Why Virgin Coconut Oil Is Best

NewsTarget.com printable article
Originally published November 30 2007
The Great Fat Debate - Why Virgin Coconut Oil Is Best
by Teya Skae

(NewsTarget) There is so much media hype from the mainstream media and
leading health authorities, including the naturopathic community,
suggesting the many ill effects of consuming Trans Fatty Acids (TFA's)
that the topic of the Great Fat Debate deserves a closer look for the
sake of our heath and understanding.

Whilst there is unanimous agreement that TFA's are problematic and are
to be avoided at all costs, some explanations are confusing at best or
misleading at worst. It is time for more clarity so we can all choose
the fats that are good and avoid those that are bad.

Let's look at some of these warnings:

Rekha Balu, writing for the Wall Street Journal, states that TFA's are
like saturated fats "which raise bad cholesterol, causing a build-up
of fatty deposits in the arteries." That is incorrect as saturated
fats raise both the good and the bad cholesterol and they do not cause
fatty deposits in the arteries. An under-active thyroid coupled with
stress and a diet high in polyunsaturated oils cause a build-up of
fatty deposits in the arteries.

Lynn Roblin, writing for the Toronto Star, advises consumers to avoid
TFA's by consuming more vegetable oils, such as olive oil and canola
oil, in preference to butter and coconut oil. Let's remember that
vegetable oils such as canola and safflower are rich in omega-6 fatty
acids which have now been proven to cause oxidation of our cells. This
reaction leads to inflammation which in turn promotes degenerative
conditions and premature aging.

Harvard nutritionist Frank Hu, featured in an article for the
Washington Post, says butter is better than margarine, but tub or
liquid margarine made from commercial vegetable oils is "a more
healthful choice than butter." What Mr. Hu is promoting is the omega-6
fatty acids which have been hydrogenated and these are technically
TFA's. Quite confusing indeed!

Why is there so much confusion amongst health authorities in relation
to fats?

This is because in 1961, the American Heart Association published its
first dietary guidelines aimed at the public. The authors, Dr. Ancel
Keys, Irving Page, Jeremiah Stamler and Frederick Stare, called for
the substitution of polyunsaturated oils for saturated fat. This was
put forth even though Keys, Stare and Page had all previously noted in
their published papers that the increase in Heart Disease was due to
increasing consumption of vegetable oils. The 1961 report did not
publish this fact, even after a 1956 paper by Dr. Keys suggested that
the increasing use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (which is
what TFA's technically are) is one of the culprits in the heart
disease epidemic.

Why was Dr. Keys report ignored?

For obvious economic reasons the vegetable oil industry then squashed
the reports on the dangers of vegetable oils and stealthily began
their phony attack on making saturated fats - meat, eggs, cheese,
butter and coconut oil responsible for heart disease.

In actuality, saturated fats are shown to help in preventing heart
disease. If we examine the health statistics along with the research
on saturated fats consumption from the nations that consume large
amounts of saturated fats in their diet, we find that they are among
the healthiest nations /tribes/cultures in the world. Herein lies the
big 'fat' confusion.

Let's look closer at the FAT debate:

TFA's are typically found in processed foods such as cookies,
margarine, fried foods, fried potatoes, potato chips, crackers,
breaded chicken, and fast food. McDonald's has admitted its french
fries contain a third more TFA's than they had thought. In New York
City, there are hefty fines imposed upon restaurants if they are not
compliant with avoiding TFA's in their cooking; this ordinance took
effect as of July 2007.

Polyunsaturated Fats Defined

Polyunsaturated oils are liquid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated
fats such as Safflower, Corn, Sunflower, Soybean and Cottonseed Oils
all contain over 50% omega-6 fatty acids. Safflower oil contains
almost 80% omega-6. Researchers have now discovered there are dangers
in consuming more of omega-6 oils in our diet then we need. The ideal
ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 (the essential fatty acid) is 1:1. This is
easily achieved if one avoids the use of vegetable oils as omega-6 is
far more abundant in our diet then omega-3 essential fatty acids,
which is found in cold water fish - salmon, sardines and mackerel.

TFA's Defined

In order to have polyunsaturated fats last longer and make them look
more appealing, food manufacturers use a process called
"hydrogenation". Hydrogenation is a process that takes unsaturated
liquid fat (usually some kind of vegetable oil) and adds hydrogen. The
result is a TFA.

