Coconut Oil results?
msmileyface
Posts: 76 Member
Hi everyone,
I am starting to incorporate extra virgin coconut oil into my diet. I used it a bit to cook and put a little in my coffee so far. I would like some feedback as to if it has really worked for anyone in flattening the stomach a bit, or in any other ways. Also, what results can I expect to see? Wondering if it's worth the calories, that's all. I'm not taking that much yet so before I up the amount I want to know if it's worth missing out on a snack.
I am starting to incorporate extra virgin coconut oil into my diet. I used it a bit to cook and put a little in my coffee so far. I would like some feedback as to if it has really worked for anyone in flattening the stomach a bit, or in any other ways. Also, what results can I expect to see? Wondering if it's worth the calories, that's all. I'm not taking that much yet so before I up the amount I want to know if it's worth missing out on a snack.
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Replies
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I don't know about flattening the stomach, but watched a documentary where a female doctor's husband was diagnosed with alzheimers, could not do a calender or draw a time on a clock etc. She studied on natural ways to help and found that pure coconut oil,in 30 days totally reversed the symptoms. They, however showed her putting a lot of the stuff in everything he ate. He wasn't over weight or gained weight even during its useage. Certain oils like this are good for you in many ways, rather than hydrogentive oils and fats. Coconut oil had a bad rap about the LDL's, but come to find out the pure kind, produces the healthy LDL, not the bad .
I have started using it in small quantities (teaspoons, as it goes a long way in melting) and also if I fry potatoes add it to recipes rather than butter, etc.. I feel it is worth it..what I have seen on the diary's it depends how much you use of it that adds the cals. You have to figure, not all of it is being saturated into the food you eat, just some of it.. plus, if you are like me, i dab extra fat off on anything I eat thats fried..Go for it. Couldn't hurt to see! Good luck0 -
Personally I would be very careful with coconut oil. I started experimenting with it last November on the advice of a friend. I ate it daily mostly replacing the olive oil I had previously used to pan fry the veggies I like to eat in the morning.
I gained about 5 lbs over 5 months and watched my LDL shoot to the sky (182). I switched back to olive oil and generally avoided most other saturated fat (mainly cheese) and my LDL came back down to 99 in about 6 weeks. The weight finally dropped back down after another 5 months. Although I will admit I really liked the taste of the stuff and probably used more than I realized.
Regarding good vs. bad LDL (large particle vs. small), from a practical standpoint there really isn't any good form of LDL. There is just bad and less bad. The link between heart disease and LDL is well established. Google familial hyperlipidemia if you want to know how doctors began to figure this out. There are other causes of heart disease (e.g., smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc), but high LDL is still a major factor.
If you want to know what the various types of fat will do to your cholesterol, this is a pretty good summery.
Effects of fats and fatty acids on blood lipids in humans an overview
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/60/6/1017S.long
Please note coconut oil is among the worst (see Table 2).
However you don't have to take my word on this. It is pretty trivial to run the same experiment I did. If your insurance won't pay for a cholesterol test, you should be able to find one for about $25 in many places. Contact your county health department or look online for a testing service. It takes about 6-8 weeks to see the results of a major diet change. If you can keep your LDL under 100 (assuming you are not taking any cholesterol meds), it is probably relatively safe to continue to eat it.0 -
Coconut oil (or any other singular food product) will not flatten your stomach.0
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^ This. The ideas of "MUFAS" flattening stomachs is "Women's World" type advice. The only thing that can flatten your stomach is reducing body fat (with strengthening your core). Healthier eating comes with that, obviously, and I know there's enough research supporting other health benefits of coconut oil.
I don't know about the cholesterol, but I've read enough on the endocrine benefits (specifically thyroid and adrenal) that come from a little bit of coconut oil.
Unfortunately, I'm allergic to coconut, so I don't think I'll be testing it out soon.0 -
i put it on my food daily. 1 tsp at lunch and 1 tsp at dinner. It helps add healthy calories. Ive actually lost 3 lbs since i started using it.0
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Coconut oil (or any other singular food product) will not flatten your stomach.
Ditto. There is no, and never will be, a magic spot reducing food.0 -
Personally I would be very careful with coconut oil. I started experimenting with it last November on the advice of a friend. I ate it daily mostly replacing the olive oil I had previously used to pan fry the veggies I like to eat in the morning.
