“Coconut Oil Is Pure Poison,” But Is It Really…?

Coconut oil has become somewhat of a health fad.

So much that people are even adding it to their coffee! (Please note that coconut oil is not the same thing as MCT oil)

However, government organizations such as the American Heart Association, AHA, continue to promote keeping intake of coconut oil to a minimum, approximately < / = 7% of your daily calories.

Why? Coconut oil is predominantly a saturated fat, which is why it is a solid at room temperature, and for the past few decades the consumption of saturated fat has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

What government organizations fail to mention is the lack of research and concrete evidence to support this claim. People consuming generous amounts of saturated fat from healthy, quality dietary sources (i.e. grass-fed butter, coconut oil, animal fat, lard) continue to arrive to their primary physician’s office with unremarkable blood lipid panels; leaving their physician dumbfounded. Albeit, it has been shown that saturated fat can increase your LDL cholesterol, but whether LDL cholesterol is a reliable marker for heart disease is another story.

So has coconut oil received too much hype? Maybe. After all, one tablespoon of coconut oil yields roughly 120 calories, which can add up if you’re pouring it into your coffee in the morning. But to completely demonize it is unjust, as we can retrospectively view the lack of cardiovascular disease in the Paleolithic era where there was a high intake of saturated fat in the hunter gatherer population.

Do you consume coconut oil?

Do you use it for your hair or skin?

We like to add it to our roasted sweet potatoes to add flavor!

Do what works for you!

 

Stephany Osorto, RDN, LD