So what are your ops on coconut oil?

[kooka 2,681]

I do the coconut oil but sometimes I worry about it. I know it's supposed to be good for you but that word "saturated fat" takes me out for a loop. I tried the 3 TBS. a day but it bothered my reflux so now I do 2 TBs. a day and sometimes none. Do you use it?

[macksvicky 17,201]

I use a lot of coconut oil with no problems (that I'm aware of) Sorry it's giving you acid reflux!!!

[jwags 9,219]

I have used CO for 8 years. I use it when I stir fry or bake LC a. My daughter is a vegan and uses it when she makes cookies.

[kooka 2,681]

Can it affect cholesterol? Mine is high but as of now I am not on meds because the other lipids balance it out. I worry about the CO causing it to go higher since I do eat the dang bacon fat too. UGH

[Oriana 4,842]

I use it to cook eggs and it works great for non stick-I have a older pan

[Seagal 9,336]

I use it in my coffee, to saute veggies and baking.

[TX_Clint 19,108]

Put the lime in the coconut and mix it all up.

 

I fry with it 'It's my kitchen and I'll fry if I want to', and bake with it, and put it in me spinach.

 

Unless you are hypercholesterolemic, (ain't that a dang big word, try saying it three times real fast) don't worry about your diet effecting your cholesterol. IMHO 

[Moonpie 5,856]

I use it almost daily, I make breakfast muffins with it & fry in it etc, I believe it to be a healthy fat

[Kit 27,391]

Can it affect cholesterol? Mine is high but as of now I am not on meds because the other lipids balance it out. I worry about the CO causing it to go higher since I do eat the dang bacon fat too. UGH

 

For about 15 years before I was diagnosed, I was on a relatively low fat diet.  I avoided animal fats and saturated fats.  Bakes, boroiled, steamed.  *sigh*

Chicken and turkey over beef and pork.  That kind of thing.  While I wasn't perfect, I did pay a lot of attention to it.  Low fat cheeses, and not much of that.

 

When I was diagnosed with diabetes my lipids were the following.

 

Cholerterol - 236

LDL - Not Calculated (because Triglycerides were so high)

HDL - 31

Triglycerides - 479

 

And then I changed my diet.  I dropped all grains.  I dropped most root vegetables (and what wasn't dropped was in moderation).

I started eating beef and pork again, fatty cuts preferred.  Whole eggs in quantity.  I no longer eat white meat poultry unless another option isn't available.  More organ meats, sausage, and the like.  Enough butter and cheese that Mr Fuzzy says I should have my own dairy.  I use olive oil in dressings and in situations where a solid fat isn't practical.  I don't do a lot of coconut oil itself as there are a lot of others I prefer for cooking.  I try to eat fresh salmon on a regular basis, but that doesn't always happen.  It usually has a good amount of butter on it. 

 

A little over a year later my numbers were

 

Cholesterol - 163

LDL - 91

HDL - 44

Triglycerides - 138

 

I'm curious what they will be at my next checkup coming up soon.

[Draperygoddess 163]

Isn't that funny...it was the carbs all along.  I'm still trying to unlearn the "low fat" mantra. It freaks me out to be eating so much fat.

[kooka 2,681]

I have always ate lots of fat just never by the spoonful. LOL Okay I understand all of it except Professor Clint's big word. hahahahahaha

[TX_Clint 19,108]

No Phd here... I'm just an ole ingineer. Embrace the fat. 

[Moonpie 5,856]

Dh had borderline cholesterol. Dr wanted to put him on meds. He said no, & said he wanted to give diet a try. Of course she told him no fat etc, but when he came home, I recommended a low carb diet. He ate eggs ( 3 or 4 ) daily & after 6 weeks, went back in for a blood test. His cholesterol had come down. Dr thought it was due to low fat but it was due to high fat, few carbs, so I really do feel, the carbs raise the cholesterol.

[jwags 9,219]

I use CO in things but I don't eat it by the spoonfull. I was a vegan before diabetes so I ate virtually no fst and ate tons of steele cut oats and fruits. My cholesterol total was 275. I dumped the oatmeal and the fruit and started to eat bacon, eggs, cheese and coconut oil. My total dropped to the low 200's. So the fat you eat doesn't end up as cholesterol. Your body makes its own cholesterol in response to inflammation. Doctors talk about cholesterol as a bad thing but we need it to live.

[Tilda 84]

It depends on whether you're a hyper-responder or not, but ca 25% of the population are. I'm one, as far as I can tell. I had decent lipids before I went on LCHF. 6 months after, to my absolute horror, my LDL had exploded to 289. So I cut way back on sat fats (no more bacon, no cream, no coconut oil, no ghee, only poultry and fish instead of beef etc) to see what that would do. 3 months later my LDL was down to 231, but it's still scary high. I'll test again in November.

 

There may be a connection in my case between crazy LDL numbers and having lost 9 lbs. I read that that can screw things up a bit. I'm hoping I'll get manageable numbers eventually since my weight has now stabilized. But the verdict is still out whether my levels will ever be great.

 

My point is that the only way to find out how you're responding is to do regular lipid panels.

[kooka 2,681]

Oh gosh Tilda that totally sucks. My next complete physical isn't until Jan. but I believe I can go to the little clinic at a number of stores around here and get one for $40.00 I may do that.

[leosmith 173]

I'm hoping I'll get manageable numbers eventually since my weight has now stabilized.

I hope so too. But personally I've come to accept the fact that I'm a hyper-responder; my LDL is 292. From what I've read, barring some medical disqualifications, this large minority (25-30%) of people who get high cholesterol after switching to a high fat diet have only a partial "fix", which you've already implemented; reduce saturated fats as much as practicable. I haven't done this yet; I want to see what my new numbers are first, but if I react in the usual way I still won't be able to get below 200.

 

So if I have to choose between going off my high fat diet, taking cholesterol meds, or assuming high cholesterol isn't a concern in my case, I'll take door number 3. Not only are the "evils of high LDL" shaky and controversial, they are also applied to people with "normal" diets. Also, this is my only real risk factor for heart disease, so even if I believe it my overall risk is still low.