I gained about 5 lbs over 5 months and watched my LDL shoot to the sky (182). I switched back to olive oil and generally avoided most other saturated fat (mainly cheese) and my LDL came back down to 99 in about 6 weeks. The weight finally dropped back down after another 5 months. Although I will admit I really liked the taste of the stuff and probably used more than I realized.
Regarding good vs. bad LDL (large particle vs. small), from a practical standpoint there really isn't any good form of LDL. There is just bad and less bad. The link between heart disease and LDL is well established. Google familial hyperlipidemia if you want to know how doctors began to figure this out. There are other causes of heart disease (e.g., smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc), but high LDL is still a major factor.
If you want to know what the various types of fat will do to your cholesterol, this is a pretty good summery.
Effects of fats and fatty acids on blood lipids in humans an overview
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/60/6/1017S.long
Please note coconut oil is among the worst (see Table 2).
However you don't have to take my word on this. It is pretty trivial to run the same experiment I did. If your insurance won't pay for a cholesterol test, you should be able to find one for about $25 in many places. Contact your county health department or look online for a testing service. It takes about 6-8 weeks to see the results of a major diet change. If you can keep your LDL under 100 (assuming you are not taking any cholesterol meds), it is probably relatively safe to continue to eat it.
I had my cholesterol checked recently after eating 1-2 tablespoons/day of extra virgin coconut oil for about 3 weeks. It had ballooned all the way up to 135 (only got total measured)... And my entire immediate family (including 33 y/o sister) takes cholesterol meds.0 -
Coconut oil seems to be the new "good oil" that everyone is talking about. A few years back it was olive oil and grapeseed oil. I have all 3 and use all 3 depending on what I'm using it for. To me, fat is fat is fat, I've been using what makes what I'm cooking taste the best.0
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It's great as a leave in conditioner! Makes my hair super soft and manageable.
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I'm using it and husband and I haven't noticed anything different about it yet.0
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If I started using coconut oil the missus would be asking me if i was stripping on the weekends lol0
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That's how use it.It's great as a leave in conditioner! Makes my hair super soft and manageable.0 -
you aren't gonna see anything noticeable from it.
It's good in the mornings if you're not eating much. I add it to my coffee to get good fats and feel satisfied for a bit.0 -
Coconut oil might be better than OTHER kinds of oils (not all other kinds of oils) but what's it doing in your coffee? It will not spot reduce; oil is still oil. It's just a smarter choice than some alternatives.0
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Is this safe to use with latex??!0
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I find it works well for baking healthier recipes that I now make. ChocolateCoveredKatie.com has some awesome recipes that include that. I've never gained weight from it or had any other issues, I too simply see it as an alternative to other oils, depends on what I'm baking/cooking.
I no longer bake the way I did in the old days but pick healthy recipes and make single servings or 3-4 ingredient recipes.
I think everyone covered the flat stomach myth, I've read a lot about Coconut Oil but never heard that one before.
Also those with already existing conditions of high blood pressure might be affected much differently than some of the rest of us.0 -
Coconut oil might be better than OTHER kinds of oils (not all other kinds of oils) but what's it doing in your coffee? It will not spot reduce; oil is still oil. It's just a smarter choice than some alternatives.
I use coconut milk in my coffee.
I'm on a carbohydrate backloading protocol, so I don't eat carbs early in the day. So I have coffee with coconut milk (0 carbs). The fats give you a feeling of satisfaction without spiking insulin.............
That's why it's in my coffee. Aside from the fact that olive oil or something similar would be atrocious in coffee.0 -
That's why it's in my coffee. Aside from the fact that olive oil or something similar would be atrocious in coffee.
OMG! I can't even begin to imagine how disgusting that would be. Now...with spices and a nice piece of italian bread I'd be temped to eat olive oil "raw".....0 -
That's how use it.It's great as a leave in conditioner! Makes my hair super soft and manageable.
This. Works wonders for your hair.
Smells great too. 0 -
I've taken shots of olive oil. not the best.........but I can't imagine it in my coffee.0
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Coconut oil might be better than OTHER kinds of oils (not all other kinds of oils) but what's it doing in your coffee? It will not spot reduce; oil is still oil. It's just a smarter choice than some alternatives.
I use coconut milk in my coffee.
I'm on a carbohydrate backloading protocol, so I don't eat carbs early in the day. So I have coffee with coconut milk (0 carbs). The fats give you a feeling of satisfaction without spiking insulin.............
That's why it's in my coffee. Aside from the fact that olive oil or something similar would be atrocious in coffee.
