the truth about coconut oil

But the madness didn’t stop there. “But just because coconut oil can raise HDL cholesterol doesn't mean that it’s great for your heart,” Young says. “Even the most rigorous epidemiological studies suffer from a fundamental limitation,” the article goes. However, rather than demonize natural foods that offer huge potential health benefits, we advise looking into various lifestyle factors that have a lot more impact on your heart health. If anything, this so-called nutritional devil should be helping your heart—not turning it into a time bomb. One study found that men who ate the most MCTs ate fewer calories overall. Fact: The truth is the exact opposite! Fads-n-Fats: The Truth About Coconut Oil . Coconut oil fans point out that people in places like Polynesia and Sri Lanka eat high amounts of coconut products daily but don’t seem to have high rates of heart disease. The American Heart Association says to limit saturated fat to no more than 13 grams a day. People make a lot of claims about coconut oil, but there is no well-designed, peer-reviewed, credible scientific evidence to show that coconut oil speeds metabolism, promotes weight loss, cures Alzheimer’s disease, improves brain function, or improves heart health. Li, Y. Win $6,000 in Cash! Coconut Oil Contains a Unique Combination of Fatty Acids With Powerful Medicinal Properties. Coconut-sourced healthy fats for energy and weight management. But might it actually be healthy? They found that margarine intake increased the risk of coronary heart disease. In other words, get a bunch of people in a controlled study where the scientists feed them saturated fat and observe the outcome, and the results don’t match what the AHA has said. The truth about coconut oil and cardiovascular risk. In its place, the researchers recommend eating more unsaturated fats—particularly polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in popular vegetable oils. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, December 2003. “You definitely don’t want to think of it as a freebie food that you can eat as much of as you want.”. Most nutritionists believe saturated fat intake raises cholesterol in the body. Virgin coconut oil was proven to be 100 percent effective against candida albicans, a common cause of yeast infections in … With a subscription, you'll get your favorite Onnit products whenever you want at 15% off MSRP. 8. Fitness equipment, personal care products, knowledge purchases, digital products, and DVDs are not eligible for return or refund. Posts by Dr. Oz and Michael Roizen, M.D. High in saturated fat, it was regarded as bad for heart health. You’ve probably seen some of the following headlines: How healthy or unhealthy coconut oil is for you depends in large part on what else you eat. This would then equal to four-times the security compared with choosing to forgo the sunscreen completely. “50 Years Ago, Sugar Industry Quietly Paid Scientists To Point Blame At Fat,” by Camila Domonoske. The Truth About Coconut Oil: The Drugstore in a Bottle Paperback – January 1, 2005 by Conrado S. Dayrit (Author) See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions. Not only did the coconut oil prove to be more heart healthy, the women lost weight while taking it. The Journal of Nutrition found that subjects who consumed 10g of MCTs versus 10g of long-chain fats experienced more pure fat loss after 12 weeks. Researchers for a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine believe that any damage the Maasai diet might do to their hearts is offset by their energy expenditure. It’s clear that there’s a large misunderstanding when we talk about fats in general. Why the bad rep? Free shipping is offered on orders with a minimum subtotal of $150 less discounts. As you can see, the myths and facts about coconut oil are very different things. But it also raises your LDL “bad” cholesterol. However, experts believe the high levels of saturated fat may make coconut oil a poor dietary choice. You can’t just add it to your diet without cutting back elsewhere and expect to lose weight, Young says. have its head so far up its A.S.S? Heart disease started becoming a national problem in the 1930s, obesity in 80s, and diabetes in the 90s. Price New from Used from Paperback "Please retry" $88.75 — $88.75: Paperback, January 1, … Eating better is one thing, but there’s a lot to be said for the health-promoting effects of exercise. One of the special properties in coconut oil is its medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of saturated fat that the body seems to burn quickly for energy. “Is Saturated Fat Bad For Me?” Examine.com. Coconut oil has been a pretty popular commodity in the recent 10 years. And here’s where saturated fats shine. Published last week, it outrageously stated the following: “Because coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol, a cause of cardiovascular disease, and has no known offsetting favorable effects, we advise against the use of coconut oil.”, And that was just the beginning. We just ask that you try it out for at least two weeks to give it a fair shot. 5. The piece goes on to reveal that much of the epidemiological research that government organizations base their nutrition guidelines on comes from studies run by Harvard’s school of public health (and lo and behold, that’s just where the lead scientist behind this latest advisory report was from). House says, “Don’t share these types of articles or give them any mind. And one more thing about the AHA’s advisory. We incorporate physical, electronic, and administrative procedures to safeguard the confidentiality of your personal information, including Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for the encryption of all financial transactions through the website. So maybe every time Nic Cage releases a movie someone dies. It’s Never Been Healthy,” asserting that coconut oil is dangerous because “it’s almost 100% fat” and citing the AHA’s recommendation to limit saturated fat to a mere six percent of your daily caloric intake. But swapping saturated fats like coconut oil and butter with unsaturated options -- like those in nuts, seeds, and liquid vegetable oil -- will. Coconut oil is made by pressing the fat from the white “meat” inside the giant nut. Some of the concepts presented herein may be theoretical. Epidemiological data can be used to suggest hypotheses but not to prove them. We implement a variety of security measures to maintain the safety of your personal information when you place an order or enter, submit, or access any information on our website. “Oxidized Cholesterol & Vegetable Oils Identified as the Main Cause of Heart Disease,” University Health News. de Roos, N. Journal of Nutrition, February 2001. 