guardianactual
MuscleChemistry Registered Member
THE MAGIC OF MCTS
Everyone's seemingly talking about healthy fats these days, and that's great. But with this sea change taking place, it can still be easy to think all fats fall into the same old categories of "good" and "bad." In fact, there are good fats, and there are great fats. The saturated fat in coconut oil isn't just healthy—it's special, and is far more deserving of the label "superfood" than plenty of other foods that get called that.
As I've written before, including in my book The Great Cholesterol Myth, the "evidence" against saturated fat is falling apart all over the place. Several major papers published in the last few years completely vindicated saturated fat as a culprit in heart disease.5 And even before the current coconut oil craze, high-level researchers such as Dr. George Blackburn at Harvard Medical School and former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop rightly espoused the view that tropical oils like coconut oil deserved exemption from the anti-fat crusade.
What makes coconut oil so special? More than half of the fatty acids in coconut oil are a particular kind of saturated fat called medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These are common in some mammal's milks—including human breast milk, to a small degree—but they're rare among plants, and coconuts are by far the best commercial source. MCTs are metabolized in the body differently from other saturated fats. They're rarely stored as body fat; rather, the body prefers to use them for energy, almost like carbohydrates, although they don't raise blood sugar the way carbs do.
Their uniquely high level of bioavailability makes MCTs a common sight among bodybuilders' supplement stacks during a "cutting up" phase; they need the calories for energy, but they don't want to put on any excess fat. Endurance athletes similarly use MCTs during training or competitions for quick energy. They're also a popular energy source for athletes on high-protein, low-carb diets, since your body converts certain types of MCTs into ketone bodies, which your brain and body can use for energy in lieu of carbs.
A FAT-BURNER FOR THE REST OF US
Coconut oil is definitely one nutritional tool whose usefulness isn't limited to elite athletes. One study in the "International Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders" found that the MCTs in coconut increased fat-burning and calorie expenditure in obese men and also led to diminished fat storage.6 Another study in the same journal found that consumption of coconut oil fats over the course of 27 days increased both fat burning and calorie expenditure in women as well.7 However, these studies used a high percentage of calories as MCTs—30 percent of total calories in the latter study—an amount which is hardly practical for most people.
Nonetheless, there seems to be something to the idea that coconut oil, with its rich concentration of MCTs, can increase fat burning and calorie expenditure, especially if MCTs replace other fats in the diet, such as safflower oil, soybean oil, and other typically high omega-6 vegetable oils. (No one suggests that they should replace omega-3s!) Researchers writing in the "Journal of Nutrition" called MCTS "potential agents in the prevention of obesity," noting that they increase feelings of fullness and can assist with weight control, particularly when used as a replacement for other oils.8
But what about using it as a weight-control supplement? In a study published in the journal "Lipids," 40 women aged 20-40 years old with abdominal obesity were given daily dietary supplements of either soybean oil or coconut oil over the course of 12 weeks.9 All subjects followed a "balanced" diet with the same number of calories and were told to walk for 50 minutes daily. By the end of the study, the coconut oil group had significantly higher HDL ("good") cholesterol and an improved LDL-to-HDL ratio. Meanwhile, the soybean oil group saw their HDL go down and their cholesterol ratio go up!
Great, right? But here's the nut: While both the soybean oil group and the coconut oil group had similar reductions in BMI, only the coconut oil group saw a reduction in the circumference of their waists. A very interesting—and unexpected—finding was that people consuming the coconut oil also spontaneously reduced their consumption of carbohydrates and increased their consumption of protein and fiber over the course of the study. The researchers concluded, "Supplementation with coconut oil does not cause dyslipidemia (elevated cholesterol or fat in the blood) and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity."
While there aren't a lot of studies testing coconut oil specifically for weight loss, the studies that have investigated its effects on metabolism clearly indicate that coconut oil can be a valuable addition to the diet of people trying to lose weight. If there's a downside to making it a regular player in your fat source rotation, I have yet to see it!
WHAT DO I DO WITH IT?
It's hard to make a specific recommendation on how much coconut oil to use as a supplement. Sally Fallon of the Weston A. Price Foundation suggests 1 tablespoon with every meal. The women in the Brazilian study were taking about 2 tablespoons' worth daily. Both are reasonable starting points. Me? I prefer to cook with it.
Coconut oil is particularly good to fry or bake with because it has a high smoke point of 450° F, and a low degree of oxidation, meaning it resists the kind of damage from rogue oxygen molecules known as free radicals. This is one of the many advantages of using saturated fats for cooking: They don't spoil nearly as easily as vegetable oils.
As vegetarian and vegan bakers can attest, coconut oil is also the premier butter substitute if you want to make healthier versions of cookies, cakes, and breads which retain that buttery texture and taste.
I use it for everything, including sauteing vegetables and making eggs, either on its own or in combination with butter. If you're used to tasteless oils like vegetable oil or safflower, the slight nutty taste of an extra virgin coconut oil like Barlean's might stand out at first. But stick with it, and you'll find it imparts a terrific flavor to all types of dishes.
Sure it's as high in calories as any fat, but as part of a calorie-balanced diet, it definitely deserves its growing reputation as a heath superstar. And it just may have the additional benefits of increased fat burning, calorie expenditure, and reduced hunger.
Jonny's Brainy Breakfast Scramble
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp butter
2 apples, unpeeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cups baby spinach
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp lemon pepper, or to taste
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Melt the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apple and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples brown lightly or turn translucent, about 4-6 minutes. Add spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until it begins to wilt. Pour egg over all and stir to mix well. Sprinkle in turmeric, pepper, and salt, mix well, and continue to cook until eggs reach desired doneness.
