Coconut Oil – Cholesterol – Is this remarkable oil a natural way to lower cholesterol?
Supporters of coconut oil maintain that tropical cultures consume great quantities of coconut oil, and have done so for hundreds of years. They feel that the oil of the coconut has been wrongly accused of being dangerous because it is rich in fat, and many people fell into believing that fat is risky for the heart.
So why all the fear about coconut oil and cholesterol?
The controversy can all be traced back to one poorly designed, faulty “study”, which is over forty years old. The study found that coconut oil elevated cholesterol levels. Because it was a fat, it was labelled “bad”, and the general consensus has remained such for much of the last four decades. Here’s the kicker, though: The study was performed using hydrogenated coconut oil; the oil underwent an industrial process, the same which is used for many oils found in processed foods. It disguises poor quality oil and masks rancidity, allowing the oil to have a longer shelf life. Unfortunately, it also results in a substance quite unlike its original form – one which is detrimental to cholesterol levels and the health of the heart.
Hydrogenation of coconut oil results in a trans fat, which is, according to MSN News, “bad news”. These “franken-fats” are strongly associated with heart disease; they elevate “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels, and interfere with the body’s ability to use “good” (HDL) cholesterol, and interfere with the body’s utilization of essential fatty acids – which are heart-positive substances. Coconut oil, in its natural form, does not contain cholesterol or trans fats. The lesson is this: Coconut oil does not deserve its bad reputation.
But wait – it’s saturated fat!
Yes, it is. However, not all saturated fat is bad. Unfortunately, modern dietary guidelines do little to distinguish between one type of saturated fat and the next, lumping all saturated fats into the “bad” category. This is sloppy science. Fortunately, modern science has begun to acknowledge that, just as there is “good” and “bad” cholesterol, so too, is there “good” and “bad” saturated fat – and coconut oil falls clearly into the “good” category.
The classification of fats goes as follows: Short-chain, medium-chain, or long-chain. These refer to the quantity of carbon molecules found in the fat. The majority of the fat found in coconut oil is medium chain. What’s so wonderful about medium chain fatty acids is that they are rapidly absorbed into the liver, which makes them immediately available for the body to use as energy. In addition to providing energy, medium-chain fatty acids increase the metabolic rate, aiding in weight loss, which is almost always a good thing for healthy cholesterol levels. Medium-chain fatty acids are utilized quickly, and not stored as excess fat in or on the body.
