YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health Winter 2019

HANNAH OVENS-HENIG, APD Hannah is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian living in Melbourne. She is passionate about empowering individuals to find enjoyment in living a healthier lifestyle. THE TRUTH ABOUT COCONUT OIL Get back to basics and examine the science behind whether this oil lives up to its superfood reputation, or is just another fad. ood fads come and go, but coconut oil and the hype surrounding it seems to be holding strong. This so-called ‘superfood’ has been claimed to have many health benefits from reducing weight to strengthening the immune system to preventing dementia. With so many health bloggers bombarding our social media feeds by adding the wonder oil into smoothies or baking, it can be hard to sort the nutrition facts from fiction. F First of all, let’s take a look at coconut oil, which is produced by pressing the flesh of a coconut palm to extract the oil. Processing methods vary greatly between types of coconut oil, with ‘virgin’ cold pressed varieties containing more antioxidants and beneficial compounds than the heat- treated, deodorised and bleach oils produced with cheaper methods. But regardless of the processing method, the oil extracted has a high saturated fat content – in fact a whopping 92%! Hence why heart health government bodies around the world recommended including this oil in our diet ‘sparingly’. One argument from coconut oil enthusiasts is that the major saturated fat in coconut (lauric acid) is ‘healthier’ than the typical saturated fat found in butter, cream and fatty meats. And while this is somewhat correct (lauric acid can 12 appear to mimic healthy unsaturated fats by increasing our good HDL cholesterol), it’s not the full story. The downside is that lauric acid also boosts our bad LDL and total cholesterol, which isn’t good for heart health. You might have also heard claims around coconut oil having ‘fat burning effects’, which stem from confusion and misinformation about lauric acid being a medium chain fat, which is readily burned by the body. In actual fact, lauric acid behaves mostly like a long chain fat during digestion and metabolism. Quite simply, despite the claims, adding coconut oil into your diet won’t result in fat burning (if only it were that simple!). And just a heads up, coconut oil is very energy-dense, just 1 tablespoon gives you 505kJ! Take home message If you enjoy the taste of coconut oil, then using it now and then, in the context of an otherwise healthy diet, is unlikely to be detrimental. And while it may make an excellent hair mask or moisturiser, it’s by no means a superfood. In short – don’t believe the hype! When compared to extensively researched plant oils such as extra virgin olive oil and their mix of healthy unsaturated fats and polyphenol antioxidant compounds, coconut oil is simply no match. YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE WINTER 2019

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