The American Heart Association (AHA) just keeps getting it wrong. In an article in USA today in mid-June, the organization is quoted as saying that coconut oil is bad for you. Really? Coconut oil may be one of nature’s most perfect foods. But the AHA has a long history of mistaking saturated fats as dangerous foods while touting grains and vegetable oils as good substitutes. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is thanks to the AHA’s Low Fat Guidelines in the 1970’s that we took the fat out of milk and put sugar in its place. Ever since then, Americans have been getting fatter and fatter.

Think I am exaggerating? Consider these facts:

• US children are projected to have shorter life expectancies than their parents. This is unheard of historically unless the country experienced a nuclear attack or the plague.
• The US has the distinction of being the Wealthiest/Unhealthiest country in the world. That’s right. Among the 16 wealthiest nations in the world, we are dead last for health.
• But for those of you who tend to be competitive, never fear because we are #1 for obesity, top of the list, fattest country in the world! We literally have every other country in the world beat when it comes to being fat.

Clearly the AHA’s recommendations are not working!

First the AHA told us to that all of the delicious nutrition that comes in whole fat milk was bad for us and now they are saying that coconut oil is bad for us! I smell a rat. They base this finding upon a report from the Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease Advisory, which reviewed existing data on saturated fat, showing coconut oil increased LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in seven out of seven controlled trials. “Because coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol, a cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and has no known offsetting favorable effects, we advise against the use of coconut oil,” the American Heart Association said in their advisory.

There are several things wrong with this “finding” (and I use the term loosely.) First, just because coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol, doesn’t mean that the result is bad for us since not all LDL cholesterol is bad. Secondly, coconut oil has been shown to have incredible health benefits. Thirdly, it would appear that the AHA is funded by organizations with a special interest in promoting the lipid theory of heart disease, or a theory that blames saturated fats, when most of the cutting edge science has shown that saturated fats are not the problem.

Let’s start with whether or not LDL cholesterol is the problem. It isn’t clear from the article in USA Today which type of LDL cholesterol the AHA is talking about and this is important because there are different types of LDL. The researchers at the AHA seem to be saying that LDL cholesterol causes CVD, but the scientific data on the role of LDL has changed and much of the research today actually points in the opposite direction. In other words, not all LDL cholesterol is bad.

In the 1970s, when LDLs were first discovered, they were found to be higher in people with cardiovascular disease, so the assumption (a key word here, assumption) was that they were bad and lowering them became the focus for many practitioners. What wasn’t understood at that time was that there were two types of LDL: Pattern A and Pattern B. One is dangerous, the other is not dangerous and may even be beneficial. It depends upon the particle size of the cholesterol.

• Pattern A: The particles are large, light, and more or less buoyant, just floating through the blood. As such, they do not cause plaque to build up which is what clogs the arteries, so they are harmless. Guess what contributes to the big fluffy particles? Coconut oil and other healthy saturated fats.
• Pattern B: The particles are small to very small in size. The smaller the particle size the more likely it is to wedge itself under the epithelial cells that line the walls of our arteries and damage the surfaces. This is what stimulates plaque formation. This type of LDL is dangerous. Guess what contributes to the small particles? Hydrogenated vegetable fats

.

Bottom line: LDL cholesterol gets a bad rap because it is correlated with CVD. But correlation is not causation. The following is an excerpt from my soon to be released book:

Cholesterol travels in “containers” that are made up of protein, cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides that are referred to as lipoproteins. The lipoproteins range from largest to smallest in density compared with the surrounding water. Think of little suitcases and the smaller the suitcase the more tightly it is packed. The smallest suitcase, High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is the most densely packed and the largest suitcase, Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL), is the least densely packed. They are different sizes, and have different compositions, because they have different jobs, depending upon where they end up. (Chylomicrons are in a class by themselves and are mostly triglycerides.)

• Chylomicronis the biggest carrier. It is produced in the gut and directly provides the fuel from fats that the body needs to fuel its cells. It also delivers fats to the liver, where the fats are then sorted out and redistributed into lipoproteins. It mostly contains triglycerides.

• VLDL(very low density lipoprotein) carries fat, cholesterol, fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants to cells. So we depend upon it for the absorption of vitamins and antioxidants. Good stuff!

• IDL (intermediate density lipoprotein) which is a bit smaller than VLDL, carries something similar to VLDLs, just in smaller packages. More good stuff.

• LDL (low density lipoprotein) is what is left over after VLDL has delivered most of its healthy content to the cells. It is called “bad cholesterol“ because it is easy to attack. Using the suitcase analogy, it is like that old battered suitcase you have that no longer zips or stays closed. You have to tape it together and even then, it may fall apart at the most inopportune time.