Yield: 2 large or 4 small servings
Everyone's seemingly talking about healthy fats these days, and that's great. But with this sea change taking place, it can still be easy to think all fats fall into the same old categories of "good" and "bad." In fact, there are good fats, and there are great fats. The saturated fat in coconut oil isn't just healthy—it's special, and is far more deserving of the label "superfood" than plenty of other foods that get called that.
As I've written before, including in my book The Great Cholesterol Myth, the "evidence" against saturated fat is falling apart all over the place. Several major papers published in the last few years completely vindicated saturated fat as a culprit in heart disease.5 And even before the current coconut oil craze, high-level researchers such as Dr. George Blackburn at Harvard Medical School and former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop rightly espoused the view that tropical oils like coconut oil deserved exemption from the anti-fat crusade.
What makes coconut oil so special? More than half of the fatty acids in coconut oil are a particular kind of saturated fat called medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These are common in some mammal's milks—including human breast milk, to a small degree—but they're rare among plants, and coconuts are by far the best commercial source. MCTs are metabolized in the body differently from other saturated fats. They're rarely stored as body fat; rather, the body prefers to use them for energy, almost like carbohydrates, although they don't raise blood sugar the way carbs do.
Their uniquely high level of bioavailability makes MCTs a common sight among bodybuilders' supplement stacks during a "cutting up" phase; they need the calories for energy, but they don't want to put on any excess fat. Endurance athletes similarly use MCTs during training or competitions for quick energy. They're also a popular energy source for athletes on high-protein, low-carb diets, since your body converts certain types of MCTs into ketone bodies, which your brain and body can use for energy in lieu of carbs.
A FAT-BURNER FOR THE REST OF US
Coconut oil is definitely one nutritional tool whose usefulness isn't limited to elite athletes. One study in the "International Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders" found that the MCTs in coconut increased fat-burning and calorie expenditure in obese men and also led to diminished fat storage.6 Another study in the same journal found that consumption of coconut oil fats over the course of 27 days increased both fat burning and calorie expenditure in women as well.7 However, these studies used a high percentage of calories as MCTs—30 percent of total calories in the latter study—an amount which is hardly practical for most people.
Nonetheless, there seems to be something to the idea that coconut oil, with its rich concentration of MCTs, can increase fat burning and calorie expenditure, especially if MCTs replace other fats in the diet, such as safflower oil, soybean oil, and other typically high omega-6 vegetable oils. (No one suggests that they should replace omega-3s!) Researchers writing in the "Journal of Nutrition" called MCTS "potential agents in the prevention of obesity," noting that they increase feelings of fullness and can assist with weight control, particularly when used as a replacement for other oils.8
But what about using it as a weight-control supplement? In a study published in the journal "Lipids," 40 women aged 20-40 years old with abdominal obesity were given daily dietary supplements of either soybean oil or coconut oil over the course of 12 weeks.9 All subjects followed a "balanced" diet with the same number of calories and were told to walk for 50 minutes daily. By the end of the study, the coconut oil group had significantly higher HDL ("good") cholesterol and an improved LDL-to-HDL ratio. Meanwhile, the soybean oil group saw their HDL go down and their cholesterol ratio go up!
Great, right? But here's the nut: While both the soybean oil group and the coconut oil group had similar reductions in BMI, only the coconut oil group saw a reduction in the circumference of their waists. A very interesting—and unexpected—finding was that people consuming the coconut oil also spontaneously reduced their consumption of carbohydrates and increased their consumption of protein and fiber over the course of the study. The researchers concluded, "Supplementation with coconut oil does not cause dyslipidemia (elevated cholesterol or fat in the blood) and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity."
While there aren't a lot of studies testing coconut oil specifically for weight loss, the studies that have investigated its effects on metabolism clearly indicate that coconut oil can be a valuable addition to the diet of people trying to lose weight. If there's a downside to making it a regular player in your fat source rotation, I have yet to see it!
WHAT DO I DO WITH IT?
It's hard to make a specific recommendation on how much coconut oil to use as a supplement. Sally Fallon of the Weston A. Price Foundation suggests 1 tablespoon with every meal. The women in the Brazilian study were taking about 2 tablespoons' worth daily. Both are reasonable starting points. Me? I prefer to cook with it.
Coconut oil is particularly good to fry or bake with because it has a high smoke point of 450° F, and a low degree of oxidation, meaning it resists the kind of damage from rogue oxygen molecules known as free radicals. This is one of the many advantages of using saturated fats for cooking: They don't spoil nearly as easily as vegetable oils.
As vegetarian and vegan bakers can attest, coconut oil is also the premier butter substitute if you want to make healthier versions of cookies, cakes, and breads which retain that buttery texture and taste.
I use it for everything, including sauteing vegetables and making eggs, either on its own or in combination with butter. If you're used to tasteless oils like vegetable oil or safflower, the slight nutty taste of an extra virgin coconut oil like Barlean's might stand out at first. But stick with it, and you'll find it imparts a terrific flavor to all types of dishes.
Sure it's as high in calories as any fat, but as part of a calorie-balanced diet, it definitely deserves its growing reputation as a heath superstar. And it just may have the additional benefits of increased fat burning, calorie expenditure, and reduced hunger.
Jonny's Brainy Breakfast Scramble
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp butter
2 apples, unpeeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cups baby spinach
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp lemon pepper, or to taste
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Melt the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apple and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples brown lightly or turn translucent, about 4-6 minutes. Add spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until it begins to wilt. Pour egg over all and stir to mix well. Sprinkle in turmeric, pepper, and salt, mix well, and continue to cook until eggs reach desired doneness.
Yield: 2 large or 4 small servings
