Yesterday I talked about the healthiest oils & fats to cook with. Coconut oil was not one of them, despite it being a staple in my kitchen for so long.
Studies show that coconut oil can increase the ‘bad’ type of cholesterol, known as LDL. This is the type of cholesterol that contributes to developing atherosclerosis and heart disease.
While using a negligible amount every blue moon in your baking recipe is probably ok, consuming it every other day could lead to fatty liver, metabolic and heart disease.
There is a ‘good’ cholesterol marker known as ‘HDL’ or high density lipoprotein – this is the type of cholesterol which is actually cardio protective.
You can increase your HDL by switching to olive oil & grapeseed oil (which also lowers LDL cholesterol as well as raises HDL!), consuming energy oily fish like sardines, anchovies, herring, salmon and mackerel – or if you can’t eat fish like me, a good Omega 3 supplement (scroll down to my dedicated omega 3 post).
Another way to keep your cholesterol levels healthy is by avoiding cooking your foods in fats (or at least, significantly reducing them). More on this another time 👀