Coconut Oil

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    Last week, I presented a power point on types of fats to a sixth grade health class for my school food service rotation. At the end of the presentation, the sixth grade teacher asked me my opinion on coconut oil. I've heard such mixed reviews in the media regarding this oil. Some unreliable blog posts state coconut oil aids in weight loss, promotes healthy hair, and can be used in the treatment of alzheimer's disease. However, mayo clinic states due to its high saturated fat content, coconut oil may lead to an atherogenic  lipid profile. Therefore, I examined this research study discussing coconut oil's effects on lipid profiles of 1,000+ women (age 35-69) in the Philippines. Mean coconut oil consumption was determined using 24 hour recalls and was found to be 9.5+/- 8.9 grams. Higher coconut oil consumption among pre menopausal participants was correlated with a beneficial lipid profile and higher HDL cholesterol levels. Coconut oil consumption was not significantly associated with LDL or triglyceride levels. It would be interesting to conduct a similar study in the United States where our mean total fat intake daily is greater than those in the Phillipines and see if similar results were noted.

 Feranil A, Duazo P, Kuzawa C, Adair L. Coconut oil is associated with a beneficial lipid profile in pre-menopausal women in the Philippines. Asia Pacific Journal Of Clinical Nutrition. June 2011;20(2):190-195.

E. Kintner

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