Coconut milk is VERY different than coconut oil. Just sayin0 -
Adding fat, any fat to top 70% of the caloric intake is the only thing that keeps me from feeling hungry. I tried various ratios, and this is the best. The only one when I actually forge about food. The coconut oil itself is pleasant, very easy to use and keep and carry around for snacks (unlike butter and olive oil), and great in cooking. Just a small bite satisfies hunger. It also warms you up like crazy if taken with coffee or tea.0
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I use coconut oil for cooking in place of olive oil, and it hasn't made me gain weight. I also use it in my protein shakes if I need the extra calories. It hasn't "flattened my stomach", but I haven't gain weight from using it either.
I guess I'd say that if you got a fasting blood panel done, added coconut oil to your diet, then had another fasting panel done 60-90 days later without changing anything else in your food routine you'd definitely know if coconut oil specifically affected you negatively.
Like anything else food-related, your body is unique and may respond differently to things compared to the next person.
Best of luck to you! 0 -
Coconut milk is VERY different than coconut oil. Just sayin
Haven't gotten to try the oil yet.
Either way you aren't going to see a difference between the two products.
I drink the milk so I can get medium chain triglycerides, I'd take oil but havent found it locally yet.0 -
Coconut milk is VERY different than coconut oil. Just sayin
Haven't gotten to try the oil yet.
Either way you aren't going to see a difference between the two products.
I drink the milk so I can get medium chain triglycerides, I'd take oil but havent found it locally yet.
"coconut oil" is actually in a solid form. It's like a solid brick of oil. It starts to melt with your body temperature and is completely clear when melted (just like any other oil just coconut scented). Again though, I assure you, they are VERY different.
But, as to not hijack this thread. OP, coconut oil will not give you a flat stomache. A caloric deficit and balanced training routine will though! 0 -
I use the oil daily and it makes a difference. My wife has lost 5lbs recently with the only change being adding coconut oil to her coffee each day.
That being said, you can't just add coconut oil to a crappy diet and expect results. But in the vein of a high fat low carb diet it really helps to up your fat intake with minimal effort.0 -
Personally I would be very careful with coconut oil. I started experimenting with it last November on the advice of a friend. I ate it daily mostly replacing the olive oil I had previously used to pan fry the veggies I like to eat in the morning.
I gained about 5 lbs over 5 months and watched my LDL shoot to the sky (182). I switched back to olive oil and generally avoided most other saturated fat (mainly cheese) and my LDL came back down to 99 in about 6 weeks. The weight finally dropped back down after another 5 months. Although I will admit I really liked the taste of the stuff and probably used more than I realized.
Regarding good vs. bad LDL (large particle vs. small), from a practical standpoint there really isn't any good form of LDL. There is just bad and less bad. The link between heart disease and LDL is well established. Google familial hyperlipidemia if you want to know how doctors began to figure this out. There are other causes of heart disease (e.g., smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc), but high LDL is still a major factor.
If you want to know what the various types of fat will do to your cholesterol, this is a pretty good summery.
Effects of fats and fatty acids on blood lipids in humans an overview
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/60/6/1017S.long
Please note coconut oil is among the worst (see Table 2).
However you don't have to take my word on this. It is pretty trivial to run the same experiment I did. If your insurance won't pay for a cholesterol test, you should be able to find one for about $25 in many places. Contact your county health department or look online for a testing service. It takes about 6-8 weeks to see the results of a major diet change. If you can keep your LDL under 100 (assuming you are not taking any cholesterol meds), it is probably relatively safe to continue to eat it.
Wrong, wrong, and wrong.
Coconut oil is saturated, and it is also one of the healthiest; ditto for animal fats (from healthy animals). Cholesterol in our bodies is not increased by dietary fat. The public has been misled about fats by all kinds of agencies and corporations for many years (follow the money); it's still happening but the misinformation is being challenged from many different reputable sources. It's best to do one's own research and then try different things and see if your health improves. I eat a diet based on fat, mostly from animals, coconut, nut oils, avocado, olive oil. I don't touch canola, safflower, cottonseed, soy oil and many others. More than weight loss, all of my health issues (there were lots!) have vanished since changing to a healthy fat-based diet (mostly saturated!).
With coconut oil, portion control is important, but it is very filling. I eat a high fat diet and I have difficulty consuming all my daily calories; I'm just not hungry! It's great to feel awesome, have no health issues, and to not struggle with being hungry all the time!0 -
Personally I would be very careful with coconut oil. I started experimenting with it last November on the advice of a friend. I ate it daily mostly replacing the olive oil I had previously used to pan fry the veggies I like to eat in the morning.
