Coconut Oil and good fat

[Mother Duck]

I was talking to my sister today and she said that Coconut Oil was among the bad fats :shrug. From what I have researched, I was under the impression it was a good fat. There is so much conflicting information out there I find it hard to make an informed decision.

Anyone have any reliable information for me?

[homesteadmama]

It is a good fat. It's a saturated fat, which is good and necessary for so many things in our bodies, especially our brains. They are comprised mostly of fat, and when we eat low fat, we starve our brain.

But, people who believe saturated fat is bad for you will think that coconut oil is bad. Is she of that mindset perhaps?

[mamacat]

For years medical profession was of the idea that animal fats and cocnut oil etc were causing high cholesterol but more and more are now realizing that was not accurate.If you google about healthy fats you will find lots of research you could show her

[homesteadmama]

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/22/coconut-oil-and-saturated-fats-can-make-you-healthy.aspx

This article is helpful in understanding what I was saying above.

---------- Post added at 05:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:42 AM ----------

Here's a great video explaining why saturated fat may not be as bad as we've thought (piggybacking on what Mamacat said)
http://youtu.be/i8SSCNaaDcE

[Katigre]

In the "olden days" the only coconut oil you could get was hydrogenated and it was terrible for your health. Now you can get much healthier kinds, and people are recognizing that not all fat is equal. Some is very healthy (ex. Avocado, fish oil fat, etc...) and some is horrible (trans fats, oxidized fats, fats from animals fed junk diets).

I love coconut oil.

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[esperanza]

Yeah, I'm wondering if she's thinking of the hydrogenated coconut oil. Like the kind they use to make movie popcorn. Yum, but terrible for you. But that is not the good coconut oil.

[teamommy]

Coconut oil may not act the same way in our bodies as animal fats. They are all saturated fats, but coconut oil also has a different form of fat that may make it more neutral.

Many people are also coming to realize that not using any oils can be very healthy. It's possible to get enough fat without oil.

[Soliloquy]

Decades ago, research was done with animals and coconut oil and it was found to be very harmful to the animals. HOWEVER, what was used was hydrogenated coconut oil, not natural, unadulterated coconut oil. You could hydrogenate olive oil and make it bad for you, too. Fully or partially hydrogenated oils, of any kind, are highly processed and unhealthy and full of trans fats.

This article is pretty neutral, it explains why coconut oil (and all tropical oils) used to be villified but but doesn't make claims of coconut oil being a miracle food. http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/coconut-oil/

I happen to think coconut oil IS very good for me. I put it all over my skin, I use it as eye make-up remover, a tiny bit on the ends of my hair . . . When I use it faithfully, I do see dramatic benefits. I cook with it, too, but not exclusively.

[NeshamaMama]

I was visiting with my mom recently and saw that my little brother's school lunch menu on the fridge had a "Fun Health Fact" kind of blurb listing "bad fats" with coconut oil amongst them. My face did a :jawdrop:mad:scratch:banghead. I almost wrote a letter. :shifty

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[Soliloquy]

You should hear my kids when they watch PBS. :shifty

[Mother Duck]

Thanks so much!

She has recently gone Vegan (her dh had a stroke 3 years ago so it has changed her) and very health conscious. She is of the opinion that all fats are bad, except nuts (almonds and sunflower seeds - her only source of fat).

I'll pass some of these links on to her. :heart