Toronto Naturopathic Doctor
Book A Free Consult
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • SERVICES
    • Naturopathic Medicine
    • Digestive Health >
      • Constipation
      • Crohn's & Colitis
      • SIBO
      • Food Sensitivities
      • Gas & Bloating
      • Heartburn
      • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
      • Leaky Gut Syndrome
    • Hormonal Health >
      • Acne
      • Adrenal Fatigue
      • Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
      • Infertility & Miscarriage
      • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
      • Post Birth Control Syndrome
      • Thyroid Disorders
    • Diagnostic Testing >
      • SIBO Testing
      • Comprehensive Stool Analysis
      • Food Intolerance Testing
      • Female Hormone Testing
      • Male Hormone Testing
      • Adrenal Hormone Testing
    • Services & Fees
    • Virtual Care
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • BOOK APPOINTMENT
  • Join Waitlist
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • SERVICES
    • Naturopathic Medicine
    • Digestive Health >
      • Constipation
      • Crohn's & Colitis
      • SIBO
      • Food Sensitivities
      • Gas & Bloating
      • Heartburn
      • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
      • Leaky Gut Syndrome
    • Hormonal Health >
      • Acne
      • Adrenal Fatigue
      • Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
      • Infertility & Miscarriage
      • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
      • Post Birth Control Syndrome
      • Thyroid Disorders
    • Diagnostic Testing >
      • SIBO Testing
      • Comprehensive Stool Analysis
      • Food Intolerance Testing
      • Female Hormone Testing
      • Male Hormone Testing
      • Adrenal Hormone Testing
    • Services & Fees
    • Virtual Care
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • BOOK APPOINTMENT
  • Join Waitlist
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

Publications On Natural Health

29/1/2014 11 Comments

why fats don't make you fat: my romance with coconut oil

Coconut OIl
Is coconut oil the new superfood?
Photo credit: YIM Hafiz via Visualhunt.com / CC BY
     Whether or not you're new to the coconut oil craze, or you've been soaking your skin with it for years, there is no doubt you've made the right choice by hopping onboard. Despite the fact that this natural, drupe-based oil received unwarranted flak for a number of years for being a saturated fat, the jury is out... and we were wrong. And although it lacks a few extra double bonds, this oil has many - if not more - health benefits than a number of the other unsaturated vegetable oils that sit in most pantries today. But the best part… theres evidence to prove it. 
     
     So without further ado, heres why… 

first things first… a lesson on fatty acids

     Generally speaking, fatty acids are long molecules found in both vegetable and animal products that are used by the body to create lubrication for our joints, insulation for our nerves, protective cushioning for our organs, and ultimately make up the outer membrane of every single cell in our body. By now, I'm sure you've begun to appreciate their importance. 
     The key to remember about any fat is the types, quantities, and lengths of the fatty acids it contains. To explain, there are both saturated fatty acids (SFA), which lack double bonds (like coconut oil) and are therefore solid at room temperature, and unsaturated fatty acids, which contain double bonds (like our omega oils) and are liquid at room temperature. For a long time, if was believed that saturated fats were bad for our health, but that myth is debunked below. In the food industry, there exists a third form known as hydrogenated fatty acids, which basically means the unsaturated fat has been given a few extra hydrogen atoms to make it more stable at room temperature. However, in doing so, the break down of this product creates trans fats, which are not found in nature and are unrecognizable to our bodies, therefore ending up places they shouldn't - like the walls of our arteries.  

the myth about saturated fat 

     A meta-analysis done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that we've had it wrong for years - saturated fats are evidently harmless, and there is "no significant evidence that dietary saturated fat is associated with increased risk of Coronary Heart Disease or Cardiovascular Disease". Furthermore, another study from the AJCN showed that replacing SFA with unsaturated fatty acids had no effect on the fluidity or stiffness of arterial walls.
      Now this doesn't mean that everyone at risk for heart disease should go liberally divulging on animals fats and cheese, as there is an importance to the type of saturated fat consumed, and of course in moderation. That importance is in it's length. Coconut oil is set apart from other fatty acids because it is made up predominantly (~70%) of medium-chain fatty acids, which are absorbed directly into the digestive tract and sent straight to the liver, and unlike animal and dairy products, they do not require bile salts for breakdown. Coconut oil is therefore a direct source of energy - remember this for later.
     To top it all off, a saturated fat like coconut oil tolerates high temperatures much better than most unsaturated fats like corn, sunflower, or olive oil, and that is due to it's higher smoke point. The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which the oil begins to break apart, producing byproducts and free radicals that can be dangerous to the body. Most unrefined oils on the shelves (depending on their quality) have a smoke point ranging from 250 - 320°F, whereas coconut oil ranges upwards of 350°F. Therefore, the use of coconut oil decreases the risk of free radical damage from cooking. 

why we should all ditch the carbs for fat

     While every cell in the body burns glucose (the breakdown product of all carbohydrates), the heart and skeletal muscle in particular prefer fatty acids, as it is a greater source of energy production, and doesn't require insulin to do so. This point is very important, as so much of the population today experiences insulin resistance (the first step to type II diabetes) due to the overburden of insulin our body experiences from all the sugar we consume. FUN FACT: 4 g of sugar on a food label = 1 tsp of white sugar… think about it next time you read the side of a box. 
     Moreover, the foods we eat and the sources they come from have effects on the way in which our body handles our hormones. Firstly, high amounts of sugar increases insulin, which counters cortisol, leading to more fat storage in the abdomen and less breakdown. Now for the importance of those medium-chain fatty acids I mentioned. One study shows that the thermic effects of medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are greater than long-chain fatty acids of equal calorie content, suggesting an important take home message: a calorie is not a calorie. There isfurther evidence to suggest that increasing medium-chain fatty acids in the diet can increase your body's energy expenditure by 5%, which averages an extra 120 calories burnt per day. The ketone bodies that are produced from coconut oil's metabolism is also shown to have appetite reducing effects, meaning less calories consumed throughout the day. 
     So yes, it is too good to be true … sugar = fat storage, and fat = weight loss.