I gained about 5 lbs over 5 months and watched my LDL shoot to the sky (182). I switched back to olive oil and generally avoided most other saturated fat (mainly cheese) and my LDL came back down to 99 in about 6 weeks. The weight finally dropped back down after another 5 months. Although I will admit I really liked the taste of the stuff and probably used more than I realized.
Regarding good vs. bad LDL (large particle vs. small), from a practical standpoint there really isn't any good form of LDL. There is just bad and less bad. The link between heart disease and LDL is well established. Google familial hyperlipidemia if you want to know how doctors began to figure this out. There are other causes of heart disease (e.g., smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc), but high LDL is still a major factor.
If you want to know what the various types of fat will do to your cholesterol, this is a pretty good summery.
Effects of fats and fatty acids on blood lipids in humans an overview
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/60/6/1017S.long
Please note coconut oil is among the worst (see Table 2).
However you don't have to take my word on this. It is pretty trivial to run the same experiment I did. If your insurance won't pay for a cholesterol test, you should be able to find one for about $25 in many places. Contact your county health department or look online for a testing service. It takes about 6-8 weeks to see the results of a major diet change. If you can keep your LDL under 100 (assuming you are not taking any cholesterol meds), it is probably relatively safe to continue to eat it.
Wrong, wrong, and wrong.
Coconut oil is saturated, and it is also one of the healthiest; ditto for animal fats (from healthy animals). Cholesterol in our bodies is not increased by dietary fat. The public has been misled about fats by all kinds of agencies and corporations for many years (follow the money); it's still happening but the misinformation is being challenged from many different reputable sources. It's best to do one's own research and then try different things and see if your health improves. I eat a diet based on fat, mostly from animals, coconut, nut oils, avocado, olive oil. I don't touch canola, safflower, cottonseed, soy oil and many others. More than weight loss, all of my health issues (there were lots!) have vanished since changing to a healthy fat-based diet (mostly saturated!).
With coconut oil, portion control is important, but it is very filling. I eat a high fat diet and I have difficulty consuming all my daily calories; I'm just not hungry! It's great to feel awesome, have no health issues, and to not struggle with being hungry all the time!
>Cholesterol in our bodies is not increased by dietary fat.
I used to believe this until I personally tested it.
Nov, 2011-May 2012
I added coconut oil to my generally high fat diet (50%-60% of calories - I estimate about 25% of calories were from saturated fat, about half from coconut oil).
LDL=182
June-July, 2012
I eliminated coconut oil and generally tried to avoid saturated fat (about 10% of calories) - overall diet still high in PUFA and MUFA (50%-60%).
LDL=99
Aug - Sept, 2012
Dropped saturated fat to about 6%-7% of calories - overall diet about 45% fat.
LDL=85
For the record, my HDL always stayed at about 60 and trigs were 54, 34 and 68 respectively. My physical activity was generally the same throughout. I tried to keep other parts of my diet roughly the same.
There has been extensive scientific research over the past 60 years on saturated fat, cholesterol and heart disease (see above for a small part of it). A lot of that research was done long before statins and other cholesterol drugs were invented (eg http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5846902 ). From what I have seen, the results have been consistent. If you are aware of any major studies that contradict this, please post them.
Your body may have the ability to clear LDL quickly and efficiently and if so I am happy for you. As I noted, if you can keep your LDL under 100 I don't think you will have a problem. However the only way to know for sure is to test. High LDL rarely causes any symptoms until that first heart attack and being thin won't save you. I'm sure we would all benefit from knowing the results of your own experiment.
Good luck and I wish you continued success on your journey.0 -
Personally I would be very careful with coconut oil. I started experimenting with it last November on the advice of a friend. I ate it daily mostly replacing the olive oil I had previously used to pan fry the veggies I like to eat in the morning.
I gained about 5 lbs over 5 months and watched my LDL shoot to the sky (182). I switched back to olive oil and generally avoided most other saturated fat (mainly cheese) and my LDL came back down to 99 in about 6 weeks. The weight finally dropped back down after another 5 months. Although I will admit I really liked the taste of the stuff and probably used more than I realized.
Regarding good vs. bad LDL (large particle vs. small), from a practical standpoint there really isn't any good form of LDL. There is just bad and less bad. The link between heart disease and LDL is well established. Google familial hyperlipidemia if you want to know how doctors began to figure this out. There are other causes of heart disease (e.g., smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc), but high LDL is still a major factor.
