Coconut Oil - Superfood or Superfad?

To coco or not to coco? Coconut oil is one of many hotly debated food topics, just like butter vs margarine. Its presence seems to be growing so rapidly. What used to be found in the darkest corner of a health food shop is now found at eye level in major supermarkets. I even spotted it on the shelf today at one of my favourite nut shops at the South Melbourne Market. But where has all the hype come from and does it live up to its so called health benefits? I called on Deakin University student Felicity Curtain to literally chew the fat on this ever-so-fascinating, solid-at-room-temperature tropical oil.















Felicity is in her final year at Deakin University, studying a Bachelor of Food Science and Nutrition, and has great hopes to continue studies within the nutrition and dietetics field in the future.  In her studies she has developed a great interest in the effects of food on disease prevention and treatment, particularly cancer and mental health, as well as functional foods that may provide additional nutritional benefit.  With a huge passion for encouraging healthy eating and dispelling food myths, Felicity one day hopes to work in clinical dietetics or private practice.

Connect with Felicity on LinkedIn

 

Coconuts seem to be popping up left, right and centre as the latest health trend. Coconut oil in particular has attracted a large vegan following, as its rich buttery taste and texture offer an alternative to animal fats such as butter.  Just a quick Google search of the fruit results in thousands of results - coconut water, coconut oil, coconut milk. In all its forms, coconut is being heralded as this year’s new superfood. However, for all the claims that it can solve a multitude of health ailments - everything from boosting metabolism to beating stress and lowering cholesterol - is the humble coconut really everything it’s cracked up to be?

 

How does it differ from other oils?

 

The main characteristic that sets coconut oil aside from other vegetable or seed oils on the market is its solid state at room temperature. Basic chemistry tells us this is due to the saturated carbon bonds – that’s right, it’s a saturatedfat, the kind we’re told to limit in order to avoid high cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease! A tablespoon of the stuff can contain up to 12g of saturated fat, over half an adult’s recommended daily intake.  With this in mind, it’s fairly obvious that in high amounts coconut oil could be detrimental to one’s health, and it may be no surprise that the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the Heart Foundation recommend avoiding or at least limiting its use. However, the oil differs from typical saturated fatty acids in that it contains mainly medium chain fatty acids, which are said to be more easily absorbed than their more common long chain counterparts as they do not require hydrolysis before transportation to the liver.

 

 

Many shonky reports exist singing coconut oil’s praises, with a substantial portion of articles originating from websites promoting and selling the product. A large number of these claims are based on the premise that countries that traditionally consume the oil, such as Sri Lanka or the Philippines, have historically lower incidences of heart disease. Read more here. However, many other contributing factors need to be considered here: genetics, physical activity, and most importantly the overall diet of these populations – which presumably would have been low in meat and processed foods, and very high in vegetables and rice – have all likely influenced this statistic.

Not all reports on coconut oil are so unreliable. In fact, there have been some reputable studies that have demonstrated that it does exhibit some health benefits. However, to find these, you’ll need to sift through dozens of much more suspect claims, and even many genuine findings require further study and investigation before they can be considered reliable.

 

The oil’s main benefit is said to be due to the medium chain fatty acids, which, being easily absorbed, supposedly surpass the transition into cholesterol. A 2008 study compared the effects of long chain fatty acids – commonly found in animal products – and their medium chain counterparts on weight loss, finding that diets supplemented by medium chain fatty acids had more success. However, whether or not this adversely affects the ‘unhealthy’ (LDL) and ‘healthy’ (HDL) cholesterol ratio is uncertain and hotly debated.  Professor Andrew Sinclair, Chair of Nutrition Science at Deakin University and Senior Associate editor of the journal Lipids, is not convinced: “Although the composition of coconut oil is quite different to other oils, there’s no evidence to support the idea it will help you lose unwanted weight.

