LDL, the "bad" cholesterol; if only we could get rid of it, right? I had a conversation about this with someone recently. I was talking about the benefits of coconut oil. One benefit was that it raises HDL. The woman I spoke with said that coconut oil, although it raises HDL, also raises LDL. To her, this means that we should eat it in "moderation" so that we don't get too much LDL, right? Let me explain why this does not work for me.
First, let me address the demonization of coconut oil. Coconut oil is a superfood and it shouldn't be seen in any other light. As long as it raises HDL it doesn't matter if it raises LDL and I'll explain why in more depth in part II. Among many other things, coconut oil is a powerful antioxidant, it's an antimicrobial and it even retards Alzheimer's. As far as eating in moderation, when your body has reached a certain level of health, your body will tell you when you are finished eating. Therefore, there is no need to "watch" your intake because your body is "watching" it for you.
Next, I'd like to address the demonization of low density lipoprotein or LDL. HDL (high density lipoprotien) and LDL serve two different purposes in the body. LDL isn't "bad" at all. Again, it simply serves a different function than HDL. LDL helps the body to produce hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone...) and with the help of the sun it even helps the body make vitamin D! Now how can it do all of that and still deserve the label of "bad" cholesterol? Without it, we would be desperately ill. But isn't LDL responsible for causing heart disease? Well, according to my research, the answer is no. This doesn't mean that you need to stop taking your cholesterol meds. High levels of LDL does play a function in heart disease, it simply is not the culprit in this matter.
(continuation will be posted)
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