coconut oil
ashquin
Posts: 248 Member
i have been seeing allot of recipes lately with coconut oil. is it better for you? what do i use it for?
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Replies
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it is good for you, better than canola or vegetable oil! It also has a higher smoke point than olive oil so its great for cooking with. I use it for cooking veggies, eggs, meat, anything! I sauteed some cabbage in it last night with a little red wine vinegar and it was super tasty!0
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It may be the best of all possible oils to use, however, the price is ridiculous. I've researched EVERY store in my area and, the lowest prices was $18..59 for 8 ounces.0
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its is considered a saturated fat and therefore will raise your bad cholesterol LDL-- so if thats not an issue for you then by all means use it0
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its is considered a saturated fat and therefore will raise your bad cholesterol LDL-- so if thats not an issue for you then by all means use it
Completely false statement....my use of coconut and olive oil over the past year - changed my total cholesterol from 200 to 163 and upped my HDL from 35 to 55...0 -
its is considered a saturated fat and therefore will raise your bad cholesterol LDL-- so if thats not an issue for you then by all means use it
Completely false statement....my use of coconut and olive oil over the past year - changed my total cholesterol from 200 to 163 and upped my HDL from 35 to 55...
Watch the movie "Fat Head." When he ate mainly saturated fats for a month (meats, coconut oil, etc.) his cholesterol went down and he lost 12.5 pounds. It's a pretty funny documentary but has a lot of great information in it as well. It's on Netflix's instant queue right now.
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My nutritionist said we should be getting a couple of tablespoons a day of VIRGIN coconut oil into our bodies daily. Healthy and she said will help with weightloss...0
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It may be the best of all possible oils to use, however, the price is ridiculous. I've researched EVERY store in my area and, the lowest prices was $18..59 for 8 ounces.
If you have a Trader Joe's near you somewhere, they sell it for $6 per jar (which is 16 ounces). Also, you can try a trusted online source, such as Amazon.com to find a cheaper option. As with purchasing anything online, make sure to do your research first to avoid buying a low rated product.0 -
I use if for everything and I have a very low LDL
Just make sure the coconut oil you use is organic cold pressed0 -
its is considered a saturated fat and therefore will raise your bad cholesterol LDL-- so if thats not an issue for you then by all means use it
Completely false statement....my use of coconut and olive oil over the past year - changed my total cholesterol from 200 to 163 and upped my HDL from 35 to 55...
Just because your cholesterol is better, doesn't mean it is because of the coconut oil. I would guess that you are making other positive changes.
To the OP, the only thing I can say is to do some research and determine for yourself. I read this article, and decided that coconut oil probably wasn't for me, because there are cholesterol problems in my family and I really don't want to risk it.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/coconut-oil-and-health
That being said, supposedly it has a wonderful aroma, almost no taste, and works extremely well when cooking. I think in small doses it should be okay for most people, but not an every day thing.0 -
It may be the best of all possible oils to use, however, the price is ridiculous. I've researched EVERY store in my area and, the lowest prices was $18..59 for 8 ounces.
If you have a Trader Joe's near you somewhere, they sell it for $6 per jar (which is 16 ounces). Also, you can try a trusted online source, such as Amazon.com to find a cheaper option. As with purchasing anything online, make sure to do your research first to avoid buying a low rated product.
I get mine on soap.com. It's made from NOW foods, certified organic, virgin coconut oil. It's about 8$ for a 16oz jar0 -
I think I read that the fat in coconut oil are constructed in such a way that they aren't converted into cholesterol the same way that other saturated fats are. It's metabolized differently. I'm not a scientist though so it would be interesting to hear more about this.
