Sometimes our headline writers
must be called to account. The argument
against coconut oil is just as strong as the one for. The real problem is that we are not sure if
such natural oils are generally good or bad without igniting an argument. So get over it.
If we could agree that the olive
oil blend is pretty good, then its emulator canola oil is a fine substitute
until we begin introducing extra virgin canola oil that tastes great. It is real and it is great.
The best advice is to not eat too
much of anything and quit this nonsense while we are squarely behind. This field has an army of advocates who add
nothing except intransigence.
Is coconut oil really the world’s healthiest oil?
LESLIE BECK
Special to The Globe and Mail
Published Monday, Oct. 29 201
The Question
I read coconut oil is the healthiest oil to cook with. Is this true?
The Answer
Coconut oil has recently been dubbed the “world’s healthiest oil.”
Claims abound about its near-miraculous healing powers. It’s reported to
dissolve kidney stones, lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, boost immune
function, promote weight loss, protect against certain cancers and a whole lot
more.
The fact is, there’s limited evidence to suggest coconut oil does any
of these things. All that has been studied in depth is the impact of coconut
oil on blood-cholesterol levels – and even those findings aren’t clear-cut.
Coconut oil, a tropical oil made from the dried fruit of the coconut
palm tree, contains 86 per cent saturated fat. Because diets high in saturated
fat raise LDL (bad) blood cholesterol, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of
Canada and the American Heart Association advise limiting sources of it in your
diet.
But coconut oil isn’t as bad as its high saturated fat content might
make you think. Studies suggest that diets high in coconut oil do raise total
blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, but not nearly to the same extent as
butter. Coconut oil also seems to raise HDL (good) cholesterol. (Unlike LDL
cholesterol, the HDL version doesn’t build up on artery walls.) In one small
study, taking 2 tablespoons of coconut oil daily for one week did not significantly
raise bad cholesterol but did increase good cholesterol.
Coconut’s saturated fat is made up of a unique blend of medium-chain
fatty acids, which may offer certain health benefits. (Most fats in our diet
are long-chain fatty acids). Unlike long-chain fats, medium-chain ones do not
have to be broken down in the small intestine. Because they are smaller,
they’re absorbed intact and delivered directly to the liver to be used for
energy.
Medium-chain fats don’t store in fat cells to the same extent as
long-chain ones. They also appear to increase calorie burning in the body.
Although the fat in coconut oil may promote satiety after eating, there is
limited evidence it will help you shed unwanted pounds.
When it comes to your heart, coconut oil is a healthier fat than butter
and trans fat, and it’s cholesterol-free. Since it comes from a plant, it may
contain beneficial phytochemicals yet to be discovered.
But it’s not necessarily healthier than unsaturated oils such as
extra-virgin olive, grapeseed, canola and safflower oils. When substituted for
animal fat in your diet, unsaturated fat will do a better job of lowering
elevated blood cholesterol than coconut oil. And, depending on which oil you
use, unsaturated ones can deliver vitamin E (for example, grapeseed, sunflower,
safflower), omega-3 alpha linolenic acid (canola, walnut) and phytochemicals
(extra-virgin olive).
Bottom line: While I don’t agree that coconut is the “world’s
healthiest oil,” there’s no reason you shouldn’t cook with it if you like it.
It has a high smoke point, which makes it well suited for high-heat cooking.
But it shouldn’t replace all the oils in your pantry.
Leslie Beck, a registered dietitian, is the national director of
nutrition at BodyScience Medical. She can be seen every Thursday at noon on CTV
News Channel’s Direct (www.bodysciencemedical.com).
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