 

 

Researchers from Oxford University have discovered a link between coconut oil consumption and the reduction of symptoms in Alzheimer’s sufferers. Though this effect is only short term, it’s said it comes as a result of ketones produced by the fatty acids in the oil, which act as an alternative energy source for the brain, with its inability to metabolise glucose. However, the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia remains dubious, emphasising that for the moment the theory is just that – a theory, and one that requires extensive further research to be fully substantiated. 

 

Animal studies have suggested that coconut oil may reduce bone loss from osteoporosis – however, causing significant weight gain in the process! This is said to be due to the polyphenol content in coconut oil, which encourages antioxidant activity. While this may be good news to sufferers of osteoporosis, it does nothing to justify coconut oil’s “superfood” status.

 

In fact, the only area where coconut oil shows unquestionable results is in the kitchen. There is a clear advantage of cooking with coconut oil, which, with its high smoke point, can be brought to a higher temperature before breaking down, avoiding flavour deterioration and potentially harmful free radical production.  Additionally, it imparts a nutty flavour and appealing texture to many kinds of cooking. In culinary terms, at least, coconut oil can be a useful addition.

 

So it appears that, despite some overblown praises, more research is required before we can begin recommending this oil as an alternative to other oils. From a nutritional perspective, coconut oil is mainly made up of saturated fats, containing more than in butter, while olive and canola oil are predominantly monounsaturated. The health benefits of these oils are well known and researched, and can result in decreased inflammation and obesity amongst many other advantages. In terms of the hip pocket, coconut oil is also a costlier choice: at around $2 per 100g, it works out to almost double the price of the trusty olive oil and a whopping four times the price of canola and other vegetable oils.

 

So which is the better choice?

 

From the best evidence we have available, coconut oil is yet to be well substantiated in science as a better alternative. Coconut oil could certainly have a place in your pantry, just like butter in your fridge, providing it is used in small,infrequent amounts.  However, other than for the sensory characteristics, my pick would be to leave the coconut oil on the shelf. Not only will your wallet feel fuller, but the negatives of consuming high levels of unhealthy fats outweigh the potential positive outcome that could otherwise be achieved by an overall healthy diet!

 

 

Editor's note:

Thanks Felicity, what a well researched article. I love your final comment about maintaining an overall healthy diet. While many people are on the search for that one miracle food, the truth is, nothing beats a well balanced, nutrient-rich diet. I'd love to hear what our readers think too. Have you used coconut oil and if so, what do you use it for?

 

 

How to have a holiday without putting on weight: Asia

As we celebrate the start of a brand new year, I thought I would reflect on my travels in 2012, my 'year of Asia'.

Back in 2011, I sailed around the Whitsundays on a cruise ship and blogged about the amazing adventures I had. I was then lucky enough to be featured on the P&O website after I gave them such a great rap for their fantastic service, food and facilities on deck.

So when it came to organising some holidays this year I decided to skip the ship and take the plunge into the world of Asia. I was very fortunate to visit both Thailand and Bali, and I couldn't rave enough about both of these places. You hear the good and the bad from friends, but until you experience it yourself, you really don't know what you're missing out on.

So without further adue, here is part two of my
How to have a holiday without putting on weight series. This is Asia.

10 tips to keep weight gain away on your next holiday

1. Eat fresh fruit rather than giant fruit smoothies

When walking the streets in Thailand and Bali you will often come across little fruit carts selling smoothies or fresh fruit. The signs tell you all the different fruit shakes that you can order, but they often don't advertise the fact that you can simply just ask for some freshly cut up tropical fruit! And this is certainly the best option for your waistline. Take a look at the picture below. See that large jug sitting directly in front of the woman? That's pure sugar syrup. Litres of it. And they will add quite a few good ladles of that to your smoothie, making it not only sickly sweet, but also meaning you'll consume hundreds of extra (& unwanted) kilojoules.

So my rule when it comes to these stalls, is eat the real stuff, not the blended stuff. You can't get much better than a fresh mango, a dragon fruit or a mangosteen, cut up in front of you and ready to eat. Pure. Natural. Fruit.



