Polo throws caution to the wind

Virgin coconut oil, popularly known in the Philippines as VCO has gained tremendous popularity due to its versatility.

VCO, the clear, colorless, unrefined coconut oil obtained from fresh coconut meat is now a health supplement. It helps strengthen the body’s immune system, address obesity, improve blood sugar and promotes a person’s general health and well being.

A highly respected Filipino medical practitioner based in Australia is now spreading the good news about the health-related benefits derived from the use of VCO.

Dr. Nestor Fuertes believes in the healing wonders of VCO not only to Filipinos but to foreigners as well.

Fuertes says he studied VCO both for his Filipino and Australian patients and the results are very encouraging.

About four years ago, Dr. Fuertes said he was a “sceptic” of VCO and its health benefits.When his Filipino patients showed an improvement in their medical condition after visiting the Philippines, Dr. Fuertes went to investigate and found out that VCO was the primary factor in his patient’s health improvement.

Dr. Fuertes stresses that one of the primary benefits of VCO is helping promote weight loss. VCO converts fats into energy that help reduce weight. At the same time, he said VCO also promotes weight gain for those who are underweight.

He recommends a daily dose of two tablespoons of VCO per day to promote weight loss. He cautioned against a higher dosage of VCO as it may negatively affect the body’s system.

“We want a gradual, steady and sustainable weight loss. When using VCO, it also hydrates the skin thus making people even look younger,” he said.

Dr. Fuertes says it is better to use liquid VCO instead of the capsulized form because a person needs to take about 27 capsules to have the same effect as one tablespoon of liquid VCO.

After more careful studies and examination of VCO and its positive effects to his patients, Dr. Fuertes says he became further convinced that the product should be made available to his patients over the counter.

He also became pleasantly surprised that his fellow doctors in Australia are already aware of the benefits of using VCO to treat patients. Dr. Fuertes said Australian doctors recommend the use of VCO as moisturizer for children suffering from excessive dry skin while it is being used to help loss weight among adults.

“It is the recommendation of doctors that is creating the demand for VCO in Australia,” Dr. Fuertes, a member of the board of Westgate Division of General Practitioner said. Fuertes is a graduate of Medicine from Our Lady of Fatima University and 5th placer in the Philippine Medical Licensure Board Examination.

However, as the popularity of VCO gained ground, he was concerned that VCO entering Australia may not be of good quality and could initiate another “nata de coco” phenomenon wherein as more people joined the band wagon selling nata de coco, the quality deteriorated thus affected all other producers of VCO.

Dr. Fuertes says VCO produced in the Philippines are the preferred brand of Australian doctors.

So far, he notes that Splash Corp.’s flavored and unflavored VCOs have been given clearance by the Australia’s Bureau of Food and Drugs.

He says there is a huge market potential for VCO in Australia as they prefer natural or alternative medicines.

“The complementary medicine market there is now about $3 billion per year,” he added. Dr. Fuertes serves as a general practitioner supervisor for the Victorian Medical Alliance and an out of campus medical professor for the General Practice Department of the University of Melbourne, aside from his numerous medical positions in Australia.

The Splash Group has already started exporting VCO after launching it in the local market in 2005. Splash markets the TheraHerb VCO brand which comes in different flavors, Sweet Corn, Jackfruit and Banana. It recently launched another brand, VCO Manila (also in different flavors) which comes in a wider bottle.

Splash is also looking at the US as a potential market. Splash is also looking at Japan, Singapore, the Middle East, Europe and Africa as prospective export markets. Splash made its first virgin coconut oil shipment to Australia and North America in the second quarter of this year and more are expected in the coming months as demand for the product increases.

Splash Holdings Inc. president and COO Jessin Soriano participated in the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, California, which has a possible market from Filipinos of up to $32 million.