Is Coconut Oil Healthy?

This subject perfectly illustrates the deep chasm between nutrition research and the general public’s views of nutrition. They are very often not aligned. I’m not sure when or how it started, but a few years back, the idea that coconut oil was health promoting began to build momentum.

The answer is no, coconut oil is not the best oil to use. It is not even close to being the best oil to use. In fact, it is probably the one you most want to avoid using.

Coconut oil is extremely high in saturated fat. Almost 90% of the fat in coconut oil is saturated. For comparisons sake, butter contains 64% saturated fat and beef contains 40% saturated fat. 

The saturated fat in coconut oil raises LDL cholesterol, which increases risk of heart disease and stroke. In fact, the American Heart Association recently released a report advising against use of coconut oil, citing a review of 7 randomized trials showing that coconut oil increased LDL cholesterol in all 7 studies!

Oils with high amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fats, such as olive oil and canola oil, have the exact opposite effect. They lower LDL cholesterol and have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. These are the oils you should be using.

Prebiotic supplementation and weight loss in children

The Study

Prebiotics are a non-digestible carbohydrate that promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. The role of prebiotic supplementation in weight loss is controversial. In this randomized trial, 42 overweight boys and girls between the ages of 7-12 were assigned 8 grams of oligofructose-enriched inulin (a prebiotic) each day or placebo for 16 weeks. After the intervention, a variety of measures were taken and an all you can eat breakfast buffet was offered to the subjects. 

After 16 weeks of supplementation, there were no significant differences in the amount of food the subjects were consuming on a daily basis. There were no significant differences in body mass index between the two groups. When all subjects were included, there were no significant differences in the amount of food consumed at the all you can eat breakfast buffet. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2017; 105:790-99.

Take Home Message

It appears that prebiotic supplementation is not effective as a weight loss strategy. It is interesting to note that when the analysis was restricted to just 11-12 year old subjects, there was a significantly lower consumption of food at the breakfast buffet at the end of the intervention for those in the prebiotic group. 

However, when all of the data was looked at together, there was no significant difference in daily energy consumption or BMI after 16 weeks of supplementation. It will take some more research to fully answer this question, but right now it does not look like prebiotics will do much to aid in the weight loss process.  

Can whole grains increase metabolism?

The Study

The impact of whole grains on body weight remains a controversial topic. In this randomized controlled trial, 81 men and women were put on a 6 week diet. The diets were identical except for the fact that one group received 207 grams of whole grain and 40 grams of fiber each day, while the other received refined grains and only 21 grams of fiber. The goal of this intervention was to maintain weight and observe any metabolic differences between the two groups. By the end of follow-up, the whole grain group had a significant increase in resting metabolic rate and a higher stool energy content than the refined grain group. The combined difference between the two groups amounted to 92 calories per day. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2017; 105:589-99.

Take Home Message

In the last few years, several fad diets have attempted to demonize whole grains as unhealthy and an obstacle to weight loss. The research does not support this view. The literature is replete with studies associating whole grains with a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, inflammatory disease and cancer. This study is a great example of some emerging evidence that it can help maintain body weight as well.

There are several potential mechanisms to explain the relationship between whole grains and a lower weight. Whole grains are thought to suppress appetite, improve glycemic control, improve insulin sensitivity and are also thought to positively alter gut-microbiota. The 92 calorie per day difference found in this study does not sound like a lot but it adds up. In a year’s time, this difference equates to a weight loss of about 6 pounds. 

Don’t listen to those that tell you to avoid whole grains. They are a very important part of a healthy diet and may actually help you lose weight. Shoot for 1-2 servings per day. Great choices are oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa.

Book Review: Blast The Sugar Out

Next up for review is Blast the Sugar Out. The author, Dr. Ian Smith, is a medical doctor who used to be a co-host of the television show, The Doctors. He has written several other bestselling health, fitness and weight loss books.

Introduction

This book presents a 5 week weight loss strategy packed with recipes, meal plans and snack ideas. It has a particular focus on reducing blood sugar levels for those who are diabetic or prediabetic. The author mentions that the book was also written for anyone who wants to lose weight or reduce their sugar consumption. The book is 240 pages long. It is well written and I truly enjoyed reading it.

5 Things I Really Liked About Blast the Sugar Out

1) I like how the primary focus of this book is to reduce refined sugar consumption. After trans fat, I rate sugar as the worst thing that we can eat. The number of problems that refined sugar causes is staggering. I treat it like a drug, because to me that is what it is. 

2) I really like that the book emphasizes cardiovascular exercise as a big part of the program. It needs to be a major focus if weight loss is your goal.

3) I like the recommendation to drink a lot of water. It is essential not only for weight loss, but for overall health and quality of life.

4) The recipes and meal plans are well organized and very well done.

5) I really liked the Sugar Swap in the back of the book (Appendix 1). In this section, the author lists a much healthier alternative for every kind of sugary treat that you may be tempted by. This is a very practical little section.

5 Things I Didn’t Agree With In Blast the Sugar Out

1) A lot of high glycemic load carbs are allowed on this program. All of the following are regulars in the meal plans: cold cereals, dried fruit, smoothies, French toast with maple syrup, French fries, lots of bread (even whole grain bread can spike blood sugar), onion rings, pizza, popcorn, fruit juice, pancakes, crackers, rice cakes, pita bread, animal crackers, vanilla wafers, pretzels, etc.  When it comes to spikes in blood sugar, increased hunger and cravings, many of these foods are as damaging as sugar.

2) This book is very big on snacking. In addition to 3 meals, the plan calls for 2 or even 3 snacks per day. In my experience, this can lead to overeating and really slow down rate of weight loss. If the average woman needs to be close to 1,200 calories/day to effectively lose weight, each meal/snack needs to be around 200 calories. This is not a lot of food! If she goes over by even 50 calories per meal or snack, she is looking at 300 extra calories per day or 9,000 extra calories per month. Further, if you are eating in a way that stabilizes blood sugar, you will not need to eat every 2 or 3 hours. You simply won’t be hungry.

3) Allows late night snacking. In the section on snacking, the book mentions that it is OK to have a snack at 8:30 PM or later. I have found that late night eating is a really bad idea for those trying to lose weight. I have seen it completely prevent weight loss in past clients and I actually use it as a strategy to gain weight for the rare client that works with me in an effort to increase their weight.

4) A lot of the meals are really low in fat. Fat is actually a very good thing in your diet, if you choose it carefully. Vegetable based fats like olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and avocados have a positive impact on risk of chronic disease. They also help to stabilize the blood sugar, decrease insulin spikes and keep you full longer than meals without fat. The research literature has also shown that low fat diets are not effective for long term weight loss.

5) The book could focus a bit more on resistance training. While a good amount of time is spent on cardio, strength training is mentioned only briefly. I believe that weight training is the secret ingredient to lasting weight loss. Sparing lean tissue during the weight loss process is the absolute key to keeping the weight off.

Is Blast the Sugar Out Worth Reading?

Absolutely. This book gets a lot right. As a nation, we all need to be eating a lot less sugar. It is far more damaging to our health than most people realize. This book will help you to do that. I would just make a few additions to this program. I would be a little stricter with the high glycemic carbs, cut down on the snacking (especially at night), add in a bit more healthy vegetable fat and add a whole bunch of strength training.