While traveling, this LDL gets hit by microbes, free radicals, toxins, and glucose (or the pollutants and excessive sugar from our food and environment). It is in the most fragile container and as such, it is the most likely to be damaged, especially if there is a lot of glucose (sugar) floating around. Sugar causes glycation or “inflammation.” Inflammation is the reason for most of what ails us today in America.

• oxLDL (oxycholesterol) is LDL after it has been attacked and oxidized. So now the suitcase is a filthy mesh bag leaking gunk that clogs our arteries. Turns out, this is the really dangerous form of cholesterol and the most likely cholesterol to cause vascular disease.

• HDL (high density lipoprotein) is the smallest suitcase with the highest density. This is the “good” cholesterol as it is very robust and reliable. It is like a Tumi (very expensive sturdy luggage) with James Bond technology built into it. HDL not only resists attack, it actually saves cholesterol from turning into the damaged oxLDL. Finally, in a totally James Bond move, it destroys pathogens by infiltrating the pathogen and then from inside the cell of the pathogen, destroying it! (Amazing, right?) It deserves the reputation for being the “good cholesterol”.

• HDL-A1 – is the form of HDL that brings good cholesterol to the liver so it can be further distributed. It is produced when the cells in the skin are exposed to the sun and produce cholesterol sulfate.

• B – HDL – is the form of cholesterol that goes specifically to the brain and again, requires sun exposure.

(Notice that the last two require sunshine in order to produce these incredibly beneficial forms of cholesterol? Stay tuned for a preview of my Sunshine Chapter.)

Contrary to what the AHA keeps saying, saturated fat is not the problem. Carbs are the problem, particularly grains and sugar, and the hydrogenated fats in processed foods. These are the things clogging our arteries and causing inflammation. The AHA would have us believe that eating carbs and unsaturated vegetable fats is a good thing, when it is not. Low carb diets work, low fat diets do not.

Notice that in this study on the markers of metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, middle fat and type 2 diabetes) that on a low carb diet, glucose went down nearly 13%, insulin went down almost 50%, blood pressure went down nearly 20%, triglycerides went down more than 50% and HDL cholesterol went up almost 10%. So much for the benefits of a low carb diet.

The other problem with the “findings” of the AHA is the statement that coconut oil has “no known offsetting favorable effects”! Are you kidding? It may be one of the most perfect foods on the planet. It contains all of the amino acids, making coconut water the perfect hydrator when you are trying to restore electrolytes. In terms of its’ impact on weight management, coconut oil is metabolized by the liver and converts to energy instead of body fat. It has a high smoke point making it ideal for frying foods.

In the next article, we will explore the embarrassment of riches that we find in the coconut. In the article to follow and our conclusion for this series, we will look at why the AHA and it’s backers, Big Pharma and Big Food, might be promoting the lipid theory of heart disease and dissing coconut oil.

The Nearly Perfect Coconut

The American Heart Association would have us believe that the coconut has “has no known offsetting favorable effects.” It’s interesting that in societies where coconut is a staple of the diet, vascular disease is low to non-existent, whereas in western or westernized societies, where saturated fat is demonized vascular disease and it’s friend obesity are epidemic.

For example, in Tokelau and Pukapuka, where a main staple of the diet is coconut, vascular disease is rare.[1] Another example are the Kitevan of New Guinea, who consume a considerable portion of their diet in coconut, but for whom researchers found no coronary heart disease.[2]

For 100 benefits for using coconut oil go to: http://thecoconutmama.com/coconut-oil-uses/

[1]Am J Clin Nutr 1981 Aug;34(8):1552-61

[2]J Intern Med: 1993 March; 233(3):269-75

Here are 10 reasons coconut oil is good for you:

Coconut oil is good for your heart – it has been shown to raise HDL (the good cholesterol) and improve the type of LDL cholesterol by making it more pattern A than pattern B which is a good thing as we saw in last weeks article.[1] 

Coconut oil is good for your brain – it is the only thing that has been shown to reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s when combined with exercise. It contains medium-chain triglycerides that have been shown to have therapeutic value for people with certain brain disorders, ADHD and epilepsy.[2] I believe that I reversed dementia by supplementing with a ¼ cup of coconut oil every morning in my tea. I notice a significant difference in brain fog if I do not use it.

Coconut oil is good for your thyroid – Unlike soy oil and other vegetable oils, coconut oil does not interfere with thyroid function. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce inflammation that may lead to hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.[3]

Coconut oil is good for weight loss – As a medium chain fatty acid coconut oil is the perfect “fuel” as it goes straight to the liver and is used as almost pure energy. Because it gives us this instant energy, we are less likely to snack on sugary items to get that jolt of energy that we need sometimes. It also suppresses your appetite. Coconut oil does not spike insulin. It has also been shown to help rid the body of excess fat.