1. After 12 years, there was a significant decrease in coronary heart disease death in men, but not in the women. One of the special properties in coconut oil is its medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of saturated fat that the body seems to burn quickly for energy. Their total cholesterol went up, as did their LDL, and their HDL levels went down. All automatic, worry free, and with our same great money back guarantee. Out of 231,986 patients in 541 hospitals, almost half had “normal” LDL cholesterol levels—less than 100mg/dL. A 2009 study in Lipids compared the effects of coconut oil consumption versus soybean oil in obese women. It’s fine to add small amounts to your diet. According to an article by investigative journalist Gary Taubes, “This is technically called performance bias and it’s the equivalent of doing an unblinded drug trial without a placebo… We would never accept such a trial as a valid test of a drug. According Dr. Stephan Guyenet, author of The American Diet, the rise of these highly preventable health woes coincides with the gradual replacement of saturated fats in the American diet with polyunsaturated fats—and the switch from butter to margarine in particular. Tholstrup, T. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, April 2004. But it's not a magical health food, a group of doctors said. So, does this theory hold up? The following is our effort to clear up some misconceptions about the cloudy oil so many people have grown to rely on in their cooking and supplementation. Accessibility Policy  While Young suggests using cholesterol-free coconut oil to replace butter or lard when you’re cooking or baking, she says you should get most of your fat from unsaturated sources including olive oil, avocado, and nuts. The AHA report clearly states that the researchers didn’t look at “clinical trials that compared direct effects on cardiovascular disease of coconut oil and other dietary oils.” So if they didn’t specifically study coconut oil’s effect on heart health versus other types of oil, how can they conclude that it’s more dangerous? One consumed a diet with nine percent saturated fat and the other a diet with 18% saturated fat over four and a half years. Coconut flour is another higher-fiber option that you can use when baking. Ever hear of the Framingham Study? Marina, A.M. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2009. But it’s still a good idea to choose your fats wisely. Coconut oil- a polarizing topic, yet when we cut to the research and dive a little deeper into the science, the confusion is stripped away. In thanks to military and first responders, we're extending a 15% discount off MSRP for all products purchased at Onnit.com. References to any non-Onnit entity, product, service, person or source of information in this or any other Communication should not be considered an endorsement, either direct or implied, by the host, presenter or distributor of the Communication. 2. Be active and healthy. I am going to dive into the truth about coconut oil and help clear some of the recent confusion surrounding this oil. High levels of lipoproteins are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but the relationship isn’t causal. There’s a pile of research that says it can, based largely on the idea that saturated fat raising cholesterol is a good thing, not a bad one. They also note that being sure to always use a clean utensil when scooping is super important, because contaminants can increase the chances of mold growing. But we’re pretty sure that by presenting you a more complete picture of the evidence surrounding coconut oil, saturated fat, and health, you’ll be able to decide for yourself the truth about coconut oil and your heart. Their blood pressure was also lower than that of a neighboring tribe. After five years, the experimental group was determined to have a lower incidence for heart attacks. Coconut oil does have antioxidants, compounds that may help reduce the risk of disease. If the product doesn't perform for you, however, we’re not gonna play games with you. However, the results still aren’t cut and dried. That’s why we were infuriated by the American Heart Association’s (AHA) position statement, “Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease,” which attacked saturated fats—and coconut oil specifically. That’s kind of like giving one class of fifth graders the answers to a test and giving another one the wrong books to read to cram for it. And it’s the reason coconut oil has a bad rap from many health officials. But Young says you’ll likely get a bigger antioxidant bang for your buck from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. In fact, coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat known to man, with almost 90% of the fatty acids in it … The Truth About Coconut Oil and Cardiovascular Risk Fatima Rodriguez, MD, MPH, FACC, FAHA reviewing Neelakantan N et al. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Claim: Coconut oil protects against yeast infections. Now let’s look beyond saturated fats to coconut oil specifically. Coconut oil’s saturated fat is made up mostly of medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs. Or fiction? On top of that, more than half had low HDL cholesterol (less than 40mg/dL when 60 and above is optimal). Incidentally, they found that butter did not. “This is another case of it if sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” Young says. One of the most frequently cited studies to support the idea that saturated fat is bad took place in a Finnish mental hospital in 1972 (we couldn’t make this shit up). Onnit is not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any other information or services you chose to follow without consulting a qualified medical professional. Coconut oil has become a very popular fat that has been widely promoted as a superfood with many health benefits. (If you’ve seen The Wicker Man, you might vote yes, but obviously he’s not a killer.). Is it really everything it's cracked up to be? Obviously, taking overall good care of yourself should be your primary focus for avoiding all health problems. Consider the Maasai tribe of Tanzania. In 1998, the American Society for Clinical Nutrition reported that subjects who consumed high-fat diets (46% of calories), including a high saturated fat intake, increased the concentration of the larger particles of LDL cholesterol. In nature, MCTs can be found in human breast milk (10% of the fat in breast milk), coconut oil, palm kernel oil, cow and goat milk. And we don’t blame you. Does that sound like bias to you? These are proteins that carry cholesterol, fat, and fat-soluble vitamins through your bloodstream. © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. For one thing, it has two members of the US Canola Association (as in canola oil, the so-called “heart healthy” polyunsaturated fat) on its nutrition advisory panel, along with numerous other corporate influencers. Controversy over coconut oil aside, its medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are accepted dietary fat derivatives which give the best benefits of coconut oil. But those societies also eat heart-healthy, plant-based diets, and more fish than Americans do. The Best Ways To Use Coconut Oil for Your Skin. Coconut oil is made by pressing the meat of a coconut to extract its fat. Siri-Tarino, PW. It has more fiber than the oil. The truth about coconut oil . Terms & Conditions  Our Scandinavian friends were at it again in the 70s with the release of the Oslo Diet-Heart Study, another experiment the AHA proudly uses to buttress its anti-saturated fat argument. That’s the amount found in about one tablespoon of coconut oil. He then divided them into two groups and put one on a diet low in saturated fat and high in polyunsaturated fats, while the control subjects stuck with the standard Norwegian diet. Watch your polyunsaturated fats. 9. Sean Hyson is the Editor in Chief of Onnit. What The Health Debunked: The Ultimate Rebuttal, More articles To compare, 14% of olive oil’s calories are from saturated fat and 63% of butter’s are. A recent study examined the effect of coconut oil on 40 obese women. We use industry-standard, 256bit SSL encryption to protect your personal information online, and we also take several steps to protect your personal information in our facilities. One day you’re told something is unhealthy, the next it’s not, and it seems like just when you’ve stocked your pantry with the right food it’s back on the naughty list again. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Oct. 6, 2015. Myth #3: Coconut oil is an irritant to skin. 4 minutes to read . In fact, coconut oil is prescribed for losing weight and a systematic intake of coconut oil will help you lose a considerable amount of weight. By this point, you’re hopefully at least allowing the possibility that saturated fat isn’t the heart-clogging killer some have made it out to be. 1. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, published online Jan. 13, 2010. When I consume oils, I prefer them to be mostly mono and polyunsaturated oils which have wide-spread proven health benefits. Between five and 23 years, 347,747 subjects were followed, 11,006 of whom developed cardiovascular disease or strokes. Coconut oil contains around 90% saturated fat, which is much more than the 64% saturated fat content found in butter. In fact, coconut oil is listed as having an SPF level of 4. But labeling LDL all bad is an oversimplification. The studies they did cite only showed that coconut oil raised cholesterol, but looking deeper, we found that they showed coconut oil raised not just LDL cholesterol (the so-called “bad” kind) but HDL cholesterol as well. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2008. For more information and a full list of products that qualify, visit our. Scientists acknowledge that the type of cholesterol your lipoproteins carry around makes a critical difference to your health. In this case, a single researcher asked local doctors to find subjects who were at high risk for heart disease or had had heart attacks already. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “Vascular disease is uncommon in both populations and there is no evidence of the high saturated fat intake having a harmful effect.”, There’s also the people of Kitava, an island belonging to Papua New Guinea. “Why Coconut Oil Won’t Kill You, But Listening To the American Heart Association Might,” by Diana Rodgers, R.D. Remember, the study looked at MCTs, not coconut oil, but it’s not hard to imagine coconut oil having similar potential due to its MCT content. To qualify, simply verify your status during checkout on the payment step. About 84 percent of its calories come from saturated fat. Ben House, Ph.D., C.N., adds that “body composition, fiber intake, thyroid function, and infections are probably much bigger issues than you using one or two tablespoons of coconut oil a day. Coconut oil is high in saturated fat- this is a true statement. Coconut oil: You can’t browse social media -- or the grocery store shelves -- these days without running across it. Multiple bottles, foods, apparel and gear do not fall under this guarantee, however, they may be applicable for return. There are no guidelines for how much saturated fat or coconut oil to include in the diet that can apply to everyone. A 2015 Harvard study found that replacing calories from saturated fat in your diet with calories from refined carbs like white bread and soda won’t lower heart disease risk. The discount applied every time is 15% off MSRP or the current sale discount, whichever is greater. “Top 9 Biggest Myths About Dietary Fat and Cholesterol,” by Kris Gunnars, BSc. Instead of accepting that this evidence was inadequate to give sound advice, strong-willed scientists overstated the significance of their studies.”. This time from The American Heart Association’s recently released report advising against the use of coconut oil. The Truth About Coconut Oil. 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