ETA: the TYPE of coconut oil apparently matters too - virgin coconut oil, non-hydrogenated, non-refined is what to look for.0 -
Just did a quick search on Amazon.com and they have quite a few different options for coconut oil. And I love the fact I can read the reviews before I purchase.0
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I think everyone can have a different reaction to different types of oils... Anyone that struggles with their cholesterol being at an unhealthy level should probably check with their doctor or a nurse before making major changes, anyways- that being said, in the last 2 years, I have stopped using butter in cooking, never use shortening, and use olive oil for everything... I have lost weight, and my cholesterol... LDL is 114, HDL is 75, and my triglycerides are 65. All very healthy levels. But I do exercise daily, and we eat really healthy, as well. Coconut oil has to be healthier than butter, shortening, and all that- so I say go for it!0
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Kroger's retail is very competitive and it is also an awesome beauty tool for really dry skin or extremely damaged hair!0
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Coconut oil is an excellent replacement for Canola oil and butter/margarine. Although it is a saturated fat, it is a healthy fat which will help with lowering LDL. A great way to start cooking w/ it is when frying eggs; my husband loves them this way and he is not nearly on the healthy living train I am.
Coconut Oil is excellent for the hair & scalp (after treatment, condition hair first and then wash as usual). It's also great as a skin moisturizer, I even use it around my eyes both as a moisturizer and to fix any mascara smudges.
Trader Joe's has an excellent Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 16 oz. jar, under $6. The trick is getting there when they're in, they fly off the shelf!0 -
Just research coconut oil. I did read what web-md said about coconut oil...and another doctor too....I can not remember. But, I do not always believe everything that they say.
We have been told for years to eat "low-fat" but look how fat we are here in the US! Other countries that cook with Olive Oil, coconut oil...they are thinner.
Anyway, like someone stated the fat in the coconut oil works differently in our body than typical saturated fat. I had a professional body builder tell me to take virgin coconut oil for my skin. As I researched, I found many other benefits....one is thyroid production too!
So, I now take 1 tbsp of coconut oil in my oatmeal every morning. If I cook in my crock pot, I put a tablespoon in there too.
I bought Vitacost off of Amazon. It is a good price.0 -
Coconut Oil is awesome...I fry with it all the time - I also use in recipes and smoothies
You want to find UNREFINED virgin coconut oil - you can find it places like Whole Foods or the organic section of your gorcery for about $10 or so....If you have Trader Joes near you check to see if they carry it - I have found it at mine for about $6 a bottle...
It will be solid at most room temps...I just scoop it out - if you need it liquid (like in a smoothie or a recipe) then I just pop it in a dish and microwave it for a bit so it melts...
If you google coconut oil you will gets all sorts of things...its great for you - it's bad for you (once again it is important to note what TYPE of coconut oil they are talking about - refined is bad because it has the good fatty acids broken down - pure unrefined virgin is good) - you really have to read between the lines...
You can come accross articles that will say it increases your cholesterol - your blood cholesterol is primarly determined by your liver...not the foods you eat - dietary fats have only a small influence on your blood cholesterol levels...so if you are someone who genetically is predisposed to higher levels of cholesteral then yes you would want to try to limit your dietary cholesterol somewhat....
I did the whole low fat - eat skinless chicken, fish, veggies, stayed away from all those "bad oils" like olive and coconut exercised my *kitten* off...had blood work done...my cholesterol was high at about 200...my HDL (good cholesterol) was 35 - my Dr.s suggestion - cut back on red meat (I hadn't been anywhere near read meat for about 6 months).
After a lot of soul searching (i.e. if I am doing everything "right" then why is my bloodwork high..why am I not loosing weight) and TONS of reading on nutrients (fats, protien, carbs, sugars, salt, vitamins, minerals, etc...) and how our body uses them I changed the way I eat...now doing everything most dietiticans would balk at (eating red meat, bacon, loads of olive and coconut oils in addition to fruits and veggies) my blood work is fantastic, I have lost weight (mostly fat as my body is a lot slimmer).
My suggestion is read, read and read somemore and come to your own conclusions...as what works for one person may not work for another - hence why there are so many lifestyle ways of eating 0 -
Coconut oil is a super food. It is one of the best oils and will not harm you.
