COCONUT OIL FOUND BENEFICIAL FOR LACTATING MOTHERS... The unique composition of human breast milk fat includes
fatty acids, lauric acid and capric acid, which have potent antimicrobial properties. These fatty acids offer nursing infant protection from viruses such as herpes and HIV, protozoa such as giardia lamblia, and bacteria such as chlamydia and heliocobater.
A study published in 1998 in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown that lactating mothers who eat coconut oil and other coconut products, have significantly increased levels of lauric acid and capric acid in their breast milk. Thus, milk supply has increased amounts of protective antimicrobials , which will give even greater protection to nursing infant.
Pregnant females store fat to assure successful lactation. Any lauric acid and capric acid in diet becomes part of adipose stores. The milk fat of a lactating mother is made up of these stores as well as her current diet. If her diet doesn't contain lauric acid, then generally her milk fat will contain around 3% lauric acid and round 1% capric acid.
When a lactating woman adds foods rich in lauric acid to her diet, amount of lauric acid available in her breastmilk increases substantially to levels three times original level and nearly double amount of capric acid. In countries where coconut oil is a diet staple, levels of lauric acid in mother’s milk can be as high as 21% and capric acid can be as high as 6% giving her infant even more protection against viruses, bacteria, and protozoa.
