Cholesterol is a fat, also known as a lipid, that is naturally produced by the body's liver. Cholesterol is found on the outside of every cell in the body. Cholesterol does many things; it helps the body convert sunshine to vitamin D, it insulates nerve fibers, it helps with the metabolism of vitamins K, E, D and A, and it helps the body to produce bile. Cholesterol is extremely important in maintaining good health; however, too much cholesterol can be very dangerous and can cause numerous health problems. High cholesterol levels can cause narrowing of the arteries, heart attack, stroke, and greatly increase the risk of heart disease. High cholesterol is caused by low activity levels, poor diet, excessive weight and excessive alcohol consumption. High cholesterol is more common in males than females and increases with age. In addition, high cholesterol can also be a hereditary condition or caused by conditions like diabetes, kidney disease or liver disease.
There are numerous ways to help lower and prevent high cholesterol, and one of the very best is coconut oil. The benefits of coconut oil and cholesterol levels are well documented. There is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, coconut oil does increase cholesterol; however, it increases good cholesterol and decreases bad cholesterol. Coconut oil helps to balance thyroid hormones that affect cholesterol levels and helps to flush out any bad cholesterol from the heart, keeping it stronger and healthier.
Does Coconut Oil Raise Cholesterol?
Many people wonder, is coconut oil bad for cholesterol? No, it is not. There are two types of cholesterol, good cholesterol, also known as HDL, and bad cholesterol, also called LDL; good cholesterol helps to maintain a healthy body, while bad cholesterol damages the body and causes numerous health problems. Coconut oil does raise cholesterol levels; however, it raises the HDL or good cholesterol levels, not the LDL or bad cholesterol levels. Coconut oil has been proven to improve cholesterol ratios and reduce the risk of heart disease. The benefits of coconut oil and cholesterol levels are far greater than when other cooking oils like vegetable, olive, soybean, peanut, sunflower, or canola oils are used.
Coconut Oil And Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol and coconut oil make a perfect match. Coconut oil helps to promote good HDL cholesterol, while it helps to decrease or at least stabilize bad LDL cholesterol. Coconut oil helps to improve the ratio of the good and bad cholesterol in the body. Coconut oil helps to bring a healthy balance to the thyroid hormones, which affects cholesterol levels. The healthy benefits of coconut oil and cholesterol also include flushing bad cholesterol from the heart and making it stronger and healthier. Cholesterol and coconut oil benefits are best achieved by taking it daily; it is recommended that 3-5 tablespoons of coconut oil be taken each day. It can be taken straight or mixed in food and/or drinks. Only unrefined coconut oil should be used for cholesterol, as most refined varieties have the majority of it health benefits removed when they are processed; some refined coconut oils contain bad fatty acids that increase bad LDL cholesterol. The best coconut oil to use is one that is unrefined, virgin, cold pressed and organic. To help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, people are best to substitute their normal cooking oil with coconut oil, maintain a healthy weight and activity level, and decrease the amount of fatty refined foods they eat. Coconut oil is one of the best ways to naturally improve cholesterol levels, and it has the added benefit of improving the overall health of the person taking it. Coconut oil is far safer to take for cholesterol than a prescription medication that can have serious side effects, and often does more harm than good.
