Coconut Oil: Good or Bad? Find out here!
Coconut Oil
An article published by famous blogger Chris Kresser debates the American Heart’s Association’s claims that coconut oil is bad for our health. This substance was added to the list of substances to avoid.
The presidential advisory stated:
Saturated fats, including coconut oil, should be avoided, recommending that they be replaced with polyunsaturated fats like canola oil, soybean oil, and corn oil.
He sustains his argument by reminding us that the AHA has consistently recommended the reduction in dietary saturated fat to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease since 1961.
You can read Chris’ previous reports on why saturated fats do not cause disease here.
He continues on explaining that there have been no definitive large-scale clinical trials have been conducted since then.
Industry Influence
Many nutritional sciences are highly influenced by the industry through many funds given by industry leaders like Nestlé, Coca-Cola, among others. He quotes the AHA again to support his argument:
The American Heart Association’s Industry Nutrition Advisory Panel (INAP) is a unique, strategic relationship between the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee and food industry leaders. In existence, since 1995, INAP provides a platform for open dialogue, sharing of information and planning cooperative programs in areas of mutual interest such as diet and nutrition and cardiovascular disease.
As the defense continues, he ends his discussion with study-proven benefits of coconut oil:
- Improves blood lipid profile
- reduces weight circumference
- is anti-inflammatory
- is antimicrobial
- may promote weight loss
- may improve antioxidant status
- may protect against Alzheimer’s disease
Among his last remarks he explains that the logic against coconut oil relies on faulty assumption that saturated fats causes heart disease which it doesn’t and that all saturated fats are the same which is false as well.
So please, just like Chris encourages, we also encourage you to not stress over eating coconut oil as it has strongly proven benefits!