Coconut oil is good for the immune system – Lauric acid, which makes up about half of it’s fatty acids, can eliminate harmful pathogens such as fungi, bacteria and viruses. It has been shown to prevent cold/and the flu and to alleviate the symptoms of hepatitis C, Herpes and Epstein-barr. [4]

Coconut oil is good for getting rid of candida – In a mouse study comparing coconut oil with soybean or beef tallow, coconut fed mice had a 10-fold drop in gut candida. Candida infestation wreaks havoc in the body and is very difficult to treat.

Coconut oil is good for your teeth and gums- Swishing with coconut oil for 15 minutes every morning eliminates bad breath and has been shown to prevent plaque.7 I put a teaspoon in my mouth while I am standing in front of my near infrared sauna every morning. My dentist is always raving about how healthy my gums are.

Coconut oil is good for your hair and scalp– Making your own shampoo with coconut oil can help with dandruff as well as with other scalp conditions.

Coconut oil is awesome for your dog’s coat – Coconut oil makes a great dog shampoo as it helps to eliminate odor. Just add a little though or you get a greasy doggie.

Coconut oil is a natural meat tenderizer – but don’t use it for fish as you will end up with fish mush. I think the tenderizing quality is what makes it a good cellulite remedy. No research though to back that up, just my anecdotal observations.

[1]Lipids: 2009 July; 44(7):593-601

[2]BMC Neurosci. 2008; 9(Suppl 2): S16.

[3]Positive Med, September 16, 2015

[4]Organic Facts, Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

7 J Indian Soc Peridontol. 2014 Jul:18(4):441-6

AWord About Saturated Fats in General

Saturated fats have many benefits if they meet the following criteria: Grass-fed, raw or lightly pasteurized dairy (milk, cream, butter, cheese, cottage cheese); Grass-fed/grass-finished beef; Pastured sustainably grown pork and poultry (that are fed Non-GMO, organic grains only when absolutely necessary); Coconut and palm kernel oil; and Cacao have the following health benefits:^[1]

Saturated Fats

There are over a dozen saturated fats, but we mainly consume Butyric, Palmiric, Myristic, Lauric and Stearic saturated fats. Unsaturated fats, also called the Omegas 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9 are either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated and either essential or non-essential.

When a fat is saturated, it means that the molecule has all of the hydrogen atoms it can hold.

Unsaturated means that there are spaces between some of the hydrogen atoms. This can be a problem because opening the structure of the molecule makes it susceptible to attack by free radicals. Notice that this is the opposite of the way we are taught to think of fats.

Free radicals can damage healthy cells and cause a whole host of health issues.  When unsaturated oils are exposed to free radicals through the process of hydrogenation, the cells in the oil age, and the oils can become rancid. Not only are they capable of becoming rancid in the jar in which they are stored, they may also become rancid in our bodies, which contributes to a variety of the illnesses that are currently plaguing Americans.

^[1] “The Skinny on Fats,”

The benefits that saturated fats offer us are:

• Saturated fatty acids constitute at least 50% of our cell membranes. They give our cells their necessary stiffness and integrity, and they prevent cell damage
• Saturated fats play a vital role in the health of bones. For calcium to be effectively incorporated into the skeletal structure, at least 50% of dietary fats should be saturated.
• Saturated fats lower the substances in the blood that increase the likelihood of heart disease.
• Saturated fats protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins.
• Saturated fats enhance the immune system.
• Saturated fats are needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids.
• Specifically, omega-3 essential fatty acid, which are critical to cardiovascular health, are better retained in body tissue when the diet is rich in saturated fats.

Stay tuned for the last article in this series on why the AHA might be promoting the lipid theory of heart disease and what you can do about it to ensure that you are heart healthy.

-Dr. Norton

#GetSunEatCleanBeWell

Dr. J. Renae Norton is a clinical psychologist, specializing in the outpatient treatment of eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder (BED), as well as obesity.

Let’s Connect!

Like me on Facebook

Twitter @drrenae

Contact Dr Norton by phone 513-205-6543 or by form

Medical Advice Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship. This information is not necessarily the position of Dr. J. Renae Norton or The Norton Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity.

©2017, Dr. J. Renae Norton. This information is intellectual property of Dr. J. Renae Norton. Reproduction and distribution for educational purposes is permissible. Please credit ‘© 2017, Dr. J. Renae Norton. http://www.eatingdisorderpro.com/