Coconut Oil

[willsie01]

Is coconut oil bad for cholesterol levels?

I’m vegan and it’s used quite extensively to avoid dairy in recipes. But I also need to keep my cholesterol down (LDL) post bypass. If it is harmful what are the substitutes?

[Calliope153]

The cardiac nurse told all of us in rehab not to use too much coconut oil and avoid it completely if at all possible as it is extremely high in saturated fat so I looked it up.

Nutrition Facts

Oil, coconut

Amount Per 100 grams

Calories 862

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 100 g 153%

Saturated fat 87 g 435%

Polyunsaturated fat 1.8 g

Monounsaturated fat 6 g

I use olive oil or rapeseed oil instead which the nurse recommended. Did you see the programme last night on going vegan? The pizza restaurant cheese being made used a lot of coconut oil. It would be fine if we weren;t watching cholesterol levels!

[willsie01 in reply to Calliope153]

Didn’t see the programme as I wasn’t aware of it. I hadn’t even thought about the vegan cheese having coconut oil 😒

[Calliope153 in reply to willsie01]

I also forgot to mention I try to stay away from palm oil - it;s in so many things it is ridiculous. The reason:

Palm oil, like all fats, is composed of fatty acids, esterified with glycerol. Palm oil has an especially high concentration of saturated fat, specifically the 16-carbon saturated fatty acid, palmitic acid, to which it gives its name. Monounsaturated oleic acid is also a major constituent of palm oil.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Calliope153]

Whilst palm oil is worse than coconut oil neither are good! Palm oil has even higher saturates than coconut oil and the triglycerides are long chain compared to medium chain in coconut oil. I avoid both.

[Cookie95]

extra virgin olive oil is SO MUCH BETTER

[CyclingGardener]

The last I heard the jury was out on it was it was quite new. The rule of thumb is all hard fats are bad. I do use it occasionally but use olive and groundnut oils too.

[santisuk]

A quick review of 6 health websites on the internet revealed results pretty much consistent with this one from the WebMD website

"Which oils should you buy to avoid high cholesterol?

ANSWER

Olive oil can help lower "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and raise the level of your “good” cholesterol (HDL). Also look for other vegetable-based oils: canola, soy, and sunflower."

[I never knew that sunflower is a vegetable!]

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to santisuk]

But then tomato is a fruit with, fortunately, negligible fructose.

[LaceyLady in reply to santisuk]

But it is a plant, so I can see that.

[santisuk in reply to LaceyLady]

Just to be pedantic, palm oil comes from a plant (or to be precise a tree - the oil palm) and that oil is universally condemned as a 'must avoid' oil

[Khonkaen]

Nearly all these oils are heavily processed so |I leave them alone completely, I use a little EV olive oil and mine is from my own trees so is never more than 2 years old, which is important. Vegans have have health problems becuase of excessive use of oil. I began on a vegan diet minus oil and decided to add a little fish, egg and milk to it for a better ballance.

I eat a lot of greens every day, rolled oats, banana, nuts and whatever fruit I can get hold of.

I have very low levels of cholesterol since my HA 8 months ago, before that I think it was okay but didn't monitor it much.

The most helpful/useful person I have spoken to throughout my 8 months and 3 countries have been a cardiac nurse in the UK. They have seen it all and know a lot, so that is the advice I would take.

[willsie01 in reply to Khonkaen]

I talk to them every week at the moment.

[Ianc2]

It depends how gently your partner rubs it in ?

[LaceyLady]

If going vegan, you need to supplement, especially B12. A good set of nutrition books too.

[willsie01 in reply to LaceyLady]

I did a little research before making the change so have been getting B12, in the vegan society’s supplement. The things I’m lacking nutritionally, are the dark green veg and pulses. Finding it hard to work them into my diet.

[LaceyLady in reply to willsie01]

I’ve seen spinach and cheese dish, obviously you’d use a vegan cheese. Or what about a broccoli cheese?

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Some further reading :

theguardian.com/lifeandstyl...

[willsie01]

...and I see my "Sheeze" garlic & herb spread is also made with coconut oil : Arghhh...