One of the reasons I love visiting Asian countries are the amazing tropical fruits

  

Here I am eating some freshly chopped mango in banana leaves on the street.
They even put toothpicks in the mango for you so you don't get sticky fingers! 


2. Always order veggies as a side

Remember veggies are very low in kilojoules and high in dietary fibre, so they'll fill you up and stop you from reaching over to your partner's plate and grabbing a handful of calorie-ridden fries. Salads are great for the warmer weather that you experience in Asia, and can be a lovely, light and refreshing addition to your meal.

My main and 2 sides:
a pea, basil, lemon & marinated feta salad and sauteed wild mushrooms



Beetroot salad with young goats cheese


3. Try new foods, and enjoy the traditional menu

You can't go past a delicious curry or stir fry. Asian food is often packed with vegetables, and the meat is generally very lean. Just watch your portion sizes when it comes to rice as they often give you much more than you need. Make sure you order a dish with a source of lean protein (meat, chicken, fish, seafood, tofu, nuts, legumes) as this is what will keep you satisfied until your next meal.

4. Resist the salted nuts & crackers that come with your cocktail

Many beautiful hotels we stayed at gave us some salted nuts and/or crackers when we ordered a drink at the bar. Now they don't do this for no reason - it's quite a smart tactic. The saltiness of the nibblies will leave you feeling thirsty and feeling in need of another drink. Don't get caught out! Try to have small, healthy snacks regularly throughout the day so that by the time it comes to wine o'clock, you're not tempted to demolish a whole bowl of crackers in seconds.

5. Ask for no sugar syrup in your iced coffee

This one leads on from point 1 about the sugar syrup in fruit smoothies. One thing I've noticed on my travels is that they seem to love their sugar syrup over in Asia. Even at The Coffee Club you have the choice of adding sugar syrup or regular sugar to your hot coffee.

But when it comes to iced coffees, it seems the sugar is already added by the time you receive your incredibly sweet drink. So get in early and when you place your order, make a point of asking for no added syrup, or if you prefer, sugar syrup on the side. That way you're in control of how much sugar you choose to add, and how sweet you'd like it to be.



Iced coffee with sugar syrup on the side


6. Stay away from the western menu

Let's be honest, you didn't travel for 9 or so hours across the ocean to eat a steak burger and fries. Yes you might need to be a little cautious about some foods in foreign countries, but don't ruin the perfect opportunity to try new cuisines and new flavours. Traditional diets are very nutritious as well. In fact, scientific research has found that those populations following a traditional diet often have much lower rates of obesity compared to those following a western diet. So when you sit down for a bite to eat, don't even bother checking out the Western Menu, instead, go straight to the curries, stir fries and the delicious fresh seafood.


Steer clear of the Western section of the menu


7. Order bottled water to drink with your meal

It may sound pretty straightforward, but ordering some bottled water when you sit down for a meal is a really good habit to get into. There's nothing wrong with enjoying an occasional cocktail on your holidays, but don't rely on alcoholic beverages to quench your thirst. Water is the perfect kilojoule-free solution.

8. Don't pig out on the breakfast buffet 'just because it's there'

Asian hotel owners know how much us Aussies love a breakfast buffet. So they throw on all the breads, pastries, muffins and croissants you could ever ask for, and have a tiny little Asian section with a selection of their traditional foods.

The key to surviving a big breakfast buffet is:

1. Stick to fresh fruits, wholegrain cereals, reduced fat dairy, eggs, sauteed vegetables (ie. mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach) and grainy breads. Stay away from the highly refined pastries, muffins and fried food.

2. Alternate between cold and hot dishes on different days, or choose very small portions and have a little of each. Don't eat more than you would at home, and remember, it will be there tomorrow so there's no reason to try everything today!

