Coconut Oil Not Your Typical Saturated Fat
I got a great question on coconut oil being saturated fat and “how vegans who consume it are diagnosed with high LDL levels (bad cholesterol)”
Let’s unpack this.
Why we need good fats?
- For growth & development
- Gives us energy
- Needed for vitamin absorption (A, D, E,K)
- It is a cushion for organs
- Maintains cell membrane
TYPES OF FAT
1. Saturated
2. Polyunsaturated
3. Monounsaturated
4. Transfats
SATURATED FAT
- Increases HDL
- Solid at room temperature
- Clogs arteries
- Gives stiff and rigid body structure (fat from poultry and meat)
- Long shelf life
- Used in high temperature cooking
- Resistant to oxidation
- Impairs insulin response
- Primary source of bad fat - animal tissues, milk, dairy, and tropical nuts and oils
COCONUT OIL IS ALSO a SATURATED FAT
BUT
- Coconut oil is not ATHEROGENIC (Atherogenesis is the formation of plaque in the inner lining of arteries and is associated with coronary heart disease)
- Doesn’t elevate triglycerides levels
- Doesn’t contribute to heart disease
- Balances HLD/LDL
- Not deposited in tissues
- Quick energy supplier
Coconut oil differs from other Saturated fats because it has MCF(A)s - Medium Chain Fatty Acids.
MCF(A)s metabolize very quickly, going straight to the liver and converts into energy.
There are so many unhealthy vegans. Because they indeed consume too much fat! It comes from eating a lot of nuts, seeds, too many take outs that are highly processed, with tons of oils like Canola, Palm, Olive etc. Even vegan-friendly take out foods like hummus, salads, falafel, Babaganoush etc are high in oil.
Coconut oil itself can not raise LDL if you eat HIGH RAW, WHOLE FOOD, HIGH CARB, LOW FAT PLANT-BASED DIET.
This is the formula for thriving on plants: your fat intake should be 15% of daily calories.
If you want to prevent heart disease, heal your body, and thrive on plants-eat more RAW and Uncooked fruits and veggies, some cooked foods, lots of green juices, and follow the formula below:
FAT CONSUMPTIONS should be 15% of total calorie intake (300 calories)
CARBS - 65% (1300 calories)
PROTEINS - 20% (400 calories)
TOTAL 2000 calories a day
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