Coconut oil - the controversy
COCONUT OIL – the controversy
“This popular health food is worse for you than pork lard” ~ Daily Star
Is coconut oil healthy or is it another fake health fad?
First of all it is important to differentiate between refined and virgin coconut oil. Both of these oils go through different procedures in how they’re made which also affects the quality. Refined coconut oil is made from copra. Copra is dried coconut meat. It can be made by sun drying or derivatives. The extraction from copra isn’t suitable for consumption until it is purified, refined and bleached. On the other hand virgin coconut oil is made from non-copra. Non-copra is fresh coconut meat. The difference between the two is that the virgin coconut oil is handled with less chemicals and less heat.
Nevertheless coconut oil is being demonized and praised – so is it good or bad for you?
The high content of saturated fats is the main reason coconut oil is not being advised. It is actually one of the richest sources of saturated fats (90%) – yet here comes the interesting part. Unlike pork lard or any other animal fat coconut oil contains Medium chain Triglycerides, which are fatty acids of a medium length. These medium chains are metabolized completely differently than long fatty acid chains.
Medium length acids chains go straight to our liver and are used as a quick source of energy or turned into ketones. Ketones actually have therapeutic effects on our brain and can help with diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s.
Claims that coconut oil should be avoided and is unhealthy mostly originate from organizations such as the American Heart Association (AHA). Yet the AHA also certifies processed deli meats full of sugar, salt and preservatives as healthy. By the way processed deli meats are associated with dramatically increasing the risk of heart disease, fast.
The key to understanding these false flag claims is where they get their sponsors from. Firms which fill their food with soybean oil, canola oil, processed meats and sugars are those firms in close ties to the AHA. (Nestle, Subway, Kellogg’s and Mars to name a few)
Finally it becomes clear that it all has to do with profit. The AHA profits up to 15 million dollars and upwards alone from drug and healthcare. Now what would happen if they started recommending coconut oil? Many would become healthy, cured or improve heart disease. Which means their profits would decrease. To solve this problem it is only logical for the AHA to make claims against coconut oil and to continue promoting their sponsor’s food. Which at the same time promotes heart disease thus increasing their income annually.
Interestingly enough the Tokelauans proof the consumption of coconut oil to be healthy. This population which is situated in the South Pacific thrives on coconut oil. In fact it takes up 60% of their calorie intake. This makes them the biggest consumers of saturated fats in the world. These people are in great health with no history of heart disease whatsoever. I wonder why that is…
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Why that is? Heart disease is not only to intake of coconut oil. A lot of factors like lifestyle, exercise, genes etc should be taken into consideration.
I do not disagree with diverse factors playing an essencial role- yet the point Im trying to make is: If saturated fats supposedly cause heart disease then why does this population have no history of heart disease?
Its because there is a difference between saturated fats from coconut oil and animal fats for example.
I agree with you on that point.
A very good statement.