What's Up With Coconut Oil

Photo from Gizmodo: Please Calm Down: Coconut Oil is Fine

Should you stop taking Coconut Oil?  A recent article citing a 25-page study released by the American Heart Association say you should. The study itself doesn’t say much about Coconut Oil specifically, but rather looks at scientific studies from people who replaced saturated fat with other things in their diet, and how it relates to risk for Cardiovascular Disease.  The study states that if you replace saturated fat, like coconut oil, with refined carbohydrates, like white bread or pasta, you actually INCREASE your risk of cardiovascular disease.  Since I have replaced refined carbs, like bread, for breakfast, and substituting that for a tablespoonful of coconut oil in my coffee (aka, Bulletproof Coffee), this study was of interest to me.

Note that the study does not differentiate between ‘refined’ coconut oil, which is mainly used in countries like Malaysia, which is one of the reference studies quoted, versus ‘virgin’ coconut oil.

This article from Gizmodo takes a more balanced look at the subject. My own take is that since I am replacing refined carbs, like bread, for breakfast, and substituting that for a tablespoonful of coconut oil in my coffee (aka, Bulletproof Coffee), this is a healthier option.