According to American cardiologists, coconut oil has deleterious effects on cardiovascular health.
You thought you would save the planet and your health by repudiating palm oil in favor of coconut oil. The intention is laudable and, on the environmental side, you are correct. But for your health, this food is just as bad as the famous palm oil, according to a study by the American Association of Cardiology (AHA), which publishes work in the journal Circulation.
The authors show that coconut oil used for food is indeed also toxic, especially when heated. And for good reason: this oil is very rich in saturated fat (82%), recalls the report, even more than butter (63% saturated)!
“Bad cholesterol”
The idea that coconut oil is healthier than palm oil or butter could be the cause of cardiovascular problems, according to the authors. Indeed, their observations show that coconut oil significantly increases the levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL).
Used in cooking, these oils also produce carcinogenic compounds, according to the authors, which do not see a positive effect linked to coconut oils and therefore do not recommend their consumption.
Marketing and beliefs
The American Association of Cardiology thus suggests favoring vegetable oils rich in monounsaturated fats (olive, almond, avocado) and polyunsaturated (sunflower, grape seeds, walnuts).
“A study recently showed that 72% of Americans classified coconut oil as a ‘healthy food’, compared to 37% of nutritionists,” say the researchers. This lag can be attributed to the marketing of coconut oil in the popular press ”.
.
