In recent years, store shelves began to fill with coconut oil, which has gained wide popularity due to its promoted health benefits and which it has claimed. Miracles such as getting rid of belly fat, appetite suppression, immune system enhancement, heart disease prevention, Alzheimer's disease... and the list goes on. It even came to the point that most people believe and perhaps some of them are almost certain that it is "healthy."
What does coconut oil consist of?
Coconut oil is 100% fat, 80-90% of which is saturated fat, which is what makes its state solid at room temperature. Fats are made up of smaller molecules called fatty acids, which are of several types, the predominant type in coconut oil is lauric acid (approximately 47%), with palmitic acid and myristic acid in smaller amounts, which have been shown to raise levels of LDL cholesterol (yes, the bad one). It also contains trace amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Coconut oil does not contain cholesterol or fiber and contains traces of vitamins, minerals, and vegetable sterols that contain a chemical composition that mimics blood cholesterol and may help prevent the absorption of cholesterol in the body. However, the amount in a tablespoon of coconut oil is too small to produce this desired beneficial effect.
Coconut Oil Extraction
Virgin coconut oil is extracted from fresh coconut kernels, while refined coconut oil is extracted from dried coconut called cobra.
Virgin coconut oil: is extracted in two ways dry or wet. In the dry method, the coconut is exposed to a little heat to dry it and then they press it using a machine to remove the oil. The wet method on the other hand involves a machine that presses the fresh coconut to produce milk and oil and then separates the oil from the milk using centrifuges.
Both methods result in maximum nutrient retention. Virgin coconut oil is suitable for quick stirring or baking in cooking processes but is not suitable for very high heat such as deep frying.
Refined coconut oil: The cobra is automatically pressed to release the oil, after which the oil is evaporated or heated to remove unpleasant odors from the oil and "bleach" it by filtering. Sometimes chemical solvents such as hexane can be used to extract it. The resulting oil has a higher heating point at about 400-450°F.
Partially hydrogenated coconut oil: It is partially hydrogenated to prolong its shelf life and help maintain its solid texture at warm temperatures, this process creates trans fats, which should be avoided as they are very harmful.
Let me tell you a story
The widespread popularity surrounding coconut oil stems from research published in 2003 by Professor Marie-Pierre Saint-Ong – Professor of Nutritional Medicine at Columbia University in New York City. Professor St. Aung found that the consumption of medium-chain fatty acids such as MCT (Medium-chain triglyceride) had led to an increase in energy expenditure and fat oxidation compared to women who took long-chain or saturated fatty acids. She used a specially prepared fat diet in her study, not coconut oil, and never claimed that coconut oil was the secret of the results that appeared in her research, hence the rumors began to spin and coconut oil became widely welcomed and people started using it left-right, and center. Moreover, it was associated with a healthy way.
In 2008, a study was published in which 31 people consumed pure MCT oil or olive oil during a 16-week weight loss program. The team found that the body processes pure MCT oil, differently from other oils. They concluded that MCT oil could have the same effect as olive oil on cardiovascular disease risk factors. Some people have interpreted this to mean that if MCTs can have a positive effect on HDL (good cholesterol) and overall cholesterol levels. Before confirming that coconut oil is healthy, we should remember that the original study did not use coconut oil, but a special oil containing 100% MCT, and since the MCT content of coconut oil is only about 14%, a person should consume 150 g or 10 tablespoons of coconut oil daily to get the benefits, which is unreasonable.
In June 2015, one study found that, in some ways, saturated fats may be less harmful than previously thought. However, saturated fats have not been proven to be healthy, and the authors urged people to continue to limit their intake. In 2017, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued new advice against the use of saturated fats, including coconut oil, after considering the results of more than 100 Research studies. Dietary guidelines recommend limiting saturated fat intake to 10% (even 5-6% for those who monitor cholesterol) of your total calorie intake.
In 2018, Harvard professor of epidemiology Karen Michels made headlines when she called it "pure poison" in a lecture at the University of Freiburg. Studies supporting coconut oil have often been short-term, small-scale probes involving animals rather than humans. Additionally, the results weren’t large enough to justify advising people to switch to coconut oil. Many health claims for coconut oil also point to studies that have used a special combination of coconut oil made from 100% medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), not commercial coconut oil available on supermarket shelves. MCTs have a shorter chemical structure than other fats and are therefore absorbed by the body. After digestion, MCTs travel to the liver where they are immediately used for energy.
The idea is that this fast-absorbing form promotes satiety and prevents fat storage. Coconut oil mostly contains lauric acid, as lauric acid is absorbed more slowly and metabolized like other long-chain fatty acids. Therefore, the health benefits of pure MCT oil cannot be applied and even if it is extracted from coconut oil, is not a match.
Summary: Is coconut oil healthy or not?
As with many research areas, there is no direct answer yet. If your goal is to lose weight, it's worth noting that coconut oil is very high in saturated fat and a tablespoon of it contains 120 calories. If you are pursuing cardiovascular health, the AHA and the World Health Organization are still placing coconut oil on the list of fats that should be reduced. But who knows, maybe everything changes and studies show prove the opposite. In the meantime, coconut oil can be part of a healthy and balanced diet, if consumed in moderation. However, it's worth looking for virgin coconut oil, staying away from refined and partially hydrogenated as it is a source of trans fats, which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says increases the risk of heart disease.
Of course, we don't eat fat or cholesterol we eat coconuts!! So there is no need to avoid it completely, eating coconut oil is safe and may improve your health, enjoy it every now and then, include it within a healthy and balanced diet, and as with all cooking oils, be sure to use it in moderation.
Written By:
Dietitian Hanaa Nazzal
References:
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