| MISCONCEPTIONS |
FACTS |
| Coconut oil is like other vegetable oil. |
No, coconut oil is made up mostly of medium
chain fatty acids. Corn oil and soybean oils contain mostly long chain
polyunsaturated fatty acids; while palm oil has about equal amounts of long
chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. |
| Vegetable oils (coconut, corn, palm) are rich
in cholesterol just like animal fats and dairy products. |
Animal fats (lard, butter, and egg products)
are rich in cholesterol, vegetable oils contain insignificant amount of
cholesterol – coconut oil having the least. |
| All saturated fats are the same. |
Saturated fats differ. Some may contain mostly
long chain triglycerides or LCTS (e.g. pork fat); other mostly medium chain
triglycerides or MCTS (e.g. coconut oil). LCTS and MCTS differ in
absorption, transport, as well as in metabolism and end-product. |
| Coconut oil is bad; it raises serum
cholesterol. |
Coconut eating people like the Polynesians and
the Bicolanos of the Philippines have low serum cholesterol and few coronary
heart disease. |
| People who take plenty of saturated fats and
cholesterol will develop high serum cholesterol. |
Individuals who take plenty of saturated LCTS
and cholesterol and who are “diet responders” may develop high serum
cholesterol: “non-responders” are not affected by diet. Responsiveness is
gene-related. (i.e. hereditary) |
| Since polyunsaturated oils such as corn, peanut
and soybean oils lower cholesterol, we should use these oils exclusively for
cooking our foods. |
Polyunsaturates in large amounts may increase
cancer risk. |
| Hydrogenated corn or soybean oils are
polyunsaturated oils and are safe. |
Hydrogenation converts polyunsaturated to
saturated long chain fatty acids or to isomeric trans-forms. Both of these
are believed to raise serum cholesterol just like saturated LCTS. |
| High serum cholesterol must be prevented at all
cost because of risk of coronary heart disease |
a.) high serum cholesterol is a definite risk
for coronary heart disease among young to middle-age males (Framingham).
High serum cholesterol should be lowered in these persons.
b.) No relationship has so far been established between hypercholesterolemia
and (1) cerebrovascular disease; (2) females; and (3) elderly males.
Lowering of high serum cholesterol in the elderly is prudent but must be
balanced against drug toxicity if drugs are used. |
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