Wellness Foods + Supplements 1/2022
Wellness Foods & Supplements is the first European magazine devoted exclusively to health ingredients, nutraceutical foods and beverages. Questions about the trade magazine Wellness Foods & Supplements? Interested in subscribing or advertising? The board of editors at Wellness Foods & Supplements kindly remains at your disposal.
Wellness Foods & Supplements is the first European magazine devoted exclusively to health ingredients, nutraceutical foods and beverages.
Questions about the trade magazine Wellness Foods & Supplements? Interested in subscribing or advertising? The board of editors at Wellness Foods & Supplements kindly remains at your disposal.
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Oil and fats<br />
Photo © : AdobeStock/anaumenko<br />
Valuable fats<br />
Virgin coconut oil and MCT oil: effective<br />
energy suppliers<br />
The coconut is a real all-rounder:<br />
the nectar of its flowers yields valuable<br />
coconut sugar, whilst refreshing<br />
coconut water is obtained from green<br />
and unripe coconuts. Coconut milk is<br />
a prized vegan and lactose-free milk<br />
substitute and the fatty flesh of the<br />
coconut is used to make many pro ducts<br />
besides milk, such as high-quality<br />
virgin coconut oil and special MCT oil.<br />
These oils are particularly valuable for<br />
their medium-chain fatty acids, since<br />
this makes them important suppliers of<br />
energy. Import Promotion Desk (IPD)<br />
supports Sri Lankan producers of virgin<br />
coconut oil and MCT oil and accompanies<br />
them to the European market.<br />
Special fatty acids<br />
Once the coconut is cracked, the inside<br />
comes to light. If the coconut is ripe this<br />
consists mainly of fruit flesh, with very little coconut water left.<br />
The white flesh tastes sweet and slightly nutty. It contains a mix of<br />
minerals, such as potassium, sodium, iron and magnesium, plenty<br />
of fibre and few carbohydrates. Also, the wide variety of vitamins in<br />
the flesh, including vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6 and E should<br />
be highlighted.<br />
In addition, coconut flesh is high in fat and calories: it has a fat<br />
content of 36.5 grams per 100 grams. It contains mainly saturated<br />
fatty acids, that means medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). These fatty<br />
acids of medium-chain length, i. e. of six to twelve carbon atoms, can<br />
be split up and digested more easily than the usual dietary fats with<br />
long-chain fatty acids. Therefore, the body can convert them into<br />
energy more quickly, making them very effective energy suppliers.<br />
Example: lauric acid<br />
One of these medium-chain fatty acids is lauric acid. It was named<br />
after “Laurus nobilis“, the Latin name for laurel, and the oil of the<br />
laurel consists largely of lauric acid. Cold-pressed coconut oil is also<br />
known for its high level of lauric acid, which is said to have an antiviral<br />
and antibacterial effect, protect against infections and be good<br />
No. 1 April/May <strong>2022</strong><br />
43
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