Coconut oil "as unhealthy as beef fat and butter"

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by Frederick Foresight, Jun 16, 2017.

  1. Coconut oil is as unhealthy as beef dripping and butter, say US heart experts.

    It is packed with saturated fat which can raise "bad" cholesterol, says the American Heart Association in updated advice.

    Coconut oil is commonly sold as a health food and some claim the fat in it may be better for us than other saturated fats.

    The AHA, however, says there are no good studies to support this.

    Healthy myth?
    The advice around which fats to eat can be very confusing.

    Animal fats, such as lard, are generally seen as bad, while plant oils, such as olive and sunflower, are seen as healthier options.

    That theory is based on how much of one particular type of fat - saturated fat or "sat fat" - these products contain.

    Sat fat
    Saturated fat is said to be bad for our health, although not everyone agrees.

    Eating a diet high in saturated fat can raise the level of "bad" (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, which, in turn, may clog the arteries and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

    According to the AHA, 82% of the fat in coconut oil is saturated. That's more than in butter (63%), beef fat (50%) and pork lard (39%). And, like other saturated fats, studies show it can increase "bad" cholesterol.

    Some claim that the mixture of fats in coconut oil still make it a healthy option, but the AHA says there is no good-quality evidence for this.

    It says people should limit how much saturated fat they eat, replacing some of it with unsaturated vegetable oils - olive oil and sunflower oil, and their spreads.

    Healthy swaps
    According to the AHA, studies show swaps such as this can lower cholesterol by the same magnitude as cholesterol-lowering drugs.

    Dr Frank Sacks, lead author of the AHA advice, said: "We want to set the record straight on why well-conducted scientific research overwhelmingly supports limiting saturated fat in the diet to prevent diseases of the heart and blood vessels."

    In the UK, Public Health England advises people to cut down on saturated fat:

    • the average man should eat no more than 30g of saturated fat a day
    • the average woman should eat no more than 20g of saturated fat a day
    Nutritional labels on food display how much saturated fat is in products.

    But experts stress that fat is still an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet. We shouldn't cut out too much. Fat is a source of essential fatty acids and helps the body absorb vitamins, such as A, D and E.

    Victoria Taylor from the British Heart Foundation said: "To eat well for your heart health it is not just about reducing fat but reducing specific types of fat and taking care over what these are replaced with - unsaturated fats and wholegrains, rather than sugars and refined carbohydrates.

    "Any change should be viewed in the context of a whole diet approach. The traditional Mediterranean diet has benefits for a range of risk factors for heart disease, not just cholesterol levels.

    "We recommend replacing the saturated fats in the diet with unsaturated fats - using oils instead of butter and choosing foods like avocado, oily fish, nuts and seeds instead of foods high in saturated fats like cakes, biscuits, chocolate and fatty meat."

    Low fat tips
    • Grill, bake, poach or steam food rather than deep frying or roasting
    • Trim visible fat and take skin off meat before cooking
    • Spoon off fats and oils from roasts, casseroles, stews and curries
    • When making sandwiches, try leaving out the butter or spread: you might not need it if you're using a moist filling
    Good fat vs bad fat
    • Cholesterol is a fatty substance that can be found in some foods
    • Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is said to be 'bad' because it can be deposited in the walls of arteries and cause hard plaques to build up that can cause blockages, resulting in heart attacks and stroke
    • High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is 'good' because it carries LDL cholesterol to your liver where it is disposed of. A high ratio of good to bad cholesterol is healthiest

    http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40300145
     
  2. Zodiac4u

    Zodiac4u

    One sided article, there are many more pros of coconut oil verses US animal fats dripping with estrogen and or growth hormones.

    http://foodforbreastcancer.com/news...-be-contributing-to-hormone-dependent-cancers

    Back in the 1940s, farmers discovered this effect accidentally when they tried using inexpensive coconut oil to fatten their livestock.
    It didn't work!
    Instead, coconut oil made the animals lean, active and hungry.

    https://www.ground-based.com/blogs/science-research/coconut-oil-and-its-fat-storing-properties
     
    trader482 likes this.
  3. I don't have an opinion one way or the other; I'm just posting what I read. However, as with all of these sensational discoveries, they become overshadowed by the next big thing:

    http://www.nutritionunplugged.com/2...st-miracle-oil-to-receive-the-hype-treatment/

    And so it goes.

    Kind of reminds me of when noni juice was all the rage (especially among the MLM set) and then goji blew it out of the water. Of course, neither lived up to its hype.
     
  4. Zodiac4u

    Zodiac4u

    I use Coconut cream/milk in cooking when I think the recipe would benefit from its flavor. Plus, I read somewhere that the calorie amount is half of the calorie content of olive oil. It also handles heat better than olive oil and has many nutritional benefits.
    Fads? I would hope that the Nutritional benefits are the reason why most people would choose one product over another.
     
  5. Makes perfect sense. Provide, of course, that the research backing it is valid, peer-reviewed and consistent. Again, I have no opinion about coconut oil one way or the other.
     
  6. Zodiac4u

    Zodiac4u

    That's a big ? on validity, But when lobbyist are hiding in the coat closets of the FDA, its hard to believe what they say. When it involves independent research? it would be nice to know who is funding these projects.
     
    speedo likes this.
  7. True, but who is preventing the kind of comprehensive research that would validate any number of "miracle" foods? For now, there's mostly sketchy theory and sensationalistic anecdotes. When reputable studies unequivocally sing its praises, I'll be in line to get some.

    https://cspinet.org/tip/coconut-oil-myths-persist-face-facts

    http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cracking-the-coconut-oil-craze-2017041011513

    http://www.berkeleywellness.com/hea...rition/article/coconut-oil-all-its-cracked-be

    Hmm. Looks like I'm forming an opinion after all...
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2017
  8. Zodiac4u

    Zodiac4u

    One could also look at the larger picture. Our population is growing exponentially. Do the powers want the numbers to increase or is it better to fund programs that cast doubt on nutrient rich foods and maintain death rates? Do we run to the grocery stores or do we continue to support Doctors high-end lifestyles? Do we bypass the Pharmaceuticals or do we keep buying drugs? Seems to me I've formed an opinion as well.
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2017
  9. Was there perhaps a sale on tinfoil at your supermarket recently? :p
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2017
  10. .
    what about coconut flour & [shredded] flakes?
    any data on these 2? :confused:

    thanks, marc
    :cool:
     
    #10     Jun 16, 2017