If you want to know what the various types of fat will do to your cholesterol, this is a pretty good summery.
Effects of fats and fatty acids on blood lipids in humans an overview
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/60/6/1017S.long
Please note coconut oil is among the worst (see Table 2).
However you don't have to take my word on this. It is pretty trivial to run the same experiment I did. If your insurance won't pay for a cholesterol test, you should be able to find one for about $25 in many places. Contact your county health department or look online for a testing service. It takes about 6-8 weeks to see the results of a major diet change. If you can keep your LDL under 100 (assuming you are not taking any cholesterol meds), it is probably relatively safe to continue to eat it.
Wrong, wrong, and wrong.
Coconut oil is saturated, and it is also one of the healthiest; ditto for animal fats (from healthy animals). Cholesterol in our bodies is not increased by dietary fat. The public has been misled about fats by all kinds of agencies and corporations for many years (follow the money); it's still happening but the misinformation is being challenged from many different reputable sources. It's best to do one's own research and then try different things and see if your health improves. I eat a diet based on fat, mostly from animals, coconut, nut oils, avocado, olive oil. I don't touch canola, safflower, cottonseed, soy oil and many others. More than weight loss, all of my health issues (there were lots!) have vanished since changing to a healthy fat-based diet (mostly saturated!).
With coconut oil, portion control is important, but it is very filling. I eat a high fat diet and I have difficulty consuming all my daily calories; I'm just not hungry! It's great to feel awesome, have no health issues, and to not struggle with being hungry all the time!
>Cholesterol in our bodies is not increased by dietary fat.
I used to believe this until I personally tested it.
Nov, 2011-May 2012
I added coconut oil to my generally high fat diet (50%-60% of calories - I estimate about 25% of calories were from saturated fat, about half from coconut oil).
LDL=182
June-July, 2012
I eliminated coconut oil and generally tried to avoid saturated fat (about 10% of calories) - overall diet still high in PUFA and MUFA (50%-60%).
LDL=99
Aug - Sept, 2012
Dropped saturated fat to about 6%-7% of calories - overall diet about 45% fat.
LDL=85
For the record, my HDL always stayed at about 60 and trigs were 54, 34 and 68 respectively. My physical activity was generally the same throughout. I tried to keep other parts of my diet roughly the same.
There has been extensive scientific research over the past 60 years on saturated fat, cholesterol and heart disease (see above for a small part of it). A lot of that research was done long before statins and other cholesterol drugs were invented (eg http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5846902 ). From what I have seen, the results have been consistent. If you are aware of any major studies that contradict this, please post them.
Your body may have the ability to clear LDL quickly and efficiently and if so I am happy for you. As I noted, if you can keep your LDL under 100 I don't think you will have a problem. However the only way to know for sure is to test. High LDL rarely causes any symptoms until that first heart attack and being thin won't save you. I'm sure we would all benefit from knowing the results of your own experiment.
Good luck and I wish you continued success on your journey.
There are many major studies and experts that refute the fat insanity that we've all been led to believe. It's out there and so is lots of research that says the opposite. It's easy to only look for research that support one's existing views; it's a mistake that many of us make, including scientists. Since I work in the science field, I am able to read scientific reports on all kinds of issues and deduce how the study was influenced, funded, what the agenda was and whether the research is valid. Researching food and nutrition is difficult due to the impossibility of isolating all factors. We are human, we do lots of different things, we eat lots of different things. Much of my dietary research involves history and anthropology too which a lot of researchers have neglected to consider. I have strong opinions that are mostly based on observing my Inuit neighbours and through experimenting on myself. How my health reacts to a diet is ALWAYS going to mean more to me than someone else's research and peer-reviewed paper. Remember, our peers are subject to all the misinformation that we are too.
If you experienced problems with coconut oil and you were able to isolate it to just the one factor; great, I accept that and you shouldn't eat it. However, I still think your information is wrong overall considering what I have researched for the last number of years, and especially in light of my own health improvements from consuming a high fat (including saturated) diet. There are many people who share my views, including some here on MFP.0 -
I've heard about adding oils to food for health and weight management, but how do you add it. Should I make a sandwich and just spread oil on top? do I make a salad and just pour oil on it? What about steak? Do I dip my meat in it? lol Seriously I don't cook AT ALL so I was wondering if there is a special way to do it.....0
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