We now see this health promoting oil in every health food store. Why is that? I get the question all the time. Coconut oil possesses many health benefits due to its fiber and nutritional content, but it’s the oil that really makes it a great food and medicine. Yes, it’s saturated but it is unique in that it is a rare saturated fat that is medium in its size and most saturated fats are classified as long chain fatty acids not medium chain fatty acids like coconut.
So will coconut oil raise my cholesterol levels? It may raise your overall cholesterol levels but one must look at the ratio of cholesterol in your blood to actually see the benefit of coconut oil. Most of us know that the good cholesterol or HDL cholesterol is the health promoting cholesterol and when this rises the overall cholesterol count may rise but the ratio of this good cholesterol in comparison to the bad cholesterol or the LDL has changed. With this ratio change the risk of heart disease has been significantly reduced. It is an established fact that the cholesterol ratio is a far more accurate indicator of heart disease than total cholesterol levels.
Coconut oil has been used for thousands of years and provides not only heart health but has healing properties far beyond that of any other dietary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Coconut is used to treat a wide variety of problems including issues related to digestion, insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose, and even helps in treating Aids due to its immune building properties.
Most importantly it tastes great and will satisfy hunger for hours. I’ve included a Vegetarian Curry in my recipe section that is absolutely wonderful and contains a significant amount of coconut milk. Enjoy!
Healthy Saturated Fat (Coconut Oil)
We now see this health promoting oil in every health food store. Why is that? I get the question all the time. Coconut oil possesses many health benefits due to its fiber and nutritional content, but it’s the oil that really makes it a great food and medicine. Yes, it’s saturated but it is unique in that it is a rare saturated fat that is medium in its size and most saturated fats are classified as long chain fatty acids not medium chain fatty acids like coconut.
So will coconut oil raise my cholesterol levels? It may raise your overall cholesterol levels but one must look at the ratio of cholesterol in your blood to actually see the benefit of coconut oil. Most of us know that the good cholesterol or HDL cholesterol is the health promoting cholesterol and when this rises the overall cholesterol count may rise but the ratio of this good cholesterol in comparison to the bad cholesterol or the LDL has changed. With this ratio change the risk of heart disease has been significantly reduced. It is an established fact that the cholesterol ratio is a far more accurate indicator of heart disease than total cholesterol levels.
Coconut oil has been used for thousands of years and provides not only heart health but has healing properties far beyond that of any other dietary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Coconut is used to treat a wide variety of problems including issues related to digestion, insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose, and even helps in treating Aids due to its immune building properties.
Most importantly it tastes great and will satisfy hunger for hours. I’ve included a Vegetarian Curry in my recipe section that is absolutely wonderful and contains a significant amount of coconut milk. Enjoy!