Coconut oil
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==Facts== | ==Facts== | ||
* Coconut oil is 92% saturated fat. | * Coconut oil is 92% saturated fat. | ||
| − | * One tablespoon of the stuff contains 60% of the daily recommended limit of saturated fat. If you take a tablespoon with each meal plus fry your eggs, bacon, and [[goat|goatburgers]] in it, don't be surprised when you wind up in heart surgery having it | + | * One tablespoon of the stuff contains 60% of the daily recommended limit of saturated fat. If you take a tablespoon with each meal plus fry your eggs, bacon, and [[goat|goatburgers]] in it, don't be surprised when you wind up in heart surgery having it takeen out of your arteries with a plumber's helper. |
* About half the saturated fat in coconut oil is in the form of lauric acid. While some scientific studies suggest that lauric acid raises HDL cholesterol more than it raises LDL cholesterol, there are no studies showing that the combination of ''all'' saturated fats found in coconut oil (including the half that aren't lauric acid) is any less unhealthy that other saturated fats. | * About half the saturated fat in coconut oil is in the form of lauric acid. While some scientific studies suggest that lauric acid raises HDL cholesterol more than it raises LDL cholesterol, there are no studies showing that the combination of ''all'' saturated fats found in coconut oil (including the half that aren't lauric acid) is any less unhealthy that other saturated fats. | ||
* Coconut oil advocacy as a health food is often linked to [[denialism]] of the role of cholesterol (specifically, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides) in heart disease. | * Coconut oil advocacy as a health food is often linked to [[denialism]] of the role of cholesterol (specifically, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides) in heart disease. | ||
Revision as of 00:00, 29 November 2011
| Against allopathy |
| Alternative articles |
Coconut oil is currently being touted by unscrupulous players in the fad diet industry as a health food. Some of them go so far as to say you should take raw coconut oil as a dietary supplement in addition to cooking with it.
You might as well eat lard or shortening for what that will do to your cholesterol levels.
Myths
- Coconut oil is healthy.
- Coconut oil's bad reputation is undeserved. It is partially hydrogenated coconut oil, not virgin coconut oil, that is unhealthy.
- Taking coconut oil as a dietary supplement will help you lose much weight.
- Taking coconut oil as a dietary supplement cures whatever ails you.
- Anything bad you hear about coconut oil is part of a conspiracy to keep people poor in the Philippines and Malaysia (where much of it is produced).
- Anything bad you hear about coconut oil is part of a conspiracy by the soybean lobby to block competition.
- Coconut oil advocacy is a conspiracy by agents of the Philippine and Malaysian governments.
- The saturated fat found on coconut oil is a special kind of saturated fat and is not bad for you like other saturated fats are.
Facts
- Coconut oil is 92% saturated fat.
- One tablespoon of the stuff contains 60% of the daily recommended limit of saturated fat. If you take a tablespoon with each meal plus fry your eggs, bacon, and goatburgers in it, don't be surprised when you wind up in heart surgery having it takeen out of your arteries with a plumber's helper.
- About half the saturated fat in coconut oil is in the form of lauric acid. While some scientific studies suggest that lauric acid raises HDL cholesterol more than it raises LDL cholesterol, there are no studies showing that the combination of all saturated fats found in coconut oil (including the half that aren't lauric acid) is any less unhealthy that other saturated fats.
- Coconut oil advocacy as a health food is often linked to denialism of the role of cholesterol (specifically, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides) in heart disease.
- Coconut oil advocacy is mainly from unscrupulous players in the dietary fad and food woo industries who sell the stuff; it is probably not helpful to the debate to invoke claims of a southeast Asian government conspiracy. The truth is bad enough as it is.
- Kevin Trudeau promotes taking coconut oil, which is probably a good sign you should run, not walk, in the other direction.
- Coconut oil is sold as Copha and used in making Rice Crispie treats among other things.
- Coconut oil contains negligible cholesterol, which is not to say it won't raise your cholesterol - just not as much as tallow.
- If your taste or texture relies on saturated fat, virgin coconut oil is about the best you can use. That doesn't make it good.