Forget about cholesterol, don't worry about it. Your body makes cholesterol, your cells need it.
To learn more about cholesterol read a book called "GENOCIDE: How Your Doctor's Dietary Ignorance Will Kill You!!!" by Dr. James Carlson. You can read most of the book for free on Dr. Carlson's web site at: http://drjamescarlson.com/
"Setting the record straight once and for all, Genocide: How Your Doctor's Dietary Ignorance Will Kill You!!!! by Dr. James E. Carlson breaks the chains of ignorance when it comes to dieting and staying healthy. Concern for his patients led this medical doctor to unveil common misconceptions regarding carbohydrates, fat, proteins, sugars and cholesterol that are perpetrated and perpetuated by the medical community. Regrettably, with the advice of doctors millions of Americans are eating themselves into an early grave. Now, avoiding a priori reasoning, readers are able to draw their own conclusions on what lifestyle is best for them and how to initiate the most sensible diet possible. Take back your life-the fact is that low fat, low cholesterol diets are dangerous. With humor, wit and a good dose of common sense, this guide shows readers that a diet with daily sources of fat, cholesterol and protein is effective in treating disease."
For everything you ever wanted to know about coconut oil check out the Coconut Research Center at: http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/
Read a book called: The Coconut Oil Miracle" by Bruce Fife
"The coconut provides a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk, and oil that has fed and nourished populations around the world for generations. On many island it is a staple in the diet and provides the majority of the food eaten. Nearly one third of the world's population depends on coconut to some degree for their food and their economy. Among these cultures the coconut has a long and respected history.
Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is classified as a "functional food" because it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional content. Coconut oil is of special interest because it possesses healing properties far beyond that of any other dietary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Pacific Islanders consider coconut oil to be the cure for all illness. The coconut palm is so highly valued by them as both a source of food and medicine that it is called "The Tree of Life." Only recently has modern medical science unlocked the secrets to coconut's amazing healing powers."
Some of the benefits of coconut oil:
*Reduces risk of atherosclerosis and related illnesses
*Reduces risk of cancer and other degenerative conditions
*Helps prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal (including yeast) infections
*Supports immune system function
*Helps prevent osteoporosis
*Helps control diabetes
*Promotes weight loss
*Supports healthy metabolic function
*Provides an immediate source of energy
*Supplies fewer calories than other fats
*Supplies important nutrients necessary for good health
*Improves digestion and nutrient absorption
*Is highly resistant to spoilage (long shelf life)
*Is heat resistant (the healthiest oil for cooking)
*Helps keep skin soft and smooth
*Helps prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin
*Helps protect against skin cancer and other blemishes
Coconut oil has been called the "healthiest dietary oil on earth." If you’re not using coconut oil for your daily cooking and body care needs you’re missing out on one of nature’s most amazing health products.
I've lost 155 pounds, I feel great and I use LOTS of coconut oil.
Dan0 -
Here is a great article on coconut oil:
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/02/organic-coconut-health-benefits-dieting.html
Here are some ideas and ways to use it:
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/10/how-why-do-you-use-organic-virgin.html
I will tell you that I use it and that I love it. I can tell you it has made a big difference in my hunger issues. If this is in my diet daily I don't feel near as hungry. When people start saying that things like coconut oil isn't healthy, I just have to shake my head! Look at this way would you rather eat something that is chemically altered by man or would you rather eat something as close to the natural way it was created by God? I choose to eat as natural as possible (grass fed beef/pastured chickens/free range eggs/etc). What causes heart issues/cholesterol issues so happens to be partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated fats. They are so bad for you and they are in so many foods. Look through your cabinets and pull out some of the foods and read the ingredients. Can you read them? We use to eat a lot of foods like that but we don't anymore and our family is so much more healthy, more energy, and just all around feel better. I am not trying to tell anyone how to eat and I am just stating what works for me and what I am most comfortable with. I know the cost is more however you have to think about the work that goes into getting organic virgin coconut oil made. I purchase mine from nutiva.com and right now it is 59.99 a gallon or 33.99 for 54 oz. If you like them on facebook you can get a code for $10.00 off. The price seems high but the health benefits are amazing! Sorry but canola/vegetable/corn oil can't claim that they are anti-bacterial/anti-viral/anti-fungal.
