettle to bar, it has to be placed into molds and frozen.

"And we found that the frozen texture that melts just like a ganache truffle center was so appealing and so delicious, we kept with it frozen, and we've created a whole new frozen novelty," said Alvarez.

This two-woman business with some part-time help does it all.

Thanks to word of mouth, the small-country store product can now be found in 27 stores in Central Texas, including Whole Foods on Sixth Street.

"Together, we created $13,000 in retail sales in the first three weeks in the store, which is pretty unheard of for a new product or a local product," said Alvarez.

If you still feel guilty about eating chocolate after seeing this, think of it this way.

"It's really a food item. It's just a pleasant food item," said McDaniel.

Coconut Smallholders Urged To Diversify Downstream Activities

2007-03-12T07:06:00.001-07:00

Coconut Smallholders Urged To Diversify Downstream Activities

BAGAN DATOH, March 11 (Bernama) -- Coconut smallholders have been urged to diversify their downstream activities to generate higher income from their coconut harvest.

Deputy Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said to achieve the objective, the smallholders should learn modern farming techniques from the Malaysia Agriculture Research and Development Institute (Mardi) which had also produced ground-breaking researches in agriculture products.

"Besides coconut milk, products like kerisik (pounded fried coconut) and minyak kelapa dara (virgin coconut oil) are highly demanded in Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

"Local entrepreneurs must seize the opportunity to market the products by improving their packaging quality to be of international standard," he said when opening an agriculture products gathering centre costing RM52,000 at Kampung Sungai Nipah Darat here today.

Zahid who is also the Bagan Datoh Member of Parliament said by diversifying the products, the smallholders could free themselves from the shackle of poverty when the commodity price drops.

He also advised the smallholders to become Area Farmers Organisation (AFO) members to enable them to get the guidance and advice as well as loans from financial institutions.

Smallholders who had produced coconut based products should extend their network through smart partnership to widen their markets.

On the agriculture gathering centre, he said it had generated a revenue of about RM2 million and asked penghulus and other AFOs to set up such facilities as smallholders were showing keen interest to go into downstream activities.

Medicinal Properties of Coconut Oil

2007-03-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

Roughly 45 to 50% of fatty acids are called Lauric acid. It is a fatty acid that is 12 carbons long and it is saturated. It is known as a medium chain fatty acid or MCFA. Lauric acid is known to kill viruses and bacteria that are enveloped in a phospholipid membrane. Examples of viruses with a fatty capsule are: influenza viruses and HIV to name a few. The cold virus has no phospholipid membrane. Hepatitis does, however.

People began researching the properties of Lauric acid in a coconut oil context when reports circulated of individuals being 'cured' of AIDS upon prolonged and continued oral ingestion of the oil. Additionally, Crohn's diseases sufferers found that they felt better by eating two coconut macaroon cookies (of a certain high coconut brand) a day.

The PCA, Philippine Coconut Authority conducts trials on AIDS/HIV patients. The treatment which seems to work is 3 tablespoons of coconut oil taken 3 times daily, a total of 9 tablespoons over the course of 6 to 8 weeks and then a maintenance dose of 3 tablespoons a day from thence onward.

Patients with full blown AIDS have gone to simply HIV positive. HIV patients have considerably reduced their viral loads. Some patients have gone to 'undetectable' which simply means that the viral count is nonetheless there, but too small to count given the method utilized.

Coconut itself contains about 75% fiber, not bran fiber from wheat and grains (which contains phytic acid that absorbs calcium and other mineral from your body before it is excreted), but dietary fiber that feeds beneficial colon flora. As the fiber is metabolized by the naturally occurring bacteria, they., by default, crowd out other potentially harmful pathogens and produce short chain fatty acids (SCFA's) like acetic acid (minute amounts of vinegar and butyric acid (originally isolated in butter) both compounds are known to have varying degrees of antimicrobial activity. These fatty acids are absorbed directly into the colon and serve as energy in that way. butyric acid has been shown to have anti-tumor properties.

The story that I read in 2002 which I cannot find anymore tells of a guy whose name is unimportant because it was changed anyway to protect his identity. He had full blown AIDS and had prepaid his funeral. This is in 1997 btw. He went to Suriname and stayed in a village of Indians (Amerindians or East Indians I know not...it wasn't written by anyone from the Caribbean). There he grated the equivalent of half a coconut and ate it with his cereal every single day for what seems to me a few months. He went back home feeling fine and his viral count was undetectable. Every day back in the US, he eats that cereal and is reported to be doing fine.

There are vendors in the US who sell VIRGIN coconut oil, which is processed by a labor intensive means that retains the original coconut scent. Most of this oil is made in the Philippines, (hence all the research done by the PCA), Indonesia and many Pacific Islands. There are several types of production methods that I've researched that I won't get into.

Tropical Traditions, based out of the US, is the first vendor to market virgin coconut oil. They sell a 454g tub (16 oz) for roughly 16-18 USD retail.

From 2001 till now every health food store in the US now sticks virgin coconut oil or vco. There's already a lot of competition in the marketplace and there are brands all over the place, hence the commoditization of the product.

Coconut oil does not contribute to heart disease in any way. US and Canadian Soy, Corn and Canola oil interests have banded together and spent large amounts of money to buy science supporting false claims against saturated fats in general. Our bodies use saturated fats structurally, to store energy and to perform bodily functions like absorbing oxygen from the atmosphere. Polyunsaturated fats weren't even considered food before WWII. Canola or rape seed oil was used in varnishes because since it is unsaturated, it oxidizes quickly and hardens. It is a fact that plaque tha collects and hardens in one's arteries isn't just cholesterol, it's OXIDIZED cholesterol. Saturated fat can't form plaque because it can't oxidize. Saturated means that there's no place for an oxygen molecule to attach itself.

Polynesians and native pacific peoples have used coconut oil for generations since time immemorial. It's never hurt them. They've only started getting obese when "White man's food" became their principal diet. Among Europeans and Americans, high incidence of heart disease only appeared after unsaturated plant fats replaced traditional dietary fats. I don't claim a complete causal relationship here, but it's part of the reason.

Any coconut oil that was scientifically proven to be harmful to humans or animals was HYDROGENATED. We now know that any hydrogenated oil is full of TFA's or trans-fatty acids. What's the difference between the hydrogenated coconut oil that we were told was evil (minus and not told all the information) and the Hydrogenated vegetable and cottonseed oil that Margarine and crisco are made from? Coconut oil is from abroad and must be imported and vegetable oil and cottonseed oil is from the US of A. Now you know........ the REST of the story.