The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ‘Coconut oil has many curative qualities’

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Sunday, Jun 28, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘Coconut oil has many curative qualities’

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Minnie Mathew, Chairperson, Coconut Development Board (CDB), and other participants in a seminar on ‘Coconut oil and its derivatives’ decried the negative campaign against consumption of coconut oil citing harmful health effects, contrary to reality.

The seminar was jointly organised by the Oil Technologists’ Association of India (OTAI), Southern Zone, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) besides CDB.

Ms. Mathew said that as a consequence of the campaign, the use of coconut oil, which has many curative qualities, has been relegated.

‘Misinterpretation’

‘It is much misunderstood oil and is not linked to cardio-vascular diseases’.

Quoting a study conducted in Kerala, she asserted that there was no link between rise in serum cholesterol levels and consumption of coconut oil.

Promotional campaign

Ms. Mathew said CDB has been carrying out an aggressive promotional campaign to create awareness about the goodness of coconut.

It has taken up sponsored research projects to expand the usage of coconut oil through several national laboratories like IICT,

National Institute of Nutrition and Central Food Technological and Research Institute.

She said some of the research studies had come out with interesting findings which need to be discussed in a wider forum and disseminated to consumers.

No harmful to health

There is need for conveying a message by academics that coconut oil was not harmful to health.

S.M. Sadikot, president, Diabetes India, delivered the seventh Dr. K. T. Achaya Memorial Award Lecture on ‘Did our grandmother know more than us’ on coconut oil use and gave away various awards.

A. C. Kunwar, IICT Director In-charge, R. B. N. Prasad, OTAI president, and others spoke.

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