Take the time and do some research. I think you will learn a lot and realize just how good it really is.
Healthy Choices and Real Food!0 -
After a lot of soul searching (i.e. if I am doing everything "right" then why is my bloodwork high..why am I not loosing weight) and TONS of reading on nutrients (fats, protien, carbs, sugars, salt, vitamins, minerals, etc...) and how our body uses them I changed the way I eat...now doing everything most dietiticans would balk at (eating red meat, bacon, loads of olive and coconut oils in addition to fruits and veggies) my blood work is fantastic, I have lost weight (mostly fat as my body is a lot slimmer). [qoute]
Great for you!0 -
The doctors are not going to tell us how to eat a perfectly healthy diet because if they did then people wouldn't hardly ever need them. Our bodies would be functioning as they should. I have nothing against doctors in general but I do my own research and try to use common sense. Like I said early, human chemically altered? or the way God created it to be? Glad to see that you researched and found the truth!0
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Just did a quick search on Amazon.com and they have quite a few different options for coconut oil. And I love the fact I can read the reviews before I purchase.
We must not have the same amazon.com because the prices I saw were exorbitant.0 -
Just did a quick search on Amazon.com and they have quite a few different options for coconut oil. And I love the fact I can read the reviews before I purchase.
We must not have the same amazon.com because the prices I saw were exorbitant.
This is the cheapest that I could find and so I bought it a few weeks ago.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044MTGHI/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details0 -
Just did a quick search on Amazon.com and they have quite a few different options for coconut oil. And I love the fact I can read the reviews before I purchase.
We must not have the same amazon.com because the prices I saw were exorbitant.
The VitaCost one was a good price. I just ordered the Jarrow Formulas one for $16.59 (Amazon Prime eligible). I don't know, doesn't seem too much to me...0 -
its is considered a saturated fat and therefore will raise your bad cholesterol LDL-- so if thats not an issue for you then by all means use it
Completely false statement....my use of coconut and olive oil over the past year - changed my total cholesterol from 200 to 163 and upped my HDL from 35 to 55...
Just because your cholesterol is better, doesn't mean it is because of the coconut oil. I would guess that you are making other positive changes.
To the OP, the only thing I can say is to do some research and determine for yourself. I read this article, and decided that coconut oil probably wasn't for me, because there are cholesterol problems in my family and I really don't want to risk it.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/coconut-oil-and-health
That being said, supposedly it has a wonderful aroma, almost no taste, and works extremely well when cooking. I think in small doses it should be okay for most people, but not an every day thing.
Cholesterol is a non issue for MOST people. Read what Dr. Carlson says:
"Cholesterol is considered a type of fat, a sterol to be precise. Its production starts with sugar molecules. Please read the preceding sentence a thousand times again and again. Yes, cholesterol production begins when the cells of the body see sugar molecules. These sugar molecules can be glucose (found in starches, processed and unprocessed foods and all vegetables), fructose (found in fruit and berries) and galactose (found in lactose which is comprised of glucose and galactose). These sugar molecules will be modified within the cells of the body with the end result being the production of cholesterol.
One may ask, “Why would our bodies make such a deadly substance?” Our bodies make cholesterol because our cells, each and every one of them, need cholesterol to survive. Cholesterol is found in our cell’s membrane, is the starting point for the production of hormones like testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, cortisol and bile acid salts and the list goes on. Without cholesterol in our cell’s membrane and without the other things we make from cholesterol; we will die. The cell membrane is what makes a cell, a cell. Without a cell membrane we have no cells and there is no us. Without the other stuff we make from cholesterol we could not survive either.
