Is Coconut Oil Really Good For You?

By MiNDFOOD

Is Coconut Oil Really Good For You?
New research reveals some surprising information about how coconut oil effects our health.

For years the numerous health benefits of coconut and coconut oil have been touted, from improving hair and skin to promoting general health and wellbeing.

However, the American Heart Association (AHA) recently updated their fat guidelines and discovered that coconut oil is, in fact, bad for dietary health because of its saturated fat content.

Coconut oil has a high saturated fat content, which raises the blood cholesterol level and can increase the risk of strokes and heart disease. The AHA recommends reducing saturated fats to 5-6% of a person’s daily calories intake.

With just one teaspoon of coconut oil containing 12 grams of saturated fat, it’s a good idea to choose a healthy alternative such as olive oil. The same serving of olive oil contains only 1 gram of saturated fat.

While saturated fats should be avoided, unsaturated fats (found in salmon, avocado, nuts and olives) can actually help improve your cholesterol when used instead of saturated and trans fats.

Read more:

Healthy Fats

Food For Thought

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