By Guilherme Renke
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Coconut oil has gained popularity all over the world supposedly due to its beneficial effects on health. Others, however, question its efficacy and even claim that it can be harmful to health supposedly due to the presence of saturated fat in its composition. But what do scientific studies show?
Coconut oil is extracted by grinding and pressing fresh coconuts (Cocos Nucifera). The oil extracted has no additives and must have an acidity of less than 0.5%. Firstly, it is essential to understand that coconut oil is made up of 64% of fatty acids or medium-chain triglycerides such as: lauric acid (47%), caprylic acid (9%) and capric acid (7%).
Medium-chain triglycerides are digested and used differently from long-chain triglycerides (myristic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid). They don't seem to attach to lipoproteins and don't circulate in the bloodstream like other fats, so they are metabolized directly in the liver and converted into energy. This property seems to help lower insulin, bad cholesterol (LDL) and blood glucose.
At first, coconut oil was classified as “bad” because of its high amounts of saturated fat (86%). This led producers to look for a new way of extracting it. Instead of obtaining coconut oil by artificially refining the pulp, a new natural extraction process (cold pressing) was created, making a new era possible. This process meant that the nutritional values of the coconut (vitamins, minerals and antioxidants) were preserved with biologically active substances that were normally lost in the process of refining the coconut.
There is a vast literature on the benefits of coconut oil. The medium-chain triglycerides present in its composition are quickly absorbed by the intestine, used as a quick source of energy and do not participate in the transportation of cholesterol. The opposite seems to be true of oils rich in long-chain triglycerides, which are transported by the lymphatic system or stored as fat.
Medium-chain triglycerides are used as a source of energy and are excellent in the recovery of patients with chronic diseases and in children. In fact, the benefits of coconut oil have been known for more than two decades, and its high oxidizing power is due to its high concentration of phenols. This high concentration of phenols makes coconut oil one of the most powerful antioxidants known, capable of reducing lipid peroxidation, i.e. it can prevent the progression of atherosclerosis and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease.
In addition to these benefits, coconut oil has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic effect, inhibiting platelet aggregation and thrombus formation. Other effects observed with the intake of coconut oil are a reduction in body weight, a reduction in insulin resistance in diabetic patients, a reduction in LDL cholesterol and a reduction in inflammatory markers such as CRP-T.
But is coconut oil better than other “healthy” oils like olive oil?
There are no studies in the literature that show benefits in relation to other “healthy” oils, such as olive oil, which alone has a cardioprotective effect and reduces cardiovascular risk. Therefore, the combined use of coconut oil and olive oil seems to potentiate the cardioprotective effect, but more studies are needed to prove this assumption.
Remember that a balanced diet is the key to a long and healthy life. Consult a nutritionist and use coconut oil in moderation. The recommended daily dose is two tablespoons. It seems that coconut oil may have health benefits due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic effects, as demonstrated above. However, more randomized studies are needed to prove these benefits.
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