Getting back to how cholesterol is made I know what you are thinking; "How come I was never told that cholesterol is made from sugar?” How come you were never told that the very foods that DO NOT contain cholesterol or fat are the very foods that the body uses to make cholesterol and fat. It is because doctors, dieticians and nutritionists have forgotten themselves.
For my physician readers, remember glycolysis? Come on, I bet you do. Remember the end product of glycolysis that thing called pyruvate. Does acetyl Co A ring a bell? It should. It comes from the modification of pyruvate during the aerobic metabolism of glucose. Now who out there remembers that when two molecules of acetyl Co A come together it forms acetoacetyl Co A? Huh? Any takers?
OK, this is for extra credit. Does anyone remember that "all twenty seven carbon atoms found in cholesterol come from acetyl CoA? (1) Mevalonate ring a bell. How about squalene? OK, OK I will stop now. It was embarrassing for me too when I came to the realization that I had forgotten how cholesterol was made. Even more so for me because I was a nutritional biochemist trained at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. And I even had forgotten this simple, basic biochemical fact. But please do not go on thinking that the cholesterol made in the body comes from anything other than the modification of a sugar molecule. This is so utterly important to understand and so crucial it bears repeating. Cholesterol is made in the body from sugar. It is through the modification of a sugar molecule that we make the majority of cholesterol in our bodies. And this is the cholesterol that clogs up all our arteries, including our coronary arteries, leading to subsequent heart attacks.
Now to get to cholesterol from sugar molecules requires a review of biochemical pathways, physiological feedback loops (say that three times fast) and a whole bunch of other biochemical mumbo jumbo which is enough to give anyone a headache. That is why I stopped a few paragraphs ago. But do not worry for we will be reviewing no biochemical pathways here.
Suffice it to say that sugar is the starting point for cholesterol production. So every time you eat something which contains sugar you are setting in motion the processes that the body needs to make cholesterol.
Now it must be mentioned that the cells of the body produce a greater amount of cholesterol than is consumed by us daily. (2) This means we are producing more cholesterol than we are eating. So let me ask a question; if we want to effectively lower our cholesterol and I mean effectively, would I modify my dietary intake of cholesterol or attempt to modify the body's production of cholesterol?
Well, let us think this through. The body makes more cholesterol than I consume. So if I can somehow modify how much cholesterol my body makes I will effect a greater change on my cholesterol numbers. If I change how much cholesterol I am eating, I will change the number less. But is this not exactly what we are doing when we change our dietary consumption of cholesterol by following low fat, low cholesterol diets? By following the accepted diet for reducing cholesterol you are marginally influencing the cholesterol number.
By lowering your carbohydrate intake (I like the moniker carbs for short so from now on when I am referring to carbohydrates I will just say carbs) you are lowering the amount of sugar molecules a cell sees and if the cell sees less sugar the cell makes less cholesterol. It is that simple. Really, it is.
As a side note, carbs are broken down into sugars, so whenever one eats carbs the cell will see sugar.
Now I mentioned above and the statement was taken directly from one of the most widely used Medical Physiology textbooks in colleges across America, that it is the body's own production of cholesterol that contributes most to the cholesterol present in our bodies. So let us combine some thoughts. By lowering your carb intake the cell sees less sugar. Less sugar means less cholesterol production by our cells and now you just altered the most important contributor to cholesterol production in the body. Yes, again it is that simple. So simple it is embarrassing. But wait, it gets even more embarrassing.
Ok, so some people may be wondering what happens when we eat cholesterol. After all, doctors are taught that it is the cholesterol we eat which gets us in trouble. Are you sitting down? I hope so because here is the kicker. When we eat cholesterol our body actually diminishes its production of cholesterol. Huh? Do you mean to tell me that when I eat cholesterol my body actually slows down its production of cholesterol? Yes, that is correct.
So let us put some more ideas together. The low cholesterol diet means more whole grains (carbs), fruits (carbs) and vegetables (carbs), and obviously less cholesterol. Guess what you just did. You just set in motion all the body needs TO MAKE MORE CHOLESTEROL! Can I hear a great big Oops!!!!