During hydrogenation, oil is heated to an extremely high temperature;
this causes the oil to rapidly oxidize and create free-radicals. In
basic chemistry 101, free radicals cause prolific cell damage and is
responsible for premature aging.

Even using the so called "healthiest" organic vegetable oils, which
includes olive oil, in baking and frying creates free radicals. This
is because all vegetable oils oxidize; especially when used in
cooking. They not only produce TFA's but form free radicals - lethal
combination for our bodies. The only oil that does not oxidize, even
at 170 degree Celsius, is Organic Virgin Coconut oil which is a
saturated fat. Amazing!

Avoiding TFA's at all costs is a must according to the WHO (World
Health Organization). This is because TFA's are injurious to the heart
and have been linked to cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity,
immune system dysfunction, birth defects, difficulty in lactation, and
problems with bones and tendons. So we want to exclude them from our
diet, yet it is difficult when some of the most tempting foods such as
commercial cakes, biscuits, chocolates, and potato chips are laden
with TFA's.

Why Saturated fats are not TFA's

TFA's have similar properties to saturated fatty acids when used in
baked goods, but the claim that TFA's are like saturated fatty acids
is incorrect in view of their molecular bonding/structure and their
biological effect in our bodies. This is the area that has been mostly
ignored by mainstream media and even among the naturopathic community
according to lipid and nutritional expert Dr. Mary G. Enig. Enig
campaigned against TFA's back in the late 1970's after completing her
most extensive research on the analysis of all fats. For more
extensive information, see Mary G. Enig's PhD Nourishing Traditions:
The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition
(www.newtrendspublishing.com)

So which oils do we use now? A good option is Organic Virgin Coconut
oil. This is a saturated fat that is unlike any other fat and truly
deserves a classification of its own. With all the research and
studies on saturated fats to date, health authorities still group
TFA's with healthy saturated fats like coconut oil. Coconut oil is not
only the healthiest saturated fat but is one of the healthiest foods
we can consume on a daily basis. Let's examine the most misunderstood
fat that is actually a super food.

Why is Coconut oil unique and unlike any other fat?

Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA's). Two-
thirds of the saturated fat in coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated
fat. This important fact deserves clarification as MCFA's actually
helps us to lose weight, lower cholesterol, improve diabetic
conditions and reduce the risk of heart disease.

One of the most outstanding benefits of consuming MCFA's is that they
do not require the liver and gallbladder to digest and emulsify them.
This means instant energy and increased thermogenesis (increased
metabolic rate in the body) which leads to more heat production as
well as improved circulation. For anyone with impaired fat digestion
or a removed gallbladder, coconut oil is the only oil to consume as it
is very easily digested.
MCFA's are also known for having antimicrobial and anti-fungal
properties, so they are beneficial to our immune system. In addition,
coconut oil assists people with under-active thyroids by increasing
the metabolic rate of the body and creating more energy.

Ray Peat Ph.D., a physiologist who has worked with progesterone and
related hormones since 1968, says that the sudden surge of
polyunsaturated oils in the food chain post World War II has caused
many changes in hormones. He writes:

Their [polyunsaturated oils] best understood effect is their
interference with the function of the thyroid gland. Polyunsaturated
oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory
system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. When the thyroid
hormone is deficient, the body is generally exposed to increased
levels of oestrogen. The thyroid hormone is essential for making the
'protective hormones' progesterone and pregnenolone, so these hormones
are lowered when anything interferes with the function of the thyroid.
The thyroid hormone is required for using and eliminating cholesterol,
so cholesterol is likely to be raised by anything that blocks the
thyroid function ( [link to www.efn.org]
It is very interesting to note that high cholesterol is not a sign of
eating too much saturated fat. High cholesterol in a lot of the cases
is due to an under-active thyroid which affects the liver as well as
the many loops and feedback systems within the endocrine system.
Stress and the over consumption of carbohydrates/sugars also form high
levels of cholesterol.

What are saturated fats and why do we need them?

Saturated fats are semi solid at room temperature and are found in
animal products such as meat, poultry, lard, poultry skin, whole milk,
cheese, eggs, butter and tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil.

Our body actually needs saturated fats to stay healthy. Why?

