Good day,
Why are saturated fatty acids so criticized, and what are their real health risks? There is currently some debate about banning the use of coconut oil in school cafeterias (along with palm oil). Based on their characteristics, coconut oil doesn't seem so bad to me that it should be demonized.
Personally, I predominantly use lard, coconut oil, and ghee/butter in my kitchen, along with virgin olive oil, and I thought that these are healthier fat choices compared to vegetable oils.
Thank you very much.
Saturated fats are rightfully criticized when their amount in the diet is too high, or their ratio to unsaturated fatty acids is higher (the optimum is considered to be 1:2). If their consumption is excessive, they exhibit, for example, pro-inflammatory effects and significantly contribute to the onset and development of cardiovascular diseases.
Neither coconut nor palm oil is inherently bad; it is just important to know how to work with them properly. Coconut oil predominantly contains saturated fatty acids, so it is wise to use it judiciously in terms of monitoring the ratios of saturated and unsaturated fats on the daily plate. Palm oil, on the other hand, has a stigma due to its ecological burden, which is why food manufacturers are pushed to replace it with other alternatives.
Themes: Fats
Questions answered by
Mgr. Martin Jelinek
Lecturer and author of the educational system
Nutrition educator, lecturer, and author of the educational system and the ZOF learning application.
Mgr. Martin Jelínek has been systematically involved in nutrition education since 1999. He is the founder of ATAC, the educational company behind NutriCourses, and the author of an educational system focused on nutrition, healthy lifestyle, and the practical application of nutrition knowledge.
He graduated from the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University in Brno. Throughout his professional career, he has combined nutrition, education, and the practical application of acquired knowledge. His educational system also includes the ZOF (Zone of Optimal Functioning) learning application, where students turn theory into practical work with meal plans.
In 2007, he launched the first intake of a six-month course focused on the education of nutrition advisors. Over time, this course became the foundation for the further development of the educational system and a range of specialised courses.