3. STOP when you feel comfortably satified. For some reason buffets trigger this effect where us Westerners feel we have to eat until we couldn't possibly fit another thing in, and until we literally have to undo a notch on our belts. This is going way too far and is a recipe for disaster (ie. weight gain just waiting to happen). Take a mindful eating approach by eating slowly, chewing each mouthful and putting your knife and fork down between every bite. Chat to your loved ones, enjoy the conversation, and don't scoff your food down like a labrador. The slower you eat, the quicker you will feel comfortably satisfied, and the less you will eat overall.

  

All eggcelent choices

 

 9. Listen to your stomach. If you're hungry, eat. If you're not hungry, don't eat

Again it seems straightforward but on holidays we really need to remember this one. When we're on holidays, we do a lot 'non-hungry eating'. This means that we often eat when we're not even hungry, it may be because we're bored, or it may be because we're in holiday mode and have the mentality of "I'm on holidays so why not!"  But having a 'living in the moment' attitude could come back to bite you when you return from your holiday.

So by all means, try new foods and enjoy your food with good company, but don't just eat for the sake of it. Before you take a bite, think to yourself, do I really need to eat this? Am I really hungry? Or am I just eating it because it's there?



10. Take the stairs, make it a priority!

Last, but certainly not least, don't forget to be physically active on your holiday. This doesn't mean you have to bring your gym gear and religiously make time to go to the gym every day. Simply keeping moving will help keep your metabolism running and burn off those cocktail kilojoules. One hotel we stayed in actually had a cable car that took you down to your villa. This was the 'quick' option, but the stairs became my friend and I would always try to use them, either going up or going down!


The cable car = fat storing machine

The stairs = fat burning machine

Another way to stay active is to choose tours and activities that require you to move. Go horse riding, cycling, white water rafting. Whatever takes your fancy!

Horse riding in Bali

Kayaking around 'James Bond Island' in Thailand

So there you go. My 10 tips on How to have a holiday without putting on weight. I hope you've picked up a trick or two along the way, and if you'd like to take a sneaky look at some more of my holiday pics, head to my facebook page and you'll find plenty of foodie snaps to salivate over.

Until next time, take care and enjoy the holiday season!

Go Nuts!

Nuts are one of those foods that some people are still a little unsure about. 

Their reputation is growing rapidly, but there still seems to be some misconceptions out there about how nutritious nuts really are. 

But today is the day that this ends. 

Because I want you to know the real truth about nuts. Right here, right now, it's time to spill the beans on raw, roasted, salted and candied, the portions you should be eating, and why nuts don't make you fat. 

Wonder no more...  this blog is sure to bust every myth you've ever heard. 

So go ahead, go nuts!

For more information, visit the Nuts for Life website.

My Carman's Blog

A pic of me with the birthday cake I was surprised with! 

Hi guys,

It seems like a while since I've written a post and I hope you don't think I'm getting slack in my old age (yes, I just had a birthday, so I am feeling slightly older than the last time I posted).... :-/


The truth is, I have been really busy. Over the past year I have been blogging behind the scenes for Carman's, and I am very excited to see the launch of their brand new website, and within it, my very own nutrition blog.  

You must check it out.




Here are a couple of screen shots of the new Carman's website.

Now, although you can't choose to receive an email each time a new post is up, be rest assured, I'll keep you posted (no pun intended) on when new blogs are up through my facebook and twitter pages. So if you haven't friended or followed me by now, make sure you do, otherwise you'll miss out on all the fun!

So, until the next time I post, just remember, I'm not off my game... I'm simply just spreading the love to other places =)

A day at the Good Food & Wine Show

Yesterday I visited the one and only Good Food & Wine Show in Melbourne. The thing I love about the Good Food & Wine Show is that you get to see what new products are out and about, and even better, you get the chance to taste just about everything!

So if you're the kind of person that loves to eat (check) and loves to try new things (check), then this show is definately for you. Today is the last day of the show in Melbourne, but then it moves to Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane later this year. Check out the dates here.

As a dietitian, I'm always on the lookout for new products or little things that catch my eye or my taste buds. So I thought I'd put togeter a post with some of the things I got just a little excited about!