1) Saturated fats constitute at least 50% of our cell's membranes -
the phospholipid component of every cell. Saturated fatty acids are
what gives our cells structural integrity, so the cell walls are not
weak and can protect the inside of the cells.

2) Saturated fatty acids play a vital role in the health of our bones.
For calcium to be effectively utilized by the bones, at least 50% of
the dietary fats should be saturated.

3) Saturated fatty acids actually lower Lipoprotein (a), a substance
in the blood that leads to heart disease, whereas excess consumption
of vegetable oils increases it.

4) Saturated fatty acids protect the liver from alcohol and other
toxins, including Tylenol, a pain reliever.

5) Saturated fatty acids are needed for the proper utilization of
omega-3 essential fatty acids because omega-3's are better retained in
the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated fats (particularly
organic virgin coconut oil)

6) Saturated stearic acid found in beef and cocoa, and palmitic acid
found in coconut oil are the preferred foods for the heart; which is
why the fat around the heart muscle is highly saturated. The heart
draws on this reserve of fat in times of stress.

7) Saturated fatty acids such as caprylic acid found abundantly in
coconut oil, is anti fungal and helps combat candida (yeast overgrowth
that is common in our society).

8) While saturated fats raise both the bad and the good cholesterol,
TFA's as well as excess consumption of omega-6 fatty acids raise the
bad Low Density Lipo-protein (LDL) and suppress the good High Density
Lipo-protein (HDL) cholesterol, making it even worse.

In conclusion, avoiding TFA's is a must. There are no tolerance
levels. They are serious culprits of degenerative conditions disguised
in some of the most tempting foods to date. Avoiding over consumption
of polyunsaturated oils (omega-6 fatty acids) such as flax oil and
completely avoiding corn, soy, safflower and canola is a great start,
as polyunsaturated oils have been shown to contribute to heart
disease, inflammation, under-active thyroid and weight gain.

Use virgin organic coconut oil. I stress the importance of using only
virgin organic coconut oil because the refined version of coconut oil
no longer has the same structure and same health benefits as the
virgin organic coconut oil. In fact, consuming plain coconut oil can
even give someone a headache or nausea.

The food manufacturers will not willingly return to using naturally
saturated fats such as coconut oil, palm oil, butter and lard because
they are more expensive. Only a concerted demand by educated consumers
will bring traditional healthy fats back into our commercial food
supply and restaurant cooking.

Using organic coconut oil in all cooking and baking is the best choice
for a healthy alternative. Because virgin coconut oil is completely
saturated and no TFA's can be made from it, it is therefore harmless.
In addition, it does not oxidize, even at 170 degrees Celsius.

Virgin Coconut oil is the fat of fats as it also helps us burn body
fat for energy because of its unique molecular structure of medium
chain fatty acids. So do enjoy eating more organic virgin coconut oil,
drinking organic coconut milk/crème in your teas as well as pouring it
over your porridge and munching on macaroons made from organic cocoa
and desiccated organic coconut for health and longevity.

References

Keys, A., "Diet and Development of Coronary Heart Disease", J. Chron.
Dis. 4(4):364-380, October 1956
Rekha Balu, "Trans Fat: Taste Buds Cry 'Yes!' but Arteries Demur," The
Wall Street Journal, June 8, 1998
Lynn Roblin, "Not all fats are created equal," The Toronto Star Health
Talk, June 24, 1998
Fred Tasker, "A Churning Controversy," The Washington Post Health,
June 2, 1997
Mary G. Enig PhD. Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for
Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol(Bethesda
Press 2000)
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook
that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats
(NewTrends Publishing 2000, www.newtrendspublishing.com
www.mercola.com/2006/dec/26/the-health-harming-confusion-a bout-
saturated-fats.htm
The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil, by Bruce Fife (Piccadilly Books,
2001).
Eat Fat Look Thin by Bruce Fife (Piccadilly Books, 2002).

About the author
Teya Skae M.A., B.A.,Dip Health Sciences, Dip Clinical Nutrition
Kinesiologist/Nutritionist/Writer
Health/Life Coach and Educator
Teya is the founder of Empowered Living
www.empowered-living.com.au
specialising in Metabolic Typing Nutrition and Results Fat Loss. Teya
writes article for various publications and runs courses in health and
human potential.
.