It is the classic negative biofeedback loop that makes this happen. When one ingests cholesterol since it is a fat it can transfuse right through the cell and nuclear membranes. Eventually it binds with the actual DNA of the cell and turns off the production of the enzymes that make cholesterol. Specifically, the production of the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase is significantly lowered. Since this is one of the most important enzymes for cholesterol formation, turning off the production of this enzyme will decrease the production of cholesterol in our bodies.
So that is why low cholesterol diets do not work to significantly lower the level of cholesterol in the blood. Going through it one more time, when we eat carbs and since the majority of cholesterol in our blood is produced by the body; we provide the cells with what they need to make more cholesterol. And then by lowering cholesterol consumption this sends the message to our body to make more cholesterol. This is because our cells, when they see less cholesterol, will make more of that enzyme mentioned above (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase). Then more cholesterol will be made. I refer to this as the double whammy effect.
Now you physician readers may be feeling a little uneasy because I have not mentioned that lowering one's intake of cholesterol in the diet, will oftentimes lower the cholesterol number in the blood stream. Yes, this does happen, but we do not see a significant lowering of the cholesterol number. In fact, in a perfect body, and well who would that be; you only get a lowering of about fifteen percent. So if your cholesterol is, say, 300, which is not an uncommon number to see; by dramatically reducing the cholesterol in your diet, you can possibly (and usually not) lower the number from 300 to 255. For most people, this would not have lowered the cholesterol number enough, and guess what? Now your doctor is reaching for medication to help lower the cholesterol number more.
I often times will say to my patients and colleagues, who never seem to understand my reasoning, because either they do not want to, or truly just don't understand, that if the dietary contribution to your cholesterol number is only fifteen percent, what contributes the other eighty five percent? Well, it is what your body makes of course. So would it not
make sense to try to modify my body's production of cholesterol, since this contributes more to the cholesterol number?
Of course! This makes perfect sense, but by starting yourself on a low cholesterol diet, and by eating more carbs, and you have to eat more carbs, because that's all that's left, again, you set in motion all the things the body needs to make more cholesterol. OK, I think I have said enough about cholesterol and we will talk more about it later.
Remember, some people will question what I have written in this chapter possibly challenging what I say as untrue, but it is not. All one has to do is go to any biochemistry text and read the part on how we make cholesterol, to see that what I say is a fact."
Enslavement by illusion is comfortable; it is the liberation by truth that people fear
-David Hawkins0 -
thanks for all the article links.
I love it.
Especially 'Shredded' into my Vanilla Greek yogurt0 -
My brother is obsessed with it. he uses it to cook, flavor foods, as a supplement and he also bathes with it, uses it as a mosturizer and shampoo. he has eczema and dandruff for 40 years and 2 motnhs of coconut oil cured him. he swears by it.0
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Coconut oil is great! It has a nice flavor, is a good source of fat, and doesn't upset my body.
In fact, my doctor recommended it to me.
I use it to steam/sautee some kale, broccoli, onions, celery... etc.
It is better uncooked (raw coconut oil), though, and like most things, you don't want to overdo it.
I use only coconut oil now and do not tend to use vegetable oil or olive oil except on occasions.0 -
its is considered a saturated fat and therefore will raise your bad cholesterol LDL-- so if thats not an issue for you then by all means use it
Completely false statement....my use of coconut and olive oil over the past year - changed my total cholesterol from 200 to 163 and upped my HDL from 35 to 55...
Just because your cholesterol is better, doesn't mean it is because of the coconut oil. I would guess that you are making other positive changes.
To the OP, the only thing I can say is to do some research and determine for yourself. I read this article, and decided that coconut oil probably wasn't for me, because there are cholesterol problems in my family and I really don't want to risk it.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/coconut-oil-and-health
That being said, supposedly it has a wonderful aroma, almost no taste, and works extremely well when cooking. I think in small doses it should be okay for most people, but not an every day thing.
