DEMONIZING COCONUT OIL…Again!?
It all started on June 16th with an article in USA Today proclaiming:
“Coconut Oil isn’t healthy. It’s never been healthy.”
and
“The American Heart Association recently released a report advising against the use of coconut oil.”
View the full USA Today article
Recommendation regarding the AHA’s demonization of Coconut Oil:
Think further than your instant fears.
OUR ‘TAKE’ IN A NUTSHELL
This article looks like it was written by the Vegetable Oil Manufacturing Association. In our opinion, we would like to see more science and actual studies, rather than meta-analysis of hand-picked studies, which have then been interpreted. We have seen many studies of coconut oil which show that it benefits people with Alzheimer’s and lowers cholesterol…and more.
At this point we are not convinced that this new information is completely accurate. For example, all saturated fats are mostly lumped together in this paper. Animal fats and coconut oil lipid profiles—what they are composed of–are very, very different.
We would need to see better research to sway our opinion.
The AHA paper also makes the following statement which got my blood boiling:
“Because coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol, a cause of CVD, and has no known offsetting favorable effects, we advise against the use of coconut oil.”
How many things are wrong with that statement? Plenty. Read on for a few…
HOW IT ALL STARTED
One of our clinic friends saw the USA Today article and was naturally alarmed because she has been consuming coconut oil—per the Cardiovascular Food Healing protocol of Conquering Any Disease– as part of improving her cholesterol balance. Of course, when any of us sees what we think or hope is a prestigious bastion of wisdom and concern for human health state that: Coconut oil is not safe, and it never has been…it will raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol, well, it gives us a knee jerk reaction leading to fear and an instant belief in what was stated. We’re conditioned to react this way.
I must admit, it hit me that way too….but only for a split second. Then my knowledge of the science kicked in.
PROTECT YOUR BRAIN & HEART
I am trained in the phytochemicals of foods and the biochemistry of lipids (oils in foods). Because of this, I know the chemistry involved, have read some of the research studies, and I see the results in our patients when they switch the oils they consume. In fact, last year we had two articles on the topic of oils and your health:
The Oils You Eat: Are They Causing Heart Attacks?
Brain Diseases and the Oils You Eat
FOLLOW THE MONEY.
Long ago, in a far-away land….
…Nope, right here in America back in the 1970’s…a misinformation campaign was promoted very aggressively by the vegetable oil industry. Some argue it started earlier, post- World War II. In any case, the infamous “Vegetable Oil Conspiracy” was quite successful in giving saturated fats a bad reputation. After seeing enough commercials and reading enough “heart-healthy” labels on vegetable oils, people began to trust that Canola Oil and other hydrogenated oils were a good thing.
So, WHO is behind this current campaign of mis-information? To get to the bottom of this, the next questions should rightly be: WHO is the American Heart Association, and WHO pays them? Well, as it turns out, they are a Lobbyist Group. Lobbyists are paid by corporations who stand to profit. I need say no more.
CALLING OUT THE HOAX
While researching for this article, I found another article I highly appreciate. Written an M.D. and a Chiropractor, it is Short, Pithy and Tells-it-Like-it-is. This contains some of the evidence in defense of the plant & dairy-based saturated fats (coconut oil, butter and ghee). And there’s plenty more out there. Read the entire article with study references Here’s an excerpt:
Is saturated fat bad for us?
In 2010, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) was published. This is the biggest nutrition journal in the world. They looked at over 500,000 people regarding saturated fat. The conclusion: sat fat is not linked to coronary disease. (1)
Fast forward to 2016. Same journal, more evidence…. Turns out that saturated fat actually LOWERS cardiac risk. (2)
In 2015, the AJCN reported sat fat IS linked to heart disease, unless the sat fat came from fish, dairy, or plants. From those sources of food, sat fat is not an issue. (3)
Here is what the study authors concluded about their results. “It should be acknowledged that other dietary components in the food sources containing SFAs may have played a role in the observed associations, such as refined carbohydrates in pastries or salt in processed foods.” Essentially, it’s the other crap in the food, not the saturated fat, that causes heart disease.
A side note from this 2015 study: The more fat you ate, the lower your heart attack risk and the chance you had of dying. (So much for the low-fat gurus)
And, yes, this supports basic tenants of the Paleo diet regarding eating saturated fat. Saturated fat is from nature, and it’s good for you!
MORE CLUES BEHIND THE TRUTH:
What are Vegetable Oils?
Processed vegetable oils are chemically-treated, complex molecules. They break down and become more toxic when heated. One of the most dangerous jobs out there is the kids and adults standing over deep-fat fryers in fast food places, breathing in those oils in their most toxic state.
When heated, processed vegetable oils take on an additional load of FREE RADICALS which damage cells and age us prematurely. The Conquering Any Disease book has an entire science section at the back of the book on this topic. Feel free to ask to see a copy next time you come into the clinic. It’s quite the technical biochemistry-and-more-science chapter!
Here are a few ways these oils are critically damaging in the human body:
- These oils cause damage to arteries. (read the article above on Heart Health)
- They cause inflammation.
- They cause insulin resistance.
