Coconut oil – what is it and is it actually good for us? This is a common question I get a lot. And it’s an excellent topic after last weeks blog by Dr Jonny Bowden. There are some doctors like Jonny who are light years ahead and are providing us with cutting edge information which our local GP quite frankly does not know. One of the areas that these experts are so far ahead in is nutrition. If you go back on previous blogs you will get a basic understanding of nutrition. If you are a complete newbie to my blogs I would suggest going over my previous ones before continuing this as it is quite detailed today!!
I study many hours each week trying to bring our clients and readers new information which will hopefully change your life for the better. One area I study much more than others is nutrition and last week I studied an in depth study from the Philippine Journal of Cardiology about Coconut Oil. Coconut oil is a saturated fat and we have been led to believe that saturated fat is bad for us. Not Quite. There was a sort of war against coconut oil because it is the most saturated of all fats despite the fact that it is not at all used by any of he countries having high coronary mortalities(Picture below). These are no studies that shows coconut oil causes problems with cholesterol or it doesn’t cause fatty deposits in the arteries. In fact the opposite is true – it can help improve heart health.
The move away from coconut oil has convinced most people to use other oils like Olive oil. Coconut oil and palm kernel oil are the only two oils in creation that are made up predominantly of medium chain triglycerides (MCT). Coconut oil is more than 90% saturated, more saturated than other oils or fats. MCTs differ from saturated animal and dairy fats (LCTs) in their metabolism and fat in the body . MCTs are rapidly absorbed in the intestines, even without pancreatic lipase; they are carried by portal vein to the liver where they are rapidly oxidized to energy19,20,21. This process is as fast as the metabolism of sugars. MCTs unlike LCTs, do not enter the cholesterol cycle, are not deposited in fat depots and do not cause obesity. The countries that use coconut oil in their daily diets are only the Asian countries of India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines and the islands of the South Pacific. In all these high coconut oil consumers, their serum cholesterol level and coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality rates are low.
The study I read goes on to say that “For a long time cardiologists have said that animal fats and coconut oil are bad and should be avoided. In 1992, the US Department of Agriculture (DA) incorporated this advice into its Food Guide Pyramid program and convinced Americans to a diet of carbohydrates and vegetable oils (soybean oil and corn oil, both rich in linoleic acid). The program of course also advised more vegetables, fruits, exercise, etc. After 10 years on this diet, Americans are now described to be suffering from “obscene rates” of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. The pyramid has been called a “disaster”22.
Why, what has gone wrong? The culprits in the Food Guide Pyramid are not the saturated fats after all – but carbohydrates and omega 6 poly unsaturates. On hindsight and a good knowledge of the biochemistry of carbohydrates and linolenic acid,such an outcome can be predicted. Carbohydrates, especially sugars, are rapidly metabolized and, in excess, cause obesity. At present about 60-70% of Americans are said to be overweight and more than 50% obese. With such a diet, the requirement for insulin is acute and excessive; insulin resistance is bound to follow and development of what is now labeled “metabolic syndrome” which ends in hypertension and atherosclerosis”
The smart doctors who are on the edge of cutting edge nutrition like this are the ones we need to listen to if we want to improve health. Coconut oil is always in my kitchen and its something I very rarely go out of. Our clients use coconut oil every day also. We cook with it and add it to certain foods too. It tastes amazing and can improve everything from mouth ulcers to skin problems, a lot of athletes are beginning to utilise it’s many benefits! There is one important point i have always been told about coconut oil and other oils and that is they MUST be organic.
I hope from today you gained some more knowledge on this tricky subject. Adding a really high quality coconut oil will be a great choice. Please like and share and help us improve more peoples lives!!
