The Role of Coconut and Coconut Oil in Coronary Heart Disease in Kerala, South India

Abstract

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is common in India and, recently, an increase in the incidence of CHD was reported from the South Indian state of Kerala. The traditional Indian diet is low in fat content. The high incidence of CHD in Indians is, therefore, in contrast to western studies that have correlated high Fat, saturated fat and cholesterol intake to CHD. Consumption of coconut and coconut oil that contain high amounts of saturated fat and are thought to be strongly atherogenic, are believed to be one of the main reasons for the high incidence of CHD in Kerala. To explore this presumed link, we studied 32 CHD patients and 16 age and sex matched healthy controls. Consumption of coconut and coconut oil was found to be similar in both groups. The groups did not differ in the fat, saturated fat and cholesterol consumption. The results imply no specific role for coconut or coconut oil in the causation of CHD in the present set of Indian patients from Kerala. The exact reason for the high and increasing incidence of CHD among Indians is still unknown.

Comparison of lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes among south Indian men consuming coconut oil and sunflower oil

“…Results from Table 1 fail to provide any indications that coconut oil consumers have undesirable lipid profile pattern and increased risk for CAD compared to sunflower oil consumers. This finding is in harmony with an earlier study conducted in Kerala population, which indicates that habitual consumption of coconut and coconut oil along with normal diet has no specific role in the causation of coronary heart disease in Kerala population (28).…”

Lauric acid-rich medium-chain triglycerides can substitute for other oils in cooking applications and may have limited pathogenicity

“…40 It is notable that, in South Seas cultures in which coconuts (and hence LA) are the predominant dietary fat source, cardiovascular disease tends to be relatively rare. [41][42][43][44] Hence, as a dietary oil, MCTs or laurate-rich MCTs can be recommended for the following reasons: they are unlikely to exacerbate obesity; they do not give rise to ectopic fat metabolites that are key mediators of the pathogenicity of metabolic syndrome; and their impact on serum lipid profile appears to be relatively benign, despite an increase in total cholesterol.…”

I Diretriz Brasileira de Hipercolesterolemia Familiar (HF)

“…Entretanto, em relação aos demais tipos de gorduras saturadas, especialmente ácido mirístico e palmítico, o ácido láurico apresenta maior poder em elevar tanto o LDL-c como o HDL-c 115 . Apesar disso, esse efeito parece não ser a causa do aumento da prevalência de DCV de acordo com estudos realizados na Ásia, onde o óleo de coco representa até 80% da gordura consumida em algumas regiões 142,143 .…”