The Coconut Diet: The Secret Ingredient for Effortless Weight Loss

As you maintain satisfactory blood glucose and insulin levels, the body will not easily store excess carbohydrates as fat, and it will burn existing fat stores faster. As you follow a healthful, low-carb food plan such as The Coconut Diet, you can achieve permanent fat loss and build more lean muscle.

I have been taking a tablespoon of coconut oil three times daily with meals. Taking the oil with my meals seems to give me a “full feeling” a lot faster. My sweet tooth has practically vanished—and this is from someone who should have bought stock in Hersheys long ago! Ironically, facilitating weight loss was my main reason for trying the coconut oil diet, but with all the wonderful benefits I am experiencing, the weight loss aspect almost seems like an afterthought.

About three days into the routine, I had an energy rush on a Saturday morning that kept me going until well after lunch. I can’t believe how much I got done that day! My mental state of mind seemed to be much sharper. I was able to focus on the tasks at hand without getting sidetracked. I was not exhausted at the end of running my errands, which included traipsing around a huge mall. It seemed like I was practically running, rather than the leisurely walking that was formerly my habit. In addition to my energy level, my mood has been very stable—no up and down mood swings—even with the onset of PMS!

My husband commented yesterday on how soft and silky my skin felt, and I have not used any lotion since I started taking the oil. This program also seems to have given my libido a jumpstart.

Theresa

Complex Carbohydrates: The Good Ones

The complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) are condensed into molecules of starch, glycogen and cellulose. Starch molecules are rather large; a single starch molecule may contain 3,000 or more glucose units linked together. Starch is the stored form of glucose in a plant. Potatoes, rice and other grains, corn, and legumes are examples of starch. Glycogen is more complex than starch and is found in animal meats, to a limited extent. Cellulose is found primarily in plants and has long, branching chains that are not digestible by human enzymes. Cellulose is also known as insoluble fiber and it is very important in human nutrition, especially for colon health.

Most plant foods have fiber and an abundance of nutrients particularly the brightly colored vegetables, fruit, sprouts, legumes, herbs, and sea vegetables. These are powerhouses of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytochemicals, and fiber. Even on a carb-restricted diet, we can eat large amounts of most vegetables, salad greens, and sprouts and never feel deprived, while maintaining a low-carb intake. The high-fiber content of these foods slows down the rate that sugars enter the bloodstream, thereby lowering insulin secretion. These vegetables, sprouts, herbs, and salad greens will be your primary source of carbohydrates during the first three weeks of the Coconut Diet.

A few vegetables and fruits such as potatoes, parsnips, watermelon, pineapple, and bananas are not good-carb choices because they are higher on the Glycemic Index; they should be avoided especially in Phases I and II.

Sweeteners: The Good, the Bad, and the Dangerous

Sweeteners, no matter what we call them, are still sugars. Very few sugars are actually good for us such as fructooligosaccharides and other essential saccharides. But these sugars are rarely, if ever, found in snacks and treats; they are mostly used for medicinal purposes.

Most natural sweeteners such as honey and pure maple sugar are a little better than refined sugars, in that they have some nutrients and they aren’t bleached and refined, however, they are not healthful in the quantities consumed by the average person. And some sweeteners, namely artificial, can even be dangerous.

Sugar may have many detrimental effects on the body. One is suppression of the immune system. Here’s how it works: vitamin C has a similar structure to glucose and they compete with one another. In the 1970s, scientists found that vitamin C was needed by white blood cells so they could phagocytize (engulf and digest) bacteria and viruses. White blood cells require about fifty times more vitamin C on the inside as the outside and sugar completes with vitamin C for entry into white blood cells.

Sugars can also contribute to a condition known as candidiasis (overgrowth of yeasts known as Candida albicans). A diet rich in carbohydrates stimulates yeast growth. When we eat sweets and other simple carbs, we feed the yeast in our digestive tract, which can cause them to multiply rapidly. Weight gain and a host of illnesses and adverse symptoms are attributed to candidiasis.

If you crave sweets, breads, potatoes, or any other form of carbs, we suggest you fill out the Candida Questionnaire (#litres_trial_promo) to help determine if you have an overgrowth of yeast in your body. Unless you deal with yeasts, you may never be able to lose the weight you want. The late Dr. Robert C. Atkins said that about 20 percent of the people on the Atkins Diet would not be able to lose weight because of yeasts.

Overeating sugar can also lead to insulin resistance, which contributes to weight gain and a host of physical ailments including autoimmune disorders such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis, some forms of cancer, candidiasis, celiac disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, Type II diabetes, digestive disorders, heart disease, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, infertility, obesity, panic and anxiety attacks, hypoglycemia, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

I consider Candida albicans a blessing, actually, because it was the only thing that motivated me to go off sugar and [onto] a low-carb diet. In the process, I lost 100 pounds!

