Coconut Oil & Health [Food]

[toddao]

Some trivia about oils:

http://survivingthemiddleclasscrash.wordpress.com/scrumptious-recipes/#comment-1939
Well, if you are interested in anti-oxidants in your diet, how about avoiding the things which oxidize in the first place.

Corn oil and vegetable oils: Are the primary offenders and linked to some forms of cancer and fibromyalgia.

Olive oil: Excellent served cold, but free radical city when cooked. Use only COLD-PRESSED, organic and 100% extra virgin olive oil (see Willy’s comment above about extra virgin oils, very sharp!) Anything that is not cold pressed will be high in free radicals, which means more rapid spoilage as well as oxidation within your body. The extra money is just plain worth it. Health is wealth, as they say. (Trader Joes and Whole Foods have organic cold-pressed olive oil, in their own house brands, fairly inexpensively).

Sunflower, grapeseed and coconut oil have a high smoking point. Therefore, they are best oils for stir-frying, because prior to smoking they are less likely to form free radicals during cooking.

Recent research about coconut oil indicates that it got a bad rap: It does not, as formerly believed, raise cholesterol levels. The reason is that it has medium chain triglycerides (compared to other saturated fats which have longer triglycerides, which are harder to digest). Because the medium chain fats are easier to digest and assimilate, they don’t tend to form arterial plaque as easily as other longer-chain fats. In fact, native islanders who eat lots of coconut, have lower rates of heart disease than most countries (though I did ask Naturopathic Doctor/researcher Michael Murray this question: These people also eat lots of fish. Could this be the reason, since they get a fair amount of Omega 3s in their diet? He replied that experiments had been done on Americans and other nations too, proving that coconut oil by itself does not raise cholesterol levels as formerly believed).

Crisco is unmentionable! Whipped toppings? Good lord. Margarine: Heart disease went rampant just within ten years of it being manufactured. The reason: Hydrogenated fats are almost impossible to digest. They form arterial plaque much more readily than whipped cream or butter. Any “light” recipe that uses these ingredients, claiming to be more heart-healthy than their buttery counterparts, is a confession of ignorance. Don’t fall for this trap. Go with butter mixed with olive oil for lightness instead. Or mix with non-GMO canola oil, which really does taste buttery in itself.

FYI recent naturopathic thinking is that it’s not cholesterol itself, but oxidation thereof which causes heart disease. Anti-oxidants may be one key to prevention.

If bile is flowing from your liver in healthy proportions, you shouldn’t have much trouble breaking down most healthy fats (not hydrogentated! Avoid these like the plaque).

However, where the low-fat myth does hold water is:

a) Animal fats break down to inflammatory prostaglandins. This leads later on to heart disease, cancer (particularly of the colon) and arthritis, and other degenerative diseases. (Though there are many causes for all of the above, with these animal proteins and fats being one contributor).

b) Animal proteins break down to ammonias in the body, which in turn break down cell tissue and reduce immunity, lead to inflammatory states and are less than good for us.

However, only animal proteins and spirulina or chlorella supply vitamin B12, the lack of which can cause anemia. We need the animal proteins for this nutrient, unless lots of spirulina is used by vegetarians, alongside a good vitamin B12 supplement. The anemia can be masked, because the blood can test high for iron yet be low in B12, leading to a hidden case of anemia. Vegetarians please take note.

Healthy fats from fish and olive and other good oils will strengthen the cell walls and aid cellular respiration, thus protecting from some of the ammonias from meat products. If the liver and kidneys are in good health, and lots of healthy oils are eaten, and meats and eggs and milk are done only in moderation, then you are probably fine.
Drina Brooke, certified community herbalist