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From:	K.D. (85.180.75.254)
Subject:	Re: there is evidence coconut oil is unhealthy even at 30% of calories
Date:	October 2, 2012 at 3:38 am PST

In Reply to: Re: there is evidence coconut oil is unhealthy even at 30% of calories posted by Dr. Doug Graham on October 1, 2012 at 6:53 pm:

No, the food of i.e. chimps is not 60% fat by calories. In the wild they eat predominantly fruit; however, the fruit is very low in sugars (~1%) and comparably high in fiber (~3%) (approximate figures derived from work by Nancy Lou Conklin-Brittain et al).
The fat comes as a by-product of fiber fermantation by intestinal bacteria. Quote from a paper: "No mammal, including humans, is known to produce enzymes that can degrade cellulose and hemicellulose. What many mammals including humans do have, however, are anaerobic bacteria and other gut flora in various sections of the digestive tract that can carry out this function. These microorganisms break down the cellulose and hemicellulose of plants in the process known as fermentation, releasing energy-rich volatile fatty acids which can often be absorbed in significant amounts by the host and may make an important contribution to the host’s energy budget. It is estimated that some present-day human populations with a high intake of dietary fiber may derive 10% or more of their required daily energy from volatile fatty acids produced in fermentation."

So, the more fiber in the diet the more fat in the energy mix.

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