Marie

Natural Sweeteners

There are only a few natural sweeteners that we recommend for the Coconut Diet, and in very small quantities. But keep in mind that a sweet taste could possibly trigger an insulin response because your body may be conditioned to produce excess insulin no matter what the sweetener of choice and if it has been doing this for a while, you may be insulin resistant. Therefore, we recommend that in the first three weeks of the diet you avoid all sweeteners as much as possible to give your body a chance to restore insulin sensitivity.

THE LOWER-CARB NATURAL SWEETENERS

Birch sugar (xylitol) is a sugar alcohol. The healthiest xylitol is derived from birch bark. It has fewer calories than sugar with about the same sweetness. It has not been shown to promote tooth decay, and it is metabolized slowly, which helps prevent the sugar “highs” and “lows” often experienced with other sweeteners. Keep in mind that not all xylitol may be derived from birch bark and may not be as healthy.Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, manitol, malitol, and xylitol are sugar alcohols that are derived from dextrose or glucose, or in the case of xylitol, from birch trees. On gum and candy labels they are often termed “sugar free,” but this is somewhat misleading because when broken down, they act similarly to other forms of sugar. None are free of calories, and only xylitol does not promote cavities. Sugar alcohols tend to ferment in the digestive tract, causing cramping and diarrhea. (See Resource Guide (#litres_trial_promo) for more information.)

Lo-Han Guo comes from the Chinese plant Lo Han Guo Siraitia grosvenorii, a perennial vine in the cucumber or melon family that grows in China. Lo Han fruits contain triterpene glycoside sweeteners known as mogrosides. When processed into a fine powder, this natural sweetener is soluble in water. It is about 300 times sweeter than sugar, so very little is needed to sweeten foods and beverages. It is also very low in calories.

Stevia is extracted from a herbal leaf of a plant that grows in South America. Like Lo Han Guo, it is about 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, so you need only a small amount in comparison to sugar. It has virtually no calories. There is no evidence that it is harmful to the body in any way. The FDA does not allow it to be marketed as a sweetener, rather it is labeled as a nutritional supplement. Stevia comes in powdered or liquid form and can be found at most health food stores.

THE NATURAL HIGH-CARB SWEETENERS: NOT GOOD CHOICES FOR WEIGHT LOSS

The only advantage that natural high-carb sweeteners have over those that are processed is some nutrients and the absence of chemicals used in processing and refining of other sweeteners. They are still sugar. Be aware that they will raise blood sugar and insulin and they will contribute to insulin resistance. All these sweeteners, with the exception of honey, are about equal in carbs to white sugar; honey is slightly higher.

Brown rice syrup is a naturally fermented sweetener in which enzymes convert carbohydrates to maltose. Maltose may be tolerated somewhat better than other natural sweeteners by people with blood sugar metabolism disorders. It is made from whole-grain brown rice (malt barley syrup from barley) and contains some B vitamins and minerals. The consistency is similar to honey, but it is less sweet and more delicate and subtle. It can be found in most health food stores.

Date sugar is made of ground, dehydrated dates. It has a higher fiber (pectin) content than many other sweeteners and some vitamins and minerals. It can be found at most health food stores.

Honey (raw is best) is composed of simple sugars, and it is both sweeter and slightly higher in carbs and calories than white sugar. When preparing recipes, you need less honey than white sugar. Its composition, color, and flavor are as varied as the blossoms that feed the honeybees. Most raw honey has been lightly heated and filtered, and retains some of the enzymes and traces of vitamins and minerals. Most commercial honey has been highly processed, and therefore, is less nutritional. Raw honey is usually available in health food stores and from private growers.

Pure maple syrup is made from boiling the sap of sugar maple trees. It is less sweet than honey but sweeter than brown rice syrup. It comes in different grades according to how long and at what temperature it is boiled. The purest maple syrup may be imported from Canada as some U.S. producers use formaldehyde pellets to keep tapholes open. Look for labels that indicate the syrup has no added salt, chemical preservatives, or defoamers.

Molasses is a by-product of the sugarcane refining process. Blackstrap molasses has a strong, bittersweet taste while sweet molasses is sweeter than blackstrap, but less sweet than white sugar. Blackstrap molasses is the final excretion of sugarcane and has some calcium, iron, and other minerals. A more nutritious purchase is unsulphured molasses, which is most readily found in health food stores.

Raw sugarcane is the product that exists before the bleaching stages of making refined sugar. To prepare this sugar for market, it is steam-cleaned; it retains a fraction of the dark molasses produced in sugar refining. Raw sugar is not subjected to the same chemical whitening, as white sugar. Raw sugar may go by the names Turbinado or Succanat, which can be found at most health food stores.

I had lost 17 pounds just before I started on virgin coconut oil and have effortlessly lost an additional 6 pounds since I started including virgin coconut oil in my diet. A few months before I also stopped eating sugar and reduced my overall carb intake. I’m sure that has helped immensely.