other fabulous facts about coconut oil

  • FOR YOUR SKIN and HAIR: it has an SPF of 10 (blocking ~20% of the suns rays), making it not only incredibly hydrating to the skin and hair, but protective. Furthermore, coconut oil is made up of ~ 60% lauric acid, a natural antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal, making it a great topical treatment for infected wounds or fungal infections like tinea. Don't forget, it works the same way internally, for preventing things like candida.
  • FOR YOUR BRAIN: we all know fatty acids are essential for brain function and development, but medium-chain fatty acids specifically are turned into ketones by the body, which some studies have shown to have therapeutic effects in conditions such as epilepsy and Alzheimer's. Something to consider...
  • FOR YOUR CHOLESTEROL: studies show coconut oil increases levels of HDL (the "good" cholesterol) and lowers oxidative damage of LDL (the type that clogs our arteries when exposed to oxidative damage).
  • FOR YOUR DIGESTION: because it requires no energy for breakdown or transportation across the intestines, people who suffer from IBS or Crohn's may benefit from the ease of coconut oil's absorption. More remarkably, those who suffer from gallstones or bile duct conditions will not be affects by coconut oil, as this fat requires no bile salts for emulsification. Hooray! 
  • FOR YOUR HEALTH: fat soluble substances, like vitamin A, D, E, and K, and minerals like calcium are all more readably absorbed when taken with coconut oil. Your mood, your bones, and your immune system will love you for it.
REMEMBER: like any oil, coconut oil varies in quality. When choosing a brand, go for UNREFINED and VIRGIN forms (meanly those lovely medium-chain fatty acids haven't been destroyed in the making). My favourite so far - Carrington Farm's cold-pressed, organic coconut oil, found at Costco for a fantastic price (~17$ for a tub that will last you months).
11 Comments
rick holmberg
27/1/2014 11:44:50 am

This sounds like something that should be in our pantry. And I was just at costco today.

Reply
Margo
27/1/2014 01:08:53 pm

We'll Rick it is about time I have been buying if from costco for over a year now lots of good benefits with coconut oil :)

Reply
Tracey onyshko
27/1/2014 12:29:58 pm

Nicole my dtgr uses this on her skin.

Reply
Britney Holmberg
27/1/2014 12:39:01 pm

Coconut oil played an essential role in recovering from post concussion syndrome. Swear by it for everything! Great job breaking it down cousin!

Reply
Margo
27/1/2014 01:19:30 pm

Thanks for sharing with us looking forward to your next educational post :)

Reply
Dave
28/1/2014 01:02:57 am

Wrong...your link on sat fat is 5 years old. Check the facts. http://nutritionfacts.org/video/does-coconut-oil-clog-arteries/

Reply
Courtney
29/1/2014 03:26:03 am

Hey Dave, An interesting video.
I agree that the study may not be the most recent available, but when interpreting research it is also important to look at quality. The trial I chose to site is a meta-analysis, looking at over 22 trials and nearly 400,000 participants. I'd be happy to send some of the more recent articles I've collected as well, if interested.
We must also remember that the mechanism to heart disease is still not fully understood, as studies argue that it is not the actual levels of cholesterol that cause heart disease, but more so what happens to them.
Thanks for the post!

Reply
jolia link
16/9/2022 07:41:27 am

thanks to share article , i used it ^_^

Reply
youssef el link
5/11/2022 03:00:36 am

thanks for the information <a href="https://www.youssefweb7.com/">youssefweb7-online forever</a>
<a href=""></a>

Reply
Madeline Theis link
10/11/2022 06:42:51 am

Coconut oil can be beneficial in many problems, and using it for weight is also great, but carbs should be avoided as they do not help cut fat.

Reply
Andreas Seed link
22/12/2022 05:30:41 pm

Excellent article! Thank you for your excellent post, and I look forward to the next one. If you're seeking for discount codes and offers, go to couponplusdeals.com.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe for Updates

    Categories

    All Acne Adrenal Fatigue Allergies Amenorrhea Antiaging Anxiety Art Of Medicine Autoimmune Disorder Autoimmunity Calories And Health Constipation Cravings Dairy Free Depression Diabetes Digestion Digestive Health Fatigue FODMAP Diet Food Intolerances Genetics Gluten Free Gut Health Hair Fall Harmonal Issues Histamin Intolerance Hormonal Birth Control HORMONAL IMBALANCE Hormones IBS Immunity Infertility Inflammation Insulin Sensitivity Irritable Bowel Syndrome Ketogenic Diet Microbiome Natural Beauty Tips Naturopathic Nutrition Paleo Diet PCOS Pre-biotics Pregnancy Preventative Medicine Probiotics Probiotics For Histamine Intolerance Recipes SIBO Sleep Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Stress Thyroid Weight Management Wellness Wednesday

    RSS Feed

     Subscribe in a reader


DR. COURTNEY HOLMBERG, ND

Platinum Health and Wellness
​​955 Queen St W, Unit 111
Toronto, ON
M6J 3X5

​647-351-7282
​​

CONTACT US
Book Online

​© 2018 Courtney Holmberg ND. All rights reserved. Dr. Courtney Holmberg, ND does not endorse or have professional affiliation with any discussed supplement or lab companies. All material provided is for general education and may not be construed as medical advice. The information is not intended to assist in diagnosing to treating a medical condition. Legal & Medical Disclaimer, sitemap

Photo used under Creative Commons from ViaggioRoutard