Does it make sense that those fats that are more resistant to oxidation outside the body would also be more stable inside the body?
As an add on to my "don't know" response, having imperfect knowledge, Occams razor suggests taking anti-oxidants in your diet, or supplementation.
Regarding your previously expressed interest in Coconut Oil. The notion that produce that is local to your area should mostly provide what you need, diet wise, for local conditions, is a concept not without merit, but I don't see it as a hard and fast rule. Coconut oil is a Tropical fat, it may be benign or beneficial depending on circumstances. Manhattan is not known for it’s coconuts, although some may disagree. Traditionally, high coconut fat diets have never been accompanied by high red meat intake. It’s my opinion that an overconsumption of this combination, is unlikely to be beneficial.
All these fats are metabolized in the liver and no matter how good each of them may be, there is only so much fat that your liver can handle before it starts protesting. There is lots of evidence that liver function, ie how these fats are metabolized, plays a key role in CAD. When the going gets tough, the liver starts making inflammatory proteins because it knows things are not cool. Excessive fat in the liver has been shown in mice to cause excessive inflammation. Too much saturated fat, it’s dense stuff, degrades liver function, makes it sluggish. Feeling slowed down or lethargic by an overly rich meal is something to which we can all probably relate.
It’s pretty well established that fat that has accumulated in the body eg in the belly, the backside or wherever, only gets eliminated when new fats are eaten or produced by the liver. Fats are essential and beneficial ones play a role in sustainable weight loss by optimizing the liver function and helping to burn off old fat. Saturated fats, including the beneficial ones move slowly, they promote a feeling of satiety effectively acting as a natural appetite suppressant.
A lack of fat in the diet is also bad news because while old (bodily) fat gets drawn into the liver, the evidence is that this fat does not burn off, but instead accumulates and overwhelms the livers ability to function properly, more inflammatory proteins.
It may be that coconut oil in and of itself is not “bad”, certainly better than oxidized and hydrogenated vegetable oils, but it’s effects will depend on how you are using it. I don’t think that moderate consumption, is necessarily a problem even in nyc, especially in summer, just wouldn’t combine it with a diet high in saturated fats from red meat on a regular (daily) basis especially if living in colder climes.
Coconut water for ex. is imo a more interesting food. It is anti bacterial, anti viral and anti fungal, it is low in carbs, low in fat, low in calories and high in fiber. A naturally sterile substance, it was used in ww2, in the islands as intravenous drip. Fresh coconut juice is packed with electrolytes, vitamins and minerals, in a (summertime) shake when the city is warm and muggy, instead of or partially mixed with regular water, yum. As a summertime drink by itself, it’s generally a wonderful thing. |