Cholesterol is a non issue for MOST people. Read what Dr. Carlson says:
"Cholesterol is considered a type of fat, a sterol to be precise. Its production starts with sugar molecules. Please read the preceding sentence a thousand times again and again. Yes, cholesterol production begins when the cells of the body see sugar molecules. These sugar molecules can be glucose (found in starches, processed and unprocessed foods and all vegetables), fructose (found in fruit and berries) and galactose (found in lactose which is comprised of glucose and galactose). These sugar molecules will be modified within the cells of the body with the end result being the production of cholesterol.
One may ask, “Why would our bodies make such a deadly substance?” Our bodies make cholesterol because our cells, each and every one of them, need cholesterol to survive. Cholesterol is found in our cell’s membrane, is the starting point for the production of hormones like testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, cortisol and bile acid salts and the list goes on. Without cholesterol in our cell’s membrane and without the other things we make from cholesterol; we will die. The cell membrane is what makes a cell, a cell. Without a cell membrane we have no cells and there is no us. Without the other stuff we make from cholesterol we could not survive either.
Getting back to how cholesterol is made I know what you are thinking; "How come I was never told that cholesterol is made from sugar?” How come you were never told that the very foods that DO NOT contain cholesterol or fat are the very foods that the body uses to make cholesterol and fat. It is because doctors, dieticians and nutritionists have forgotten themselves.
For my physician readers, remember glycolysis? Come on, I bet you do. Remember the end product of glycolysis that thing called pyruvate. Does acetyl Co A ring a bell? It should. It comes from the modification of pyruvate during the aerobic metabolism of glucose. Now who out there remembers that when two molecules of acetyl Co A come together it forms acetoacetyl Co A? Huh? Any takers?
OK, this is for extra credit. Does anyone remember that "all twenty seven carbon atoms found in cholesterol come from acetyl CoA? (1) Mevalonate ring a bell. How about squalene? OK, OK I will stop now. It was embarrassing for me too when I came to the realization that I had forgotten how cholesterol was made. Even more so for me because I was a nutritional biochemist trained at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. And I even had forgotten this simple, basic biochemical fact. But please do not go on thinking that the cholesterol made in the body comes from anything other than the modification of a sugar molecule. This is so utterly important to understand and so crucial it bears repeating. Cholesterol is made in the body from sugar. It is through the modification of a sugar molecule that we make the majority of cholesterol in our bodies. And this is the cholesterol that clogs up all our arteries, including our coronary arteries, leading to subsequent heart attacks.
Now to get to cholesterol from sugar molecules requires a review of biochemical pathways, physiological feedback loops (say that three times fast) and a whole bunch of other biochemical mumbo jumbo which is enough to give anyone a headache. That is why I stopped a few paragraphs ago. But do not worry for we will be reviewing no biochemical pathways here.
Suffice it to say that sugar is the starting point for cholesterol production. So every time you eat something which contains sugar you are setting in motion the processes that the body needs to make cholesterol.
Now it must be mentioned that the cells of the body produce a greater amount of cholesterol than is consumed by us daily. (2) This means we are producing more cholesterol than we are eating. So let me ask a question; if we want to effectively lower our cholesterol and I mean effectively, would I modify my dietary intake of cholesterol or attempt to modify the body's production of cholesterol?
Well, let us think this through. The body makes more cholesterol than I consume. So if I can somehow modify how much cholesterol my body makes I will effect a greater change on my cholesterol numbers. If I change how much cholesterol I am eating, I will change the number less. But is this not exactly what we are doing when we change our dietary consumption of cholesterol by following low fat, low cholesterol diets? By following the accepted diet for reducing cholesterol you are marginally influencing the cholesterol number.
By lowering your carbohydrate intake (I like the moniker carbs for short so from now on when I am referring to carbohydrates I will just say carbs) you are lowering the amount of sugar molecules a cell sees and if the cell sees less sugar the cell makes less cholesterol. It is that simple. Really, it is.
