|
Archives
Aug 1-31, 2003
In celebration
of Coconut Week
Coconut: More than just a thirst quencher
by Ma. Lizbeth J. Baroña
 As
part of its 2nd Coconut Festival, and in celebration
of its 17th Coco Week, the Philippine Coconut Authority
(PCA) held a forum on the health benefits of coconut,
at the PCA Auditorium, August 27.
The day-long event saw three presentations
on the health benefits of products from coconut. The
presentations featured the Natural Benefits of Coconut
by Dr. Conrado S. Dayrit; Frequently Asked Questions
about the Coconut Virgin Oil by Ms. Merle A.Villanueva;
and The Nutritious Flour from Coconut by Dr. Trinidad
P. Trinidad.
In an inspirational message, Bureau of
Agricultural Research (BAR) Director William C. Medrano
reiterated BAR's commitment to provide resources for
researches that can directly benefit the coconut farmers.
"PCA, as a leading partner of BAR in this pursuit,
will continue to receive financial assistance from BAR,"
pledged Dr. Medrano.
Department of Health (DOH) Assistant
Secretary Dr. Juanito Rubio, in his keynote address,
acknowledged the 'life-giving' promise of coconut, as
it has been decades ago. He pointed out some of the
benefits of coconut, citing the anti-fungal, anti-viral,
and anti-bacterial properties of the lauric acid found
in coconut oil. He also said that he appreciates the
fruits of researches belying past misconceptions about
coconut oil. This was one of the reasons why the coco-industry
is suffering, he said.
Forum proper
Dr. Conrado Dayrit presented a comprehensive paper on
the health benefits of coconut. He first touched on
the hardships the coco-industry went through, and categorically
blamed politics for those hardships.
He cited the coco-methyl ester, or coco-diesel,
as complete fuel substitute or as fuel additive, that
is anti-pollutant. Dr. Dayrit talked about 'bukolysis'
of buko water. He said buko water could reduce the size
of kidney stones, by breaking up the enzyme that holds
the stone together, making them easier to flush out
of the body.
Coconut oil, he said, is the 'best oil
in creation'. It is an immediate source of energy, especially
for people involved in sports. He explained that coconut
oil belongs to the medium chain triglycerides (MCT),
a property that makes its conversion to energy faster.
Coco-oil promotes weight loss, prevents bacterial, fungal,
and viral infections, supports the immune system functions,
and improves digestion for faster metabolism.
A farmer-leader from the crowd offered
to help in the promotion of coconut oil in the countryside.
This was after a fellow farmer gave a personal testimony
on the effectiveness of coco-oil in curing fungal infections.
Dr. Trinidad P. Trinidad of the Department
of Science and Technology (DOST) said the flour from
'sapal', a by-product of the coconut milk is a good
source of dietary fiber and is comparable to other sources
of dietary fiber like oat bran and flaxseed. It has
also been shown to prevent chronic diseases.
She cited the results of this study to
provide scientific basis in the development of coconut
flour as functional food. Reviewing the definition of
coconut flour and setting up an accreditation scheme
for producers for product uniformity were among those
suggested in the open forum.
Virgin coconut oil (VCNO), according
to Ms. Merle Villanueva of DOST, can only be produced
using fresh coconut meat. She added that, numerous studies
show VCNO to be beneficial to the body similar to that
of a mother's milk. Both contain lauric acid that helps
in the fight against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
It also strengthens the immune system.
The recommended daily dosage for VCNO,
according to Ms. Villanueva, is three tablespoons, but
this should be taken in small doses, especially for
first timers. It may cause diarrhea, especially for
people who are used to 'low-fat' diet.
Suggestions were made for the classification
and grading of VCNO, the establishment of basis for
pricing, marketing, and setting quality standards for
VCNO.
The forum was conducted to create awareness
on the contributions of coconut to human health; to
identify the opportunities of coconut as a health product;
and to mobilize partners in the development and promotion
of coconut as a functional health product. 
August 1-31 2003 Articles:
:: DA, DOST converge for agri-fisheries dev’t...
::
Coconut: More than just a thirst quencher
::
Medrano keynotes HARRDEC RDE symposium
::
Vitamin E in Bt corn?
::
Bt gains popularity in the Philippines
::
769 new agriculturists DA Sec Lorenzo graces oath taking
::
BAR receives 159 papers for the 15th NRS
::
ICRISAT DG presents successes vis-à-vis vision
::
Bringing in China’s super hybrid corn
::
Detecting chemical contaminants in canned tuna and rice
::
Bio-organic fertilizers: cheap soil relief
::: More August 2003 articles :::
|
