It is now well acknowledged and
documented fact that there is a rise in obesity, metabolic syndrome, heart
disease and type II diabetes in last few decades.
Generation ago, human beings lived
on a diet of meat, vegetables, fruits which have Omega 6 to Omega 3 ration of
approximately 1:1. Omega 6 in nature is found in egg yolk, red meat and dairy
products. Omega 3 is found in oily fish such as salmon, herring, sardines and
trout, flaxseed and walnuts.
However these days, as more and more
Asians adopt a western diet which typically consists of fast food, processed
foods, and Omega 6 rich vegetables such as sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean
oil) we are now consuming excessive Omega 6 on daily basis. While our consumption
of fish oil which is high in Omega 3 has dropped as our daily diet of fish has
decreased. This imbalance in Omega 6: Omega 3 ratio has led to an increase in
obesity, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, inflammatory diseases such as
psoriasis, arthritis and many more.
American fast food diet of processed
cheese, processed meat, and processed refined oils diet can be as high as 15:1
to 16:1 ration of Omega 6 and Omega 3 .Even as individuals go on a low fat
diet, they continue to eat the same ratio of Omega 6 : Omega 3 thus, they have
difficulty losing weight, lowering their cholesterol levels and see no
improvement in inflammatory diseases.
SO IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE TO THIS?
YES THERE IS: VIRGIN COCONUT
OIL.....
Historically, Asian diets which have
consisted mainly of cooking with Coconut Oil and Mediterranean diets which are
high in Olive oil , have all had much better overall population health
statistics of heart diseases and obesity. It is only in the recent few decades
with globalization, we started to consume processed Omega 6 polyunsaturated
oils, and we saw a parallel increases in obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Processed Vegetable Oils
* Are very unstable and
easily damaged by heat, light and oxygen.
* Easily oxidized and turn
stale and rancid.
* Often damaged during the
manufacturing process by heat generated in the process itself. This method is
still used due to cheaper costs of manufacturing.
* damaged again when used to
manufacture fast food, processed food, etc
* The imbalance caused due to
such excess consumption of Omega 6 oils in our diet has increased that it is
causing the rise in heart diseases, obesity and other lifestyle diseases.
Virgin Coconut oils
* contains more than 65% of medium
chain fatty acids
* medium chain fatty acids are smaller molecules therefore are easily digested and used by our body to produce energy similar to carbohydrates and are not circulated in the bloodstream unlike other fats. Does not get stored in rat cells hence does not contribute to weight gain
*Medium chain fatty acids of Virgin
coconut oil are resistant to oxidation and does not get rapidly altered by free
radicals during heating and cooking. Hence do not create oxidized LDL
cholesterol fats which is more toxic to our body than LDL cholesterol.
