Coconut Cholesterol Reported To Be Beneficial



Posted: Friday, January 22, 2010

by Henry Fong
Feng Shui Absolutely

Coconut has been a staple of the diet of people in Thailand and other island nations for centuries. They consume the milk, cook with coconut oils, and eat the flesh of the coconut itself. However, those nations do not have the anticipated high rates of heart disease high cholesterol. Studies have been done but anecdotal evidence is the most compelling.

Coconut cholesterol, as some people call it, refers to the saturated fat content of coconut milk and meat. Cholesterol itself is a fat-like substance that is only found in animal cells, like humans and other mammals. Humans make all the cholesterol their bodies need. They don't need to consume any more in our diets.

The reason why coconut hasn't been shown to increase the cholesterol levels of those who consume it as a mainstay of their diets is hypothesized to have something to do with lauric acid. Lauric acid makes up approximately fifty percent of the fatty acids in the food. It is a medium chain fatty acid that can also be found in mother's milk. The body processes some fatty acids differently.

It is not uncommon for some tropical island dwellers to get sixty percent of their caloric intake from coconut foods. Unhealthy cholesterol levels, heart disease, and excess weight would be expected considering the saturated fat content of coconut, but that isn't always the case. Many people report favorable HDL: LDL ratios with a diet high in coconut cholesterol. They also claim higher levels of HDL, which is known as the good cholesterol.

Cholesterol has long been known to be a risk factor for heart disease. The American Heart Association and other health organizations all over the world tout the importance monitoring LDL also known as bad cholesterol, and maintaining high levels of HDL, which is considered the good cholesterol.

In addition, those who love coconut find it interesting that people who eat it as a diet mainstay don't have increased health problems. This would be especially intersting for those who live in countries where coconut is not frequently found in their regular diet. If coconut cholesterol studies bear fruit, they will be able to consume foods they love that are good for them.

There are people who claim that consuming coconut oil has helped their joint pain, or helped them lose weight. Although those stories are anecdotal and aren't backed up by any studies yet, they are encouraging. Natural medicine practitioners and people who like to eat and live naturally are excited by the reports that coconut might not merely not be unhealthy, but may even improve health. Although eating coconut cholesterol has been the way most people receive their reported benefits, supplements may be on the horizon.

Visit the Cholesterol Scoop for more information on Cholesterol Too Low.
Henry Fong is a Feng Shui Consultant based in Malaysia. He provide Feng Shui consultation for both residential as well as commercial properties via his on-site as well as off-site services over the Net. www.henryfong.com
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