There are several basic facts about fats and oils that most of us have figured out by our college years:
1. Trans fat is bad for you, so bad in fact that the FDA is trying to ban it.
2. Due to the above, we can say goodbye to most fried food, pie crusts, cake mixes and frostings, pancake and waffle mixes, microwave popcorn…and the entire American population once it resultantly starves.
3. Saturated fat—AKA butter, lard, milk, cheese and anything sourced from an animal—is also bad for you (all the more reason to be vegan).
4. Olive oil is good for you since it’s NOT a trans fat or saturated fat, it is composed of unsaturated fats.
So, I riddle you this Spoon foodies: how is coconut oil a saturated-fat-laden superfood? Also, it’s a vegan saturated fat? Wtf????
Well, first of all, it turns out that #3 may not actually be true and its validity is currently being heavily debated amongst healthcare professionals. Until a conclusion on that is reached, however, this is what makes coconut oil stand out amongst the crowd:
It is made from medium-chain saturated fatty acids instead of long-chain. This means:
1. Increased fat burn—yes, really
2. Reduced hunger hormones—so you are compelled to eat less throughout the day (coupled with #1 this means notable weight loss and more grocery money to spend on shoes and booze)
3. Reduced risk for heart disease—populations that consume copious amounts of coconut oil (think you-and-your-friends-at-breakfast-with-endless-batter-and-a-waffle-maker amounts) have no evidence of heart disease, mainly because MCFAs lower total & LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
4. Boost in immune system—MCFAs are powerful antimicrobial agents, helping to boost your immune system.
5. Snack attack—there are tons of snacks from Whole Foods, made with coconut oil, for you to spend your monthly food allowance on…
Photo by Andrew Zaky
Photo by Andrew Zaky
Photo by Andrew Zaky
Photo by Andrew Zaky
Photo by Andrew Zaky
Photo by Andrew Zaky
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