Most nutritionists emphasize coconut oil's high saturated fat level and advise consumers to avoid foods like coconut oil, butter and fatty, red meat. However, coconut oil, along with a few other foods, such as dark chocolate, shouldn't be lumped together with fats that have no redeeming features, like trans-fats, according to the USDA "Dietary Guidelines for Americans." Keep in mind the calories in shredded coconut, but be aware of its benefits.
Satisfying and Healthy Dietary Fat
The "Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010" allows for more fat in your diet than the 2005 guidelines, according to a 2007 article published in the Harvard Health Newsletter. The newsletter reports that coconut oil and olive oil affect the ratio of LDL, the good cholesterol and HDL, the bad cholesterol, in similar ways. The newsletter explains that because coconut oil contains stearic acid, it changes quickly from a saturated fat to a healthful monounsaturated fat.
Disease Prevention
The saturated fat in coconut oil breaks down into a monounsaturated fat because it is made up of a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA). A summary of research studies published by the American Society for Nutrition explains that MCFAs may decrease your risk of serious diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, virus-related diseases and Crohn's disease, as well as some cancers.
Vitamins and Minerals
Shredded coconut contains a rich amount of vitamins and minerals. While one cup does contain 283 calories, it also has 10 percent of the Daily Recommended Value (DV) for iron and 4 percent of the DV for vitamin C. Coconut contains an assortment of B vitamins, including 3 percent of the DV for thiamin, 2 percent DV for niacin and vitamin B6, 5 percent DV for folate and 2 percent DV for pantothenic acid. Other trace minerals include 60 percent DV for manganese, 17 percent DV for copper, 11 percent DV for potassium and selenium, 9 percent DV for phosphorus and 5 percent DV for zinc.
Antimicrobial, Antiviral and Antifungal
The American Society for Nutrition explains that coconut oil kills damaging bacteria and viruses without damaging host cells and health-promoting body bacteria. This occurs because coconut oil contains lauric and capric fatty acids.
Member Comments