Without a doubt the highlight of the day was when I got the chance to meet the most extraordinary chef and beautiful person, Maggie Beer!

And as for the food stands, here are some that took my fancy...

1. Jalna & Chobani yoghurt. Both deliciously creamy and good for you. One I hadn't heard of was The Collective Dairy. New Zealand based, The Collective Dairy offer a range of probiotic yoghurt drinks, regular yoghurts, soft cheeses & haloumi. Mmmmm.

2. Chilli Pecorino by Puglia Cheese. Although higher in saturated fat & salt, more and more evidence is now showing that fermented dairy products like cheese are actually heart protective. Not to mention a great source of protein and calcium.



3. Pitango Soups. One word - yum!

4. Gluten free marshmallows. Not to be eaten by the handful, and don't think that these are any healthier than regular marshmallows... but, maybe save one one of these for a rainy day with a warm cup of hot chocolate. The interesting thing about these is the source of gelatine. Check out the ingredients list below - the gelatine comes from fish!

5. Pama Pomegranate Liqueur. Deliciously sweet with a tart pomegranate aftertaste, this is something that would no doubt be lovely enjoyed on the rocks and sipped slowly. Remember though that alcoholic calories are quick to add up, so be sure to watch how much you drink and as always, drink responsibly.

6. Forager Fruits - Crunchy, bright & sweet, these are freeze dried fruits from Tassie with no additives, just a little juice concrentrate (and the skin is left on). One 20g serve (1 bag) = 290 kJ, the same as a piece of fresh fruit.

7. Harney & Sons Fine Teas - I tried these on my way out of the show, and I am so glad I did. The Hot Cinnamon Spice tea tasted so yummy and sweet, yet it didn't have any added sugar or sweetener (ingredients: blend of black teas, three types of cinnamon, orange peel and sweet cloves). The Chocolate Mint tea gave you the feeling that you were eating an actual chocolate mint (ingredients: china black teas, chocolate flavour, peppermint leaves), and I also loved the Caffeine Free Chamomile and Lavender tea (ingredients: chamomile, lavendar & corn flowers). This company is based in New York and has just launched in Australia.

8. Gourmet Pearl Couscous - With Gabriel Gate as the ambassador, how could you go wrong?! These delcious pearls of cous cous are larger than an ordinary cous cous, and have a low GI of 52. They are made from wheat flour just like regular cous cous so unfortunately for those with coeliac disease they're not gluten free.

9. Turban Chopsticks - A gourmet range of curry pastes, powders and lentil meal packs.

10. ChocoMe - a mix of chocolate and art, and Brix Chocolate - chocolate for wine. Always remember when it comes to chocolate, a little goes a long way, and the darker the better! There is no need to eat a whole block or bar to satisfy a chocolate craving, 2 small squares is all you need.

11. Chia seeds - a plant source of omega 3s. I add these to my fruit, nut & seed mix. Also great in smoothies (the chia seeds swell up when added to fluid).

12. Smoothie Cubes - try the veggie cubes for a low calorie antioxidant-packed option!

13. Four Leaf - lots of yummy organic grains

14. Pea Protein Powder from Purewellness - An protein powder option for vegans, but I must admit, didn't really enjoy the taste of this one. Purewellness has other whey protein powders which I found were much nicer on the palate.

15. No added salt stocks from The Stock Merchant - particularly liked the look of their new Sustainable Crab Stock!

16. CaprilLac Goats Milk Ice Cream - so creamy, save these delights for a special treat!

17. Saladmaster - cookware to keep you healthy & Love My Salad - the social salad network. These both get my tick of approval!

18. Last one, and this is for those with allergies and/or intolerances. I'd encourage you to check out Dietary Menu Cards. This new company provides you with cards that you can give to the chef when you eat out that tells them all the foods you can eat, so that you don't end up with a bland-tasting meal. Love this concept.

So that's it! Now over to you... Did you attend the GFWS this year? What did you like about it? Love to hear your thoughts.