Hot Topic: The Coconut Oil Craze

A couple of the registered dietitians on staff have been getting questions about coconut oil and people raving about using it for making soaps, cosmetics & in food preparation! So, we decided to research a bit on the oil to see if there was any new research that we had missed.  

As dietitians, we know that coconut oil is very high in saturated fat.  Looking at the chart below it happens to be ~91% saturated fat-the oil that contains the most saturated fat!  It contains some myristic fatty acids ("heart healthy"), but more lauric fatty acids ("heart unfriendly") which stirs the controversy on whether this should be touted as something to add to ones meal plan.  Potential health benefits include weight loss, cures Alzheimer's, reduces diabetes/regulate blood sugar, increases bone and dental health by improving calcium absorption, etc....but as stated above they are POTENTIAL.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends "limiting saturated fat intake to less than 7% of total daily calories" and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that "saturated fats have been linked to chronic disease, specifically coronary heart disease".  Both claims have been supported by many research studies with outcomes that are statistically significant linking saturated fat intake with increased risk for heart disease due to raising the levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol.

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The findings so far on coconut oil are intriguing at best, but the research can not support claims that it is harmful or beneficial.  Additionally, there is increased interest in the oil because it is plant based and many think it can have beneficial plant chemicals, but those have yet to be discovered, states Harvard's own Dariush Mozaffarian MD, DrPH. 

Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD of Penn State University states that coconut oil is better than butter and trans fats but not as good as liquid vegetable oils.  What she means is that coconut oil, a saturated fat, is better than other saturated fats and trans fats, but is NOT better than oils such as canola or olive oil. Even though this particular type of oil is cholesterol free, because it is plant derived, it is still majority saturated fat and therefore should be limited in consumption.  

Fats that are often encouraged are "heart healthy" because they raise HDL "good" cholesterol and lower LDL "bad" cholesterol.  Those fats are made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and are found in vegetable oils such as canola or olive oil (see chart for compositions high in PUFA's & MUFA's), fatty fish, nuts or avocado.  

The research suggest that coconut oil can be included in a persons meal plan, but should be done in moderation (less than 7% of total calories) until further research concludes health benefits.  Remember that one food will not make or break your meal plan, it is what your overall dietary pattern provides that can tell the real story.  Be aware of those who tout certain nutrients or foods as "health life savers" as those have done with coconut oil recently. 

Fill in the Nutrient Gaps!

We posted about the updated 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines earlier this year. You can read about that HERE.  The Advisory Committee singled out 7 nutrients that many Americans are not consuming in adequate amounts.  The seven are: Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Vitamin B-12, Iron, Calcium, Fiber & Potassium. 

Fiber & Potasssium are the two of the seven listed that are not available in supplement form and therefore need to be supplied by consuming foods! Here is a list of a few foods that are rich in fiber & potassium and are great for filling in these two nutrient gaps.

• baked potato
• apricots
• peaches
• broccoli
• bok choy

 

ACSM Exercise Guidelines Updated

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) released new exercise guidelines at the end of June 2011 for the first time since 1998.  The full article for the position statement can be found HERE.  The overall recommendation is still 150 minutes or more of moderate-intense physical activity per week. This guideline is consistent with the 2008 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans .  Here are a few more key points to the recommendations:

• Resistance Exercise: Adults should train each major muscle group two or three days each week using a variety of exercises and equipment.
• Flexibility Exercise: Adults should do flexibility exercises at least two or three days each week to improve range of motion
• Neurometer (AKA balance & agility) Exercise: Neuromotor exercise, also referred to as “functional fitness training,” is recommended two or three days per week.

Being physically active is one thing, but ensuring our time spent being sedentary is limited is another thing to keep in mind for overall health. Are you doing the physical activity you should be doing to optimize your health?

      

USDA's New Look for Nutrition Recommendations: MyPlate

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a new campaign last Thursday, which replaces the food guide pyramid. Back in 2005, when the dietary guidelines were released the MyPyramid.gov campaign was launched. It was an updated, more colorful version of the food guide pyramid that incorporated physical activity in the logo. Well this logo has been changed yet again with this new website Choose My Plate, which features a dinner plate with the five food groups. This new logo is still colorful and shows a visual of the recommended proportions for each food group at each meal. The physical activity component is no longer included.

The catch phrases are “Balancing Calories,” “Foods to Increase” and “Foods to Reduce.” This new logo is aimed at encouraging people to enjoy the food they are eating, but trying to eat less at each meal. This can be achieved through avoiding over sized portions. One of the goals is to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables. The slogan, make half your grains whole was kept and switch to fat-free or low-fat milk products is also emphasized. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines also recommend lowering the amount of sodium people eat. Under the “Foods to Reduce” category people are encouraged to compare the amount of sodium in foods and choose the options with the lower sodium amounts. Choosing healthier beverages is a priority such as drinking water in place of sugary drinks. This is a rather simple new logo and hopefully with this simplicity comes increased awareness and assists people in making healthier options. Check out this updated website and share with us your feedback regarding this new campaign!

 

2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Released

The first year that the USDA and HHS released the publication "The Dietary Guidelines for Americans" was in 1980. The guidelines reflected emerging scientific evidence about diet and health. The ultimate goal is to improve the health of our Nation's current and future generations by facilitating and promoting healthy eating and physical activity choices so that these behaviors become the norm amount all individuals. By law, the Dietary Guidelines are reviewed, updated if needed, and published every 5 years.

The most recent data indicate that 72% of men and 64% of women are overweight or obese, with about 1/3 of adults being obese. (1) Approximately 32% of children and adolescents ages 2-19 are overweight or obese, with 17% of children being obese. (2)

Because of these staggering statistics found in the most recent research, the focus in 2010 is on health promotion and disease risk reduction to hit these diet-related chronic diseases: Cardiovascular Disease, Hypertension, Diabetes, Cancer, and Osteoporosis.

'Balancing Calories to Manage Weight', 'Foods and Food Components to Reduce', 'Foods and Nutrients to Increase', 'Building Healthy Eating Patterns', 'Helping Americans Make Healthy Choices' are the chapters covered in this edition of the Dietary Guidelines. For a full report on the USDA's 2010 Dietary Guidelines click here.

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) states that it supports the Dietary Guidelines "healthy balance" approach to weight management. For more on the position of ADA, click here.

(1) Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, Curtin LR. Prevalence and trends in obesity among U.S. adults, 199-2008. JAMA. 2010; 303(3): 235-241.

(2) Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, Lamb MM, Flegal KM. Prevalence of high body mass index in U.S. children and adolescents, 2007-2008. JAMA. 2010; 303(3): 242-249.