Years ago Jon Qwelane used to write a column in the Sunday Star called “Just Jon”, and as the lowly features sub I had the weekly task of cleaning up his copy. It never needed any. Qwelane always crafted his columns with great precision and style. So when he called one of Talk Radio 702’s journalists a coconut the other day, he must have chosen the word with deliberate intent to deliver a telegraph-punch insult. And how it must have stung.
But what really stung me was the fact that the poor coconut, an extraordinarily nutritious food, has become a punch bag for racial stereotyping and distrust.
This is not the first time that coconuts have been the victims of such abuse. It started back in the Seventies when the soybean/margarine moguls seized control of the world.
“Coconuts. Well that’s all saturated fat,” they said. “It will clog up your arteries and kill you. Stay away from them and instead eat our wonderfully healthy, hydrogenated, trans-fat margarines.”
Well, we did, and they started killing us.
Coconut oil has slowly been recovering from the propaganda war waged against it. Yes, it is a saturated fat, but it’s plant-based with zero cholesterol. Coconut oil is a great source of instant energy, bypassing normal fat metabolism, and is not stored as fat (in fact, it’s used as part of many weight-loss programmes).
The key fatty acid, lauric acid, is found in mother’s milk and has excellent anti-microbial and anti-viral properties. Coconut oil is also one of the safest oils — if not the safest — with which to cook. Used topically, it’s a superb natural skin-care product too.
In our house, coconut oil has become the oil of choice.
Bear in mind I am talking about virgin (preferably organic) coconut oil, or VCO. Quality and handling make a big difference when it comes to nutritional oils.
There is a ton of interesting research on coconut oil on the web, especially the writings of Mary Enig, a biochemist who has also done much to expose the dangers of trans-fats.
Try these links:
Declaration: Absolute Organix distributes several coconut oil products under various brands.
A prince with dignity and determination
Prince Ngarambe’s goals are to become Rwanda’s first transgender model and to uplift the country’s youth
The EFF’s principles are unshakeable
Unlike the ANC, the core values of the freedom fighters do not change with each leader it elects
