|
As a result of all of the misinformation which has been spread about coconut oil over the past 30 years as well as the constant media harping on the dangers of fat and cholesterol we are frequently asked the following question: "Isn't coconut oil bad for my cholesterol?" Although this question is discussed in the various references on our "coconut info links" page, we have decided to address it here specifically for those who don't want to dig through all of the other references. For the answer to this question we quote the book, Know Your Fats, by Mary Enig, Ph.D. (Who is Mary Enig?) "The following is an exchange in 1999 with a European-based journalist. Question: Specifically, I would like [a] comment on the veracity and accuracy of this report, which I got off the Internet, from India's Health Education Library for People (HELP) organization. In particular, I would be interested in whether [you agree] that the MCFA v. LCFA distinction gives coconut oil the advantages in digestion that this article says it does and, if so, why experiments have shown it to increase deposits of cholesterol. THANKS... Here is the text: "Coconut oil is rich in saturated fat, which is why it is bracketed with animal fat by many people. It should be noted that coconut oil has no cholesterol, as the latter is a component of animal fat only. However, intake of saturated fat may result in the elevation of the blood cholesterol levels. But all oils are not the same. Coconut oil is a good food, as most of its saturated fatty acids are what we call medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). They account for nearly 64% of the fatty acids in coconut oil. It is only coconut oil and palm kernel oil, among all of the edible oils, that contain these good MCFAs. All other vegetable oils and the animal oils contain long chain fatty acids (LCFAs). The only exception is butterfat, with 12% short chain fatty acids. Unfortunately those who equate coconut oil with other saturated fats do not know that there are different varieties of saturated fats. Coconut oil is, therefore, different from all other oils containing saturated fatty acids. Being a MCFA oil, coconut oil has certain definite advantages over other LCFAs. The digestion of coconut oils is faster and starts almost in the mouth itself and undergoes complete digestion in the stomach and upper intestine not requiring the pancreatic juice lipase for its digestion. It also has better solubility in biological fluids, getting absorbed directly into the portal blood and carried to the liver directly to undergo rapid oxidation to release energy. Other oils and animal fats containing LCFAs need pancreatic lipase for their digestion and do not easily mix with biological fluids, and so are absorbed after being re-esterified inside the intestinal cells into triglycerides. They are first incorporated into large insoluble particles called chylomicrons by the intestinal cells. These then go to the liver via the lymphatics and the circulatory system, thereby going round all parts of the body before going to the liver for final oxidation. They are, therefore, more likely to get deposited as fats and also change the blood fat content. Coconut oil, therefore, does not produce any significant change in the circulating VLDL [very low density lipoprotein], which is supposed to be bad for vessel thickening. (Emphasis ours.) (Dr. Kritchevsky at Wistar told me that their experiments with mice did show coconut oil to increase deposits...) Because of the above advantages, coconut oil is preferred as a medicinal oil in cooking for people who have bad digestion and also in infant feeds to supply fat content. **The addition of coconut oil to infant feeds helps absorption of calcium and magnesium and could help treat rickets in poor nations of the world.** TRUE? Another distinct feature of coconut oil is that it has 2.56% less calories per gramme of fat than all other LCFA oils." Answer: I have your request for information forwarded to me by ... Eating real coconut oil does not cause cholesterol deposits; it never did and it never will. (Emphasis ours.) The mouse work done by Kritchevsky and others was done using EFA [essential fatty acid] deficient hydrogenated coconut oil; this is not the food oil eaten all over the world. Yes, coconut oil does provide fewer calories because of its high content (65%) of medium chain fatty acids, and yes they are more readily digested than the long chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is added to infant formulas to try to duplicate human milk; the lauric acid provides antimicrobial support and the absorption of minerals is enhanced." For those interested in, or concerned about cholesterol in general I would recommend visiting the site referenced below in order to get some information from a party which is not (directly or indirectly) trying to sell you cholesterol medication. The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics (THINCS) is a steadily growing group of scientists, physicians, other academicians and science writers from various countries. Members of this group represent different views about the causation of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, some of them are in conflict with others, but this is a normal part of Science. What we all oppose is that animal fat and high cholesterol play a role. The aim with this web site is to inform our colleagues and the public that this idea is not supported by scientific evidence; in fact, for many years a huge number of scientific studies have directly contradicted it. visit THINCS
|
|
|
