It's been hailed as the holy water of the health industry, but could coconut oil unlock the future of fuel?
Research presented at the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) in Perth suggests that the automotive industry should join coconut oil's cult following and scrap diesel.
The conjoined study undertaken by students and professors at the University of Queensland (UQ) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have zoned in on the health impacts caused by diesel as a result of pollution.
It suggests that 500,000 European fatalities per year could be caused by conditions related to air pollution – and that by replacing diesel with coconut oil could be the answer to reducing this number.
UQ researcher Professor Ian Yang believes that the oil presents itself as a promising candidate for boosting engine power and preserving lung health damaged by pollutants.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study to look at the safety and toxicity of coconut oil-blended biodiesels in the lungs, and the results are promising.
“Coconut oil substitution could be a viable, healthy alternative to diesel.
“It is already known that coconut oil blends produced an effective fuel, resulting in better combustion, less pollution, and more engine power.
“Now we have further evidence demonstrating their potentially less toxic impact on lung health.
“This is particularly important to countries in our region, many of which are exploring ways to develop domestic markets for this product.”
If the researchers are onto something, the development could be bad news for health junkies the world over if prices for the coveted oil skyrocket due to overwhelming demand.