I am going to give
you a brief introduction into some of
the hot topics surrounding coconut oil as a cure for whatever ails you. I could
debate both sides of this argument for hours; trust my poor friends who have
patiently listened to me rant about the topic. Today I am presenting a few key
points and I’m sure my conscious will cause me to address coconut oil more
thoroughly at a later time.
I’m sure you have
all heard the hype: Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified
as a “superfood.” What exactly is a superfood? Well Google defines a
“superfood” as a “nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for
health and well-being.”
What makes coconut
oil a “superfood”? Well, it is reported to have traditional medical uses, biochemical properties, help with weight loss,
treat cardiovascular disease, and even some neurological conditions. There is
much research from doctors and dieticians alike attempting to substantiate or
debunk these claims, depending on which side of the fence they sit. It’s truly
a hot topic right now and everybody is weighing in. Blogs like “Wellness Mama”
have posted titles like 101 Uses for
Coconut Oil,[1] and Google is riddled with
sites quoting benefits like “Coconut Oil Can Kill Your Hunger, Making You Eat Less Without Even
Trying” and “The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil Are Turned into Ketones, Which Can
Reduce Seizures”[2]
Addressing that
last claim, there is research currently being conducted to substantiate the
efficacy of a “high” fat diet to help prevent epileptic seizures, but that
study is still in clinical trials and cannot be classified as a conclusive fact
at this point. [3]
Kris Gunners from Authority Nutrition makes many interesting
and relevant points in her article 10 Proven Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
(No. 3 is Best), but she also
quotes the “Coconut Oil Can Improve
Blood Cholesterol Levels and May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease”.[4]
Sadly this is where we disagree. Coconut oil is a plant based saturated fat,
one of the few fats that come from plants, and the American Heart Association
classifies it as a saturated fat. [5]
What does that mean exactly, well
basically coconut oil is bonded the same as any other animal fat such as lard
or butter. I am on the side of the fence that believes that saturated fats
actually lead to elevated cholesterol levels and increased risk of heart
disease. I do not mean to pick on Gunners by any means, because she admittedly
presents some well-researched and documented support in her article.
I have a hard time swallowing her claims that coconut oil consumption
can raise your HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) and that saturated fats
actually help to lower the bad cholesterol.
The American Heart
Association’s Nutrition Committee “strongly advises” following its
recommendation of “reducing saturated fat to no more than 5 to 6 percent of
total calories”.[6]
To me that doesn’t sound like the American Heart Association is promoting the consumption
of saturated fats as health foods to reduce cholesterol.
Who else do we turn to for any medical or health related answers? Well
WebMD of course! On their website they address the hype that “Coconut oil, according to recent reports, is the latest food cure-all. Claims
abound that coconut oil is a health food that can cure everything from poor
immune function, thyroid
disease, and heart disease,
to obesity, cancer, and HIV.”[7]
What is WebMD’s conclusion on the matter? Very
similar to my own personal beliefs, their stance on the issue is that “The
evidence that coconut oil is super-healthful is not convincing and these claims
appear to be more testimonials than clinical evidence.”[8]
The final issue I have with the big
coconut oil debate is “oil pulling” and reported benefits that come from that
process. Many people ask me about oil pulling and if it is really all it’s
cracked up to be. Honestly, I find the thought of swishing around a saturated
fact akin to a mouth full of butter, downright cringe worthy. I will admit that there are studies that show
that this process can kill some of the bacteria in your mouth, if you swish
approx. a tablespoon of oil around in your mouth for…20 minutes!!! Yeah no
thanks, I would personally rather just use mouthwash and floss.
* For an interesting read on both the pros and cons of
coconut oil from a health standpoint I recommend checking out the article in
Body and Soul called Is
coconut a superfood? Here
is the link: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/nutrition+tips/is+coconut+a+superfoodr,19899.
Nutrition Evolution Links
[1] Katie.101 Uses for Coconut Oil. 8/3/12.
Wellness Mama. 2015. http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/.
Accessed 6/18/15.
[2] Gunners, Kris. 10 Proven Health Benefits of
Coconut Oil (No. 3 is Best).
Authority Nutrition.2012-2015. http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/.
Accessed 6/18/15.
[3] Elizabeth G Neal, PhD, Hannah Chaffe, BSc, Ruby H Schwartz, FRCPCH, Margaret S Lawson, PhD, Nicole Edwards, BSc, Geogianna Fitzsimmons,
BSc, Andrea Whitney, MRCP, J Helen Cross, FRCPCH. The ketogenic diet for the treatment of
childhood epilepsy: a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Neurology. Volume 7, No. 6, p500–506, June 2008. Accessed:http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(08)70092-9/abstract.
6/18/15.
[4] Gunners, Kris. 10 Proven Health Benefits of
Coconut Oil (No. 3 is Best).
Authority Nutrition.2012-2015. http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/.
Accessed 6/18/15.
[5] Know Your Fats. ©2015 American Heart Association, Inc. Accessed. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/PreventionTreatmentofHighCholesterol/Know-Your-Fats_UCM_305628_Article.jsp.
6/18/15.
[6] Know Your Fats. ©2015 American Heart Association, Inc. Accessed. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/PreventionTreatmentofHighCholesterol/Know-Your-Fats_UCM_305628_Article.jsp.
6/18/15.
[7] . Kathleen M.
Zelman, MPH, RD, LD.
The Truth about Coconut Oil. March
10, 2011. WebMD, LLC. 2005-2015. Accessed: http://www.webmd.com/diet/coconut-oil-and-health.
On 6/18/15.
[8] . Kathleen M.
Zelman, MPH, RD, LD.
The Truth about Coconut Oil. March
10, 2011. WebMD, LLC. 2005-2015. Accessed: http://www.webmd.com/diet/coconut-oil-and-health.
On 6/18/15.
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