As a side note, carbs are broken down into sugars, so whenever one eats carbs the cell will see sugar.
Now I mentioned above and the statement was taken directly from one of the most widely used Medical Physiology textbooks in colleges across America, that it is the body's own production of cholesterol that contributes most to the cholesterol present in our bodies. So let us combine some thoughts. By lowering your carb intake the cell sees less sugar. Less sugar means less cholesterol production by our cells and now you just altered the most important contributor to cholesterol production in the body. Yes, again it is that simple. So simple it is embarrassing. But wait, it gets even more embarrassing.
Ok, so some people may be wondering what happens when we eat cholesterol. After all, doctors are taught that it is the cholesterol we eat which gets us in trouble. Are you sitting down? I hope so because here is the kicker. When we eat cholesterol our body actually diminishes its production of cholesterol. Huh? Do you mean to tell me that when I eat cholesterol my body actually slows down its production of cholesterol? Yes, that is correct.
So let us put some more ideas together. The low cholesterol diet means more whole grains (carbs), fruits (carbs) and vegetables (carbs), and obviously less cholesterol. Guess what you just did. You just set in motion all the body needs TO MAKE MORE CHOLESTEROL! Can I hear a great big Oops!!!!
It is the classic negative biofeedback loop that makes this happen. When one ingests cholesterol since it is a fat it can transfuse right through the cell and nuclear membranes. Eventually it binds with the actual DNA of the cell and turns off the production of the enzymes that make cholesterol. Specifically, the production of the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase is significantly lowered. Since this is one of the most important enzymes for cholesterol formation, turning off the production of this enzyme will decrease the production of cholesterol in our bodies.
So that is why low cholesterol diets do not work to significantly lower the level of cholesterol in the blood. Going through it one more time, when we eat carbs and since the majority of cholesterol in our blood is produced by the body; we provide the cells with what they need to make more cholesterol. And then by lowering cholesterol consumption this sends the message to our body to make more cholesterol. This is because our cells, when they see less cholesterol, will make more of that enzyme mentioned above (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase). Then more cholesterol will be made. I refer to this as the double whammy effect.
Now you physician readers may be feeling a little uneasy because I have not mentioned that lowering one's intake of cholesterol in the diet, will oftentimes lower the cholesterol number in the blood stream. Yes, this does happen, but we do not see a significant lowering of the cholesterol number. In fact, in a perfect body, and well who would that be; you only get a lowering of about fifteen percent. So if your cholesterol is, say, 300, which is not an uncommon number to see; by dramatically reducing the cholesterol in your diet, you can possibly (and usually not) lower the number from 300 to 255. For most people, this would not have lowered the cholesterol number enough, and guess what? Now your doctor is reaching for medication to help lower the cholesterol number more.
I often times will say to my patients and colleagues, who never seem to understand my reasoning, because either they do not want to, or truly just don't understand, that if the dietary contribution to your cholesterol number is only fifteen percent, what contributes the other eighty five percent? Well, it is what your body makes of course. So would it not
make sense to try to modify my body's production of cholesterol, since this contributes more to the cholesterol number?
Of course! This makes perfect sense, but by starting yourself on a low cholesterol diet, and by eating more carbs, and you have to eat more carbs, because that's all that's left, again, you set in motion all the things the body needs to make more cholesterol. OK, I think I have said enough about cholesterol and we will talk more about it later.
Remember, some people will question what I have written in this chapter possibly challenging what I say as untrue, but it is not. All one has to do is go to any biochemistry text and read the part on how we make cholesterol, to see that what I say is a fact."
Enslavement by illusion is comfortable; it is the liberation by truth that people fear
-David Hawkins
That is ... wow.... I can't tell you how glad I am that you shared this. Thank you. Amazing.0 -
I LOVE it.
I found it at Walmart for 8.00- the PURE Coconut oil for 31 ounces.
my mom found it in FL for 4.99 for the same container.0
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