Coconut fat could ward off diabetes

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Rex Features

According to new research quoted in the Daily Mail, a diet rich in coconut oil could ward off Type 2 diabetes.



The oil, used in foods such as margarine, helps prevent

insulin resistance - this is where muscle and fat cells stop reacting to insulin, the hormone that helps to mop up excess sugar in the blood.



Australian scientists used mice to compare the effects of coconut oil-rich foods with a lard-based diet, consumed by many in the developed world.



The results showed that mice fed coconuts were much less likely to develop resistance to insulin. Previously, coconut oil has had a mixed reception because it is high in saturated fat, which is linked to high cholesterol.



But coconut fat is now known to be made up of so-called 'medium chain' fatty acids, regarded as healthier than the long-chain fatty acids found in animal products such as butter or lard.

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Tuesday 22 September 2009

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