Coconut. Good or Bad?

I'm sure you've all seen some of the latest articles especially the one recently put out by USA Today talking all about coconut oil and how it is bad for you. The American Heart Association advises against the use of it. Well guess what? I totally disagree with this article, I'm actually eating my amazing Coconut Chia Seed Pudding for breakfast as I type this. Yes I will share this recipe with you all, but first I wanted to give you my thoughts on fats and cholesterol in general and tell you all why I include them in my daily diet.

First of all for years Americans have been told that cholesterol and saturated fats are bad for us causing heart disease and raising LDL (lethal or bad cholesterol) in the body. The egg use to get so much crap for being unhealthy, "you only should have eggs a few times a week", or everyone thinking that the whites are the best part. The beautiful orange yolk (yes yolks are actually orange if you get your eggs from pasture-raised chickens) is the most nutrient dense part of the egg containing cholesterol, Vitamin A and beta carotene, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin E. Cholesterol is actually made in the body and we need cholesterol to function. Some important roles of cholesterol: It is a precursor for vitamin D, it is necessary for proper neurological function, can help to regulate blood sugars, is an antioxidant that can help prevent against aging and cancer, and is also a precursor to all the hormones in the adrenal cortex. These are just a few brief examples, there are many more awesome and beneficial roles that cholesterol partakes in.

HDL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, is labeled as the "healthy" or good cholesterol because it removes other forms of cholesterol from the bloodstream. LDL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, is referred to as "lethal" or bad cholesterol because high levels of this cholesterol could potentially contribute to plaque build-up in the arteries. One way to increase HDL cholesterol levels in the body is by consuming healthy fats (hint, hint coconut oil). Other healthy fats include: avocado, grass-fed butter, grass-fed beef, grass-fed ghee, olive oil, extra-virgin unrefined organic coconut oil, nuts, and wild-caught salmon. By consuming healthy fats we are balancing our LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol, which promotes a healthy heart! We need fats and cholesterol for fuel, as building blocks of cellular membranes, and to help absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Here are some great ways to incorporate healthy fats into your daily diet:

1.) Add fats to your veggies, cooking veggies in heat stable fats such as coconut oil or ghee and then fishing them with fats that have lower smoke points like olive oil and grass-fed butter.

2.) Consuming more fatty fish such as wild-caught salmon which is rich in omega 3 fatty acids.

3.) Consuming fatty cuts of meat that come from organic, pasture-raised/grass-fed animals.

4.) Snacking on nuts such as almonds and walnuts.

In conclusion fat is are friend here not the foe! It provides us with steady long-lasting fuel as opposed to glucose, which is less efficient. If you are consuming healthy fats that are high-quality, meaning organic, unrefined/unprocessed, and in their whole and natural forms, then you are doing it right my friend! As always with everything moderation and balance is key. Exercise is necessary as well! It also just goes to show how so many articles can be published and very one-sided so don't believe everything that you read and make sure that all the sources you are getting your information from are credible. It's always a good idea to check out the facts as well. The way many consume fat and cholesterol in America: fast food, processed food, sugary foods, and low-quality processed factory raised eggs and meat is definitely bad for us. It promotes obesity and metabolic disease such as diabetes and heart disease. Eat real fat, healthy fat, super delicious tasting fat, and your body will reap the amazing benefits! Now head on over to my recipes for my Coconut and Chia Seed Pudding!