The next time someone says, "Coconut oil is bad for you; it causes heart disease", please reply with, "That must be why the Pacific Islanders died off hundreds of years ago...."
Pacific Islanders' diets were studied by Dr. Ian A. Prior since that population is known for their beautiful, glowing skin, lack of disease, and optimal body compositions. What was found was that 60 percent of their energy derived from food came from saturated fat, largely from coconuts. But how could this be if saturated fat supposedly causes heart disease?
Let's look into some factors regarding saturated versus unsaturated fat:
In the 1950s and 1960s, researchers began to search for adverse effects of saturated fat, so they looked for a correlation between saturated fat and cancer. What they found was actually a protective effect against cancer, rather than a causative one.
Furthermore, processed non-hydrogenated polyunsaturated oils (such as vegetable oil) were identified as promoting cancer, and the more unsaturated, the higher the risk. Other health problems that were caused by unsaturated fats were asthma, allergies, memory loss, senility, and a weakened immune system. Interesting, but is the proof in the pudding?
Well, the Pacific Islanders of Dr. Prior's study had no signs of kidney disease, sluggish thyroid glands, or high cholesterol. Digestive problems were also rare, and they were generally unfamiliar with heart disease, colitis, cancer, atherosclerosis, colon cancer, hemorrhoids, ulcers, diverticulosis, and appendicitis...and, again, 60% of their diets contain saturated fat (mostly from coconut oil).
Most Americans get 32-38 percent of their calories come from fat, but most of which are unsaturated vegetable oils...and we all know how many diseases Americans are suffering from--especially heart disease, high cholesterol, and cancer.
So if we've cut out the saturated fats and are still getting these diseases, then what is the real culprit? Food for thought....
[For more information on coconut oil, check out The Coconut Oil Miracle by Dr. Bruce Fife.]