Food of the Week - COCONUT - Part 2

It’s amazing that coconuts are the centre of many weird and wonderful dietary claims from healing ulcers, weight loss and treatment of impotency; to increasing your IQ.

It is important that you are aware of the truth about coconut oil so that you are not a victim of misinformation.

Characteristics of Coconut oil?

Coconut oil comes from the extract from the flesh of mature coconuts. It is generally liquid above 25°C. Coconut oil is a very stable oil and tolerates really high cooking temperatures. When it reaches high cooking temperatures it does not produce harmful chemicals either. The reason that Coconut oil has such a tolerance is due to its saturation levels.

Coconut oil is high in saturated fat – and by now you know that high levels of saturated fats raise LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels and increase the risk for heart disease risk.

Closer look at coconut oil:

Coconut oil is made up of various fatty acids. I don’t want to bore you with chemistry, but this bit is important!

 In basic terms  fatty acids are chains of carbon with hydrogen atoms attached to them and an “acid” group at one end of the molecule. Individual fatty acids serve different purposes in the body.

Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA) are named so because the carbon atoms in these fatty acids are fully loaded with hydrogen, thus forming straight chains. Saturated fatty acids stack tightly and are quite rigid –  butter is a good example of this -  solid at room temperature.

Many saturated fatty acids increase blood cholesterol levels and for that reason have been considered less healthy. However, this point is controversial as some saturated fatty acids do not raise blood cholesterol.

  In coconut oil there are various  fatty acids assembled in groups called triglycerides. The actual chain length of the fatty acids in oils is important. Coconut oil contains a significant amount of what we call Medium chain triglycerides (MCT)  – which are thought to be metabolised differently from other SFAs. MCT has been seen to have minimal effect on LDL cholesterol. Some even say that because the MCT is metabolised in such a unique way, it is less harmful in terms of total fat intake.

Here is my take - Think about your heart and think about purpose before gulping down lots of coconut oil.

Remember all fat has the potential to make you fat. Excess body fat puts you at risk of obesity and several chronic illnesses.

There is a lot more studying to be done in humans to support the claims about coconut oil . Even virgin coconut oil should be eaten in moderate amounts.

The conclusion of the matter – avoid excess saturated fats –  by all means use coconut oil in your diet – but not as your primary source of fat. Monounsaturated fats are healthier and have been shown to decrease LDL Cholesterol levels.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/408393-which-is-better-coconut-oil-or-olive-oil/

http://www.seedguides.info/coconut-milk/

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/healthy-eating/know-your-nutrients/how-does-coconut-oil-affect-cholesterol?page=1

http://www.fatsoflife.com/fats-and-health/fat-basics/