In my presentation today, I will bring you up to date about the new recognition of functional foods as important components in the diet. Additionally, I would like to briefly review the state of the anti-saturated fat situation and bring you up to date on some of the research that compares the beneficial effects of saturated fats with those of omega-6 polyunsaturates, as well as the beneficial effects of the saturated fats relative to the detrimental effects of the partially hydrogenated fats and the trans fatty acids. In particular I will review some of the surprising beneficial effects of the special saturates found in coconut oil as they compare with those of the unsaturates found in some of the other food oils. Components of coconut oil are increasingly being shown to be beneficial. Increasingly, lauric acid, and even capric acid, have been the subject of favorable scientific reports on health parameters.

II. FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF LAURIC FATS AS ANTIMICROBIALS

Earlier this year, at a special conference entitled, "Functional Foods For Health Promotion: Physiologic Considerations"; EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY '99, Renaissance Washington Hotel, Washington, DC Saturday, April 17, 1999, which was sponsored by the International Life Sciences Institute, ILSI NORTH AMERICA, Technical Committee on Food Components for Health Promotion, the term "functional foods" was defined as "a functional food provides a health benefit over and beyond the basic nutrients."

This is exactly what coconut and its edible products such as desiccated coconut and coconut oil do. As a functional food, coconut has fatty acids that provide both energy (nutrients) and raw material for antimicrobial fatty acids and monoglycerides (functional components) when it is eaten. Desiccated coconut is about 69% coconut fat, as is creamed coconut. Full coconut milk is approximately 24% fat.

Approximately 50% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are lauric acid. Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid, which has the additional beneficial function of being formed into monolaurin in the human or animal body. Monolaurin is the antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal monoglyceride used by the human or animal to destroy lipid-coated viruses such as HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, various pathogenic bacteria, including listeria monocytogenes and helicobacter pylori, and protozoa such as giardia lamblia. Some studies have also shown some antimicrobial effects of the free lauric acid.