Coconut Milk Question

QUESTION: Are coconut milk and oil ok? Aren't they high in saturated fat?

ANSWER: Coconut milk and oil are fine if used in moderate quantities. Yes, they have high amounts of saturated fat, but there are different kinds of saturated fat. "Fats are classified as short-, medium- or long-chain based on the number of carbon molecules they contain. Nearly two-thirds of the saturated fat in coconut oil consists of medium-chain fatty acids.

When we eat long-chain fatty acids, they must be emulsified by bile salts in the small intestine before they can be absorbed into our body. Short- and medium-chain fatty acids, such as those in coconut milk, are absorbed directly through the portal vein to the liver, where they are immediately available to the body.

In other words, most of the saturated fat in coconut oil is easily digestible and converted into quick energy. And these types of fatty acids are less likely to cause obesity because they are immediately used by the body and have no opportunity to be stored." http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/cocgood.html

Hope that helps.
Coconut Oil – The Truth
Source: www.thaifoodandtravel.com
The Truth About Coconut Oil by Michael Babcock