Can eating coconut oil help you lose weight and avoid obesity? Debunking 3 myths

In recent years, coconut oil has been hailed as a "superfood" by Americans and is said to help with weight loss. It has attracted many celebrities, including the popular supermodel Miranda. But does drinking coconut oil really help with weight loss? Nutritionists say that coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), which are less likely to increase fat accumulation and can prevent obesity and metabolic syndrome. However, coconut oil is still a fat after all. If you consume too much, you will still exceed the calorie limit and it will be converted into fat and stored, which will still cause the concern of obesity.

Coconut oil is a fat made from the flesh of mature coconuts and is often used as a source of fat in tropical regions. It is a plant-based oil with high saturated fatty acids (more than 90%). Due to its high saturated fat content, people used to classify it in the same category as butter, palm oil and animal fats. Studies have found that residents of tropical countries whose diets are rich in coconut products have fewer cardiovascular disease problems, so it is called "pharmacy in a bottle" by the Filipinos, and India has also been using coconut oil as medicine.

Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids and is less likely to increase fat accumulation

However, what is special about coconut oil compared to other high-saturated fat cooking oils? Nutritionist Lin Xinhui said that coconut oil contains 65% medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), such as lauric acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid. Because medium-chain fatty acids do not rely on chylomicron transport and can directly enter the blood circulation, they can be digested, absorbed and metabolized more quickly than long-chain fatty acids, so they are less likely to increase fat accumulation and can prevent obesity and metabolic syndrome. In addition, medium-chain fatty acids can be used to extract MCT oil, which has lower calories than ordinary oils and can provide energy quickly. It is often used in medicine to treat liver and gallbladder diseases, lymphatic vessel diseases, epilepsy, etc.

★Myth 1: Can eating coconut oil prevent obesity?

Since coconut oil is not easily converted into fat accumulation and can prevent obesity, can coconut oil replace fat? Nutritionist Lin Xinhui said that although coconut oil is a medium-chain fatty acid that can be quickly digested and absorbed, it is still a fat after all. When the calorie intake exceeds the need, the remaining calories will be stored in the body and converted into fat for storage, which will cause obesity problems. Long-term excessive fat will increase blood cholesterol, which will cause cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that consuming 30 mL of coconut oil daily, combined with a low-calorie diet and 50 minutes of brisk walking every day, can help reduce abdominal obesity in women. Therefore, in order to prevent obesity and metabolic diseases, it is even more necessary to control total calorie intake.

It is recommended to consume 4 to 7 teaspoons of unsaturated fat per day

When we consume coconut oil, we not only consume medium-chain fatty acids, but also other saturated fats. Therefore, the recommended daily fat intake standard is 4 to 7 teaspoons. Too much or too little is not good. It is recommended to choose unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and camellia oil, and reduce high-oil cooking such as frying and pan-frying, and replace them with steaming, stewing, boiling, and braising to meet the recommended daily fat intake to promote the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K).

Coconut oil is, after all, a fat. When the calorie intake exceeds the need, the remaining calories will be stored in the body and converted into fat, which will cause obesity problems.

★Myth 2: Will eating coconut oil increase cholesterol?

There are countless research papers on coconut oil and cholesterol. Studies show that if coconut oil accounts for 75% of the total fat source, coconut oil has a better ability to increase HDL-C (good cholesterol, which can prevent cardiovascular disease) than corn oil (unsaturated vegetable oil). However, compared with corn oil, the increase in the ratio of total cholesterol and LDL-C (bad cholesterol, which will increase blood cholesterol) is greater, resulting in a significant increase in the ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C, causing vascular embolism and further causing cardiovascular disease and other problems. Compared with butter (saturated fat), coconut oil significantly reduces total cholesterol and LDL-C.

★Myth 3: Does coconut oil cause cardiovascular disease?

Is coconut oil the main cause of cardiovascular disease? The latest research has found that the main factors affecting cardiovascular disease are saturated fat, cholesterol, lecithin, and L-carnitine metabolites, which are found in animal foods such as butter, fat, and red meat. It also confirms the findings that a traditional diet high in coconut pulp, coconut oil, or coconut products (with minimal processing) does not lead to adverse effects on cardiovascular disease.

Despite claims that coconut oil can reduce cardiovascular risk factors, the study found that a diet containing 30% olive, palm or coconut oil significantly reduced pro-inflammatory factors. Most studies today have confirmed that consuming cis-unsaturated fats (such as olive oil) can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, so unsaturated fats are still better than saturated fats, and saturated fats are better than trans fats (such as margarine).

Choose cooking oil according to personal eating habits and cooking methods

Our country refers to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans published in 2016, and recommends that people adjust their eating habits and choose a healthier diet. Limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of total daily calories can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you want to lower blood cholesterol, reducing saturated fat intake is more effective than increasing polyunsaturated fatty acid intake. Therefore, the proportion of saturated fat fatty acids in total calories is an important factor in determining the value of serum cholesterol.

Coconut oil is best produced in the unrefined virgin form, as it is not easily oxidized or produces free radicals, and is more suitable for frying and cooking.

Nutritionist Lin Xinhui said that many people would ask nutritionists: "Is there any recommended oil?" In fact, there is no best cooking oil, because the right oil for the right place. We need to understand the characteristics of each edible oil (such as smoke point, saturation), and then choose the right cooking oil according to our personal eating habits and cooking methods.

Unrefined virgin coconut oil is the best

For example: Coconut oil is best made in the unrefined virgin format because it retains the original aroma and nutrients of coconut. Usually, unrefined coconut oil will give off a strong coconut flavor and is solid at room temperature. It is a highly saturated edible oil that is not easily oxidized or produces free radicals, making it more suitable for frying and cooking.

Not all saturated fatty acids are bad. It is mainly because the structural composition of fatty acids can affect the metabolism of fat in the liver and the type of cholesterol. So is coconut oil bad? This is a relative relationship. It is worse than unsaturated fat and better than trans fat. If we really have to say which fat is bad? Currently, many studies are strongly pointing to artificial trans fats, such as hydrogenated vegetable oils, which are margarine and shortening, often used in biscuits, cakes and bread. This is because liquid vegetable oils are easily oxidized at room temperature and are not conducive to long-term high-temperature cooking. They are processed by hydrogenation to improve the stability of the oil and its resistance to high temperatures. However, if the hydrogenation is incomplete during the process, trans fats that are harmful to the cardiovascular system will be produced. Studies have shown that this type of fat can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. In June 2015, the United States announced that it would ban artificial trans fats in the food industry within three years. my country's Ministry of Health and Welfare has decided to follow the United States and ban the use of incompletely hydrogenated vegetable oils in food as early as after 2018.

Finally, it is still recommended that people choose low-oil cooking methods and reduce highly processed products and refined foods, which is the most fundamental way to stay healthy.

Nutritionist Lin Xinhui said that we need to understand the characteristics of each edible oil (such as smoke point and saturation), and then choose the appropriate cooking oil based on personal eating habits and cooking methods. (Photo provided by Lin Xinhui, nutritionist of the New Nutrition Food Generation team)