Coconut Oil - Does it raise cholesterol?

elga_thres

Hi, everyone! I read several articles on coconut oil. Some say it we still should be cautious because it is high in saturated fat However, some encourage the consumption of it. Even state that coconut oil helps to burn fat. What do you think?

LKArgh

Yes, it raises cholesterol. No, it is not going to burn fat or have any other miracle cures. If a site claims any food help burns fat, you know this is not a reliable source of information
The coconut oil miracle properties are a fad, and a potentially dangerous one. Use in moderation if you like it.

http://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/uploads/Evidence_paper_coconut_August_2014.pdf
https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/ask-the-expert/coconut-oil
http://heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/food-and-nutrition/fats-and-cholesterol/replace-unhealthy-fats-with-healthy-fats
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/coconut-oil
http://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/coconut-oil-supervillain-or-superfood

Fuzzipeg

I think it is something to do with short chain fatty acids being beneficial. As with all things it is best not to over do it. If you are using calories as your units or fat percentages you would be as well to maintain these. My rule of thumb is if something feels to be doing you good, it probably is. Do what is right for you.

I need to avoid coconut oil and olive oil, another cited as beneficial because they are high in salicylate like many fruits, veg, nuts, herbs and spices, my tolerance for these things is much lower than the majority, it causes me many allergy like symptoms.

feisty_bucket

elga_thres wrote: »

high in saturated fat

Saturated fat is fine.

Scamd83

feisty_bucket wrote: »

elga_thres wrote: »

high in saturated fat

Saturated fat is fine.

And it has a great taste when you cook stuff in it. It's the latest thing that's in fashion and thus means people can slap a higher price tag on it. But if you want coconut oil, have coconut oil.

MommyL2015

It's good for making popcorn and makes my hair soft and shiny.

But it's oil. It has calories, and like all oil, probably not good to consume too much of it and It doesn't magically burn fat.

socajam

Coconut oil is a plant based food, plants do not have cholesterol. Can you have too much of it, of course, but it is a much better oil to cook with than canola or soy or some of the other cheap crap that is on the market.

nvmomketo

It probably raises HDL, and may raise LDL but it is probably due to an increase in pattern a, so overall it is a good thing.I think the main risk for worsening cholesterol is pairing high carbs (in the form of highly processed foods) with high fat - it's not working well for people.

Plus the link between total cholesterol and CAD is outdated, in my opinion.

shaybee377

My aunt is the type of person to buy into all the nutritional fads, and she somehow convinced my grandfather to get on a coconut oil kick with her because she said it would help lower his slightly elevated cholesterol. The next time he went to the doctor, his cholesterol was DANGEROUSLY high and she told him to quit using it altogether. Just don't go overboard with it. Everything in moderation!

ivanfawcettgibson

It depends how you use it. I eat a shed load of the stuff as I'm doing a ketogenic diet. I get most of my calories from healthy fats and less than 1g of ideal body weight per day. Yes, it will raise HDL, this is not a bad thing.

elga_thres

aggelikik wrote: »

Yes, it raises cholesterol. No, it is not going to burn fat or have any other miracle cures. If a site claims any food help burns fat, you know this is not a reliable source of information
The coconut oil miracle properties are a fad, and a potentially dangerous one. Use in moderation if you like it.

http://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/uploads/Evidence_paper_coconut_August_2014.pdf
https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/ask-the-expert/coconut-oil
http://heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/food-and-nutrition/fats-and-cholesterol/replace-unhealthy-fats-with-healthy-fats
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/coconut-oil
http://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/coconut-oil-supervillain-or-superfood

Wow, thank you very much for the links!

elga_thres

shelbyrose93 wrote: »

My aunt is the type of person to buy into all the nutritional fads, and she somehow convinced my grandfather to get on a coconut oil kick with her because she said it would help lower his slightly elevated cholesterol. The next time he went to the doctor, his cholesterol was DANGEROUSLY high and she told him to quit using it altogether. Just don't go overboard with it. Everything in moderation!

Thank you for your response. I'll just use it on moderation...

elga_thres

Scamd83 wrote: »

feisty_bucket wrote: »

elga_thres wrote: »

high in saturated fat

Saturated fat is fine.

And it has a great taste when you cook stuff in it. It's the latest thing that's in fashion and thus means people can slap a higher price tag on it. But if you want coconut oil, have coconut oil.

Yes, I agree, it does taste great. I also have seen these 'healthy treats' that use coconut oil for baking.

MindPump1

Here's a good person to follow that posted about the fatty acids found in coconut oil.

https://instagram.com/p/BBkzpwfJ1mK/embed/

Here's the text for pic:

Medium chain triglycerides (MCT's) are fatty acids with aliphatic tails of 6-12 carbon molecules. What makes them unique is how the body uses them...they go straight to the liver to be turned into energy. They bypass many of the processes that other fatty acids have to go through which makes them excellent sources of energy. They have also been shown to reduce markers of metabolic disease and have been shown to reduce body fat levels in people who substitute some of their regular fats with MCT's. There is ongoing science in the brain boosting effects of MCT's as well...in fact it is recommended for people with brain degenerative disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's. The health and performance benefits of MCT's are endless however they do not provide essential fatty acids therefore it is important to also consume other fatty acids like your omega 3's. Natural sources of MCT's are coconut oil and palm oil. I personally consume MCT's regularly in my diet and I find that my exercise performance benefits as a result. They also help me stay lean even while consuming more calories. Some studies have even suggested that a gram of MCT's contains less than 9 calories per gram making them lower in calories per gram than their long chain counterparts. Animal and human studies demonstrate that MCT's are the ultimate "fat burning fat." MCT's have also been called the "carbohydrate" of fats because they produce such quick energy...except they don't get stored easily as fat like carbs or sugars do. All in all I love MCT's and I recommend them to almost everyone

lithezebra

Fuzzipeg wrote: »

My rule of thumb is if something feels to be doing you good, it probably is. Do what is right for you.

My rule of thumb is to confirm what is, or is not, good for you, by having blood tests. You can't feel your cholesterol levels going up.