The body isn’t engineered to consume these hydrogenated oils, so when consumed and used in the continual maintenance of our body, they are the wrong kind of oil. They form stifling, somewhat-impenetrable cell membranes which cannot perform their functions properly, e.g., breathe, take in food (glucose), or expel wastes (and thus become toxic themselves). Can you think of a few diseases which are rampant in our society since the 1970’s? There is plenty of science proving the links between these toxic oils and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and neurological diseases.
IN PRAISE OF COCONUT OIL
Few people know that the lipid (fat) profile of coconut oil is almost identical to Mother’s Milk. It contains all the smallest fatty acids (another term used for “fats”). NO OTHER PLANT CONTAINS these three tiny fats which are proven to be immune-building. After all, Mother’s Milk is designed to help build the baby’s immunity. Because of this, we like to refer to coconut oil as Mother Nature’s Milk. The AHA paper has inaccuracies here on many levels. For one, it completely IGNORES all the small chain fatty acids and their powerful immunity-creating actions. Also, nearly 50% of the fat is the smallest medium-chained fatty acid, Lauric Acid. Coconut oil is the highest source known in nature. And it is the source of the viral-killing ability of this oil.
COCONUT AS A HEALER
Due to Coconut Oil’s unique-in-the-food-world lipid (fatty acids) profile, it is capable of such feats as this short list (and much more), and most of these are not common knowledge:
Killing Viruses & Bacteria. Due to the small fatty acids in coconut oil, it is capable of penetrating and “melting” the membrane of viruses and bacteria and other pathogens, including studies with HIV. A 1999 study in the Philippines, a virtual a true home of the coconut, is noteworthy.
Not all pathogens have such a membrane, but it sure doesn’t hurt to try coconut oil in case it does work! We have seen at least one such patient in chemo treatments which left her immune system seriously-compromised. She reversed a downward viral spiral by consuming 4 Tablespoons of coconut oil a day. Within a few days, she was remarkably recovered.
Killing Candida Candida is a natural part of and performs a needed function in our human microbiota (gut flora). But, after administration of antibiotics, it can take over, creating skin rashes, mental fogginess, HPV recurrences and more. It can also become deadly when it escapes the gut, killing 40% of those affected.
In 2015, a Tufts University Study showed that Coconut Oil can kill up to 95% of candida. (Note: Mushrooms do this too. Candida is a “competing” fungus, and mushrooms won’t have it around! We carry powerful mushroom-capsule products.)
Reversing Alzheimer’s’: Dr. Mary Newport used coconut oil to reverse her husband’s severe Alzheimer’s. Improvements were noticed very quickly, and solid reversal of Alzheimer’s took just a few weeks!
Weight Loss: Your body is capable of burning both sugars and oils to fuel your cells. It is wise to use both, and it’s useful to target the use of oils as fuel for various health conditions. This is a basic premise of Paleo Diets. We know that coconut oil isn’t stored as fat. In fact, it burns fat by raising your metabolism using heat. This oil is very active inside the body, and whatever isn’t used is gone in 3-4 hours. And here are a couple of bonuses:
- Increases Lean Body Mass! Mary Newport (in the video above) states that coconut oil also is used by body builders to increases Lean Body Mass. That’s cool!
- Quick Energy! Within 15-20 minutes after consuming coconut oil, people feel more energy and are more relaxed. Their cells have consumed a healthy source of fuel.
Increasing Human Mother’s Milk: Mothers who consume coconut oil measure 5 times higher in Lauric Acid, which is definitely good for baby’s immune system! For more on Medium chained fatty acids, click here.
Rebalancing Cholesterol: Want a meta-analysis quick fact? As referenced several times in recent years in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition–and in over 119, Yes, 119!– other coconut studies on cholesterol:
- 73% of scientific papers show coconut oil does NOT raise LDL cholesterol.
- 27% showed coconut oil to raise HDL and LDL together, but always improving overall HDL ratio. That’s impressive!
SURPRISES & CONCLUSIONS
One thing I’ve learned by working with people and food is that there truly is no “one-size-fits-all” in the food healing arena. I’ve seen coconut oil literally save one life (killed the virus that Western Medicine couldn’t). I’ve seen it help people lose weight and improve cholesterol. I’ve also seen it be ineffective to improve cholesterol. I conclude that every person’s metabolism is different. There can be other issues–such as thyroid troubles– getting in the way too.
Until better science comes along to convince me differently, we will still sing the praises of Virgin, Organic Coconut Oil. This pure and natural oil is a unique and amazing treasure trove of Nature’s Mother’s Milk. I (and our Medicinal Food Consultants) will continue to use/recommend coconut oil in certain dosages, along with selecting and monitoring an overall healthy-and-situation-specific diet, to regain the best health for each patient who entrusts us as partners in their health journey.
Happy Hearts to All,
Dr. David and Deb Martin
And all the Providers at Lotus Blossom Clinic
www.LotusBlossomClinic.com
239-277-1399
Serving the Greater Fort Myers area with Chinese Medicine, Food Healing Science, Energy Healing, Natural Esthetics/Facials, Emotional Breakthrough Coaching and more.