Julia

REFINED SWEETENERS: POOR CHOICES FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH

White sugar refers to the pure white crystals that remain after sugarcane or beets are refined; the chemical name is sucrose. To produce white sugar, this product goes through a series of washings, filterings, and bleachings, and nutrients are stripped away. Since raw sugarcane is brown and sticky, most refineries use slaughterhouse bone ash as a filtering agent to remove the molasses and create a free-flowing sugar. This sugar has virtually no nutritional value. It is readily available and found in many commercial desserts and packaged foods and treats.

Brown sugar is mostly white sugar flavored with molasses. Its brown color comes from a charcoal treatment that may introduce traces of carcinogenic impurities, resulting in a product that is more refined and possibly more harmful than white sugar.

Fructose is the chemical name for one kind of sugar that occurs naturally in honey and ripe fruit. The connection between commercial fructose and natural fruit sugar is in name only, however. The product you find most often in packaged foods and table sweeteners is not from fruit or honey. Powdered fructose is often extracted from sugarcane, beet sugar, or corn syrup. In processing, the sucrose molecule is broken down into two component simple sugars—fructose and glucose. This makes fructose more processed than white sugar.Calorically, fructose is equivalent to sugar, but it is sweeter, so less is needed. Though fructose is often recommended for diabetics because it doesn’t affect blood sugar and insulin levels like sucrose, it actually is more likely to cause insulin resistance. Studies on animals and humans have shown that consumption of large amounts of fructose impairs the body’s ability to handle glucose (blood sugar), which ultimately leads to hyperinsulinemia (elevated insulin levels) and insulin resistance. Dr. Meira Field says, “All fructose must be metabolized in the liver. [In studies] the livers of rats on a high fructose diet looked like the livers of alcoholics, plugged with fat and chirrhotic.”4 (#litres_trial_promo)

Corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup are highly refined sweeteners made from corn. Corn syrup is composed of dextrose and small amounts of fructose. It is considerably cheaper than sugar, which accounts for its popularity in processed food. Manufacturers make high-fructose corn syrup by converting some of the dextrose in corn syrup to fructose.”

Dextrose is a powdered form of corn sweetener that is used widely by food processors. It is structurally similar and biologically identical to glucose.

Table syrup (includes maple-flavored syrup, pancake syrup, and waffle syrup) are often confused with pure maple syrup. They can actually look and taste like maple syrup, but they are made from a blend of sweeteners with emulsifiers, stabilizers, salt, viscosity adjusting agents, acidifiers, alkalizers or buffers, defoaming agents, artificial flavors and colors, additives, chemical preservatives, and fats and oils, as desired by the manufacturer. All these additives are not healthful and contribute to the body’s burden of toxicity. This type of syrup should be avoided completely, even after you have achieved your weight loss goals.

Many of the sweetener definitions in this section have been adapted from The Goldbeck’s Guide to Good Food by Nikki and David Goldbeck.

Artificial Sweeteners: Avoid These Fakes

There is a great deal of controversy over sugar substitutes. I’ve placed them in the “completely avoid” category because of negative reports about some of them and the fact that the body doesn’t recognize them because they are foreign substances that have undergone molecular changes. Such substances are not found in nature and have not produced healthful results for many people. That’s why they don’t have calorie counts; the body doesn’t know what to do with them.

Miryam Ehrlich Williamson, author of Blood Sugar Blues, says she knows of people “who were unable to lose weight, and some who actually gained, on a low-carbohydrate diet that included liberal use of sugar substitutes.” Her hunch is that some people are conditioned to pump insulin whenever they taste something sweet, just as Pavlov’s dog learned to salivate when it heard a bell.

Blood sugar and insulin spikes aren’t the only concern with these sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners were first introduced as saccharin, which is 300 times sweeter than sugar. It was later packaged under the brand name Sweet ’n’ Low and in 1977 it was found to cause bladder cancer in lab animals. Because of public outcry it was not banned; it now comes with a cancer-warning label.

The most widely used artificial sweetener today is aspartame, popularly known as Equal or NutraSweet. Though more research may need to be done, current data collected from thousands of reports indicates that it may contribute to headaches, mood changes, neurological disorders, seizures, and brain tumors.

And if that’s not enough of a deterrent, it doesn’t appear to help with weight loss either. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity, monitored fourteen women on weight loss diets who were given drinks of aspartame-sweetened lemonade, sucrose-sweetened lemonade, and carbonated mineral water on three separate days. The women ate significantly more food when they drank the aspartame-sweetened beverages.

One of the latest and most popular artificial sweeteners is sucralose; sold under the brand name Splenda. To make sucralose, three components of a sugar molecule are replaced with three chlorine components. It is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar and has no calories; the body doesn’t recognize it or know what to do with it because of the molecular changes.

There’s also another new substitute marketed under the name Sweet One. This sweetener is derived from vinegar and has a similar molecular structure as saccharin with no caloric value.