[Sca-cooks] OOP semi-OT Physiology of Atkins (was Re: Coconut Oil)

[Randy Goldberg MD]

> > > non hydrogenated oils are not bad for you, althoug there are some that
> > > are better and some worse......
> > >
> > > so virgin coconut oil woul dbe ok. but it is next to impossible these
> > > days to get NON hydrogenated coconut oil.
> > >
> > > best for you is monounsaturated oils. like olive oil.....
> >
> > The major consituent of coconut oil is fully saturated in its native
> > state; same thing for palm oil. These oils are just as bad for you as
animal fat.
>
> <heh>
> and as someone on Atkins, i dont think animal fat is bad for you......
>
> one of my hubby's co workers lowered his tri glycerides and cholesterol
> rather astonishingly.. on atkins...eating mostly animal fats
>
> as i was saying, some fats are better (monounsaturated) and some worse.
but
> only the hydrogenated stuff is in my "dont eat this" catagory.

Okay, basic biochemistry and physiology time.

Saturated fat is BAD. Your body turns saturated fats into cholesterol.
Animal products and tropical oils are rich in saturated fats. Saturated fats
are generally solid or semi-solid at room temperature. Because they are
saturated, there are no easy places for other atoms or molecules to attach
themselves to the chains, so saturated fats are more resistent to
rancidification.

Unsaturated fats are those that have double bonds somewhere along the length
of their chains. Mono-unsaturated fats are better for you because your body
uses them for other things than cholesterol synthesis (like leukotriene and
prostaglandin synthesis, as well as testosterone and estrogen). Because of
the double bond, other things can hook on, so these fats are more prone to
becoming rancid. Polyunsaturated fats have more than one double bond along
their length, and rapid become rancid.

Hydrogenated fats are unsaturated fats that have their double bonds filled
with hydrogen atoms by a chemical process. These are now fully saturated.
>From a biochemical and physiological standpoint, hydrogenated fats are no
different than naturally saturated fats.

All fats, regardless of saturation, are calorically dense - between 9 and 10
kcal per gram, as opposed to protein and carbohydrates which run about 4
kcal per gram.

Why did your friend's lipid levels fall on the Atkins diet, despite eating
lots of animal fat? Insulin. Insulin is the hormone secreted by your
pancreas in response to food. It does several things: it opens the pathways
by which sugars leave the bloodstream and enter the cells, it promotes
deposition of fat, it stimulates hunger, and it causes triglycerides and
cholesterol to go up, especially when present in excess. The major stimulus
for secretion of insulin is injestion of carbohydrates. Cut down on
carbohydrate intake consistently, insulin levels fall, leading to weight
loss, reduction in appetite, and improvement in triglyceride levels and
cholesterol levels. That's why Atkins doesn't work for everyone - if your
insulin response to food is normal, Atkins won't help you. However, a
significant proportion of overweight people have exaggerated insulin
responses to food (this is a pre-diabetic condition).

So, in summary, if you have hyperinsulinemia, Atkins will work to lower your
weight, and your lipids. High protein good, low carb good, fat is equivocal
on Atkins - the lower your fat intake, the more your lipids will fall.
Nevertheless, eating too much fat will still lead to excessive caloric
intake, and will work against weight loss.

The point is, saturated fats are bad, period. In the right clinical setting,
the Atkins diet will counterbalance some of the risk associated with eating
animal fats, but that doesn't change the underlying biochemical fact that
saturated fat is bad for you.

Any questions?

Randy Goldberg MD (I'll sign this one with my professional ID - and I'll
also mention my B.S. in biochemistry)
     (E.S. Avraham haRofeh of Sudentur)

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