Recently, Harvard professor Karin Michels' declaration, calling coconut oil “pure poison", stirred a controversy. In a lecture delivered in July at the University of Freiburg, Michels’ message was simple: coconut oil “is one of the worst foods you can eat”. ">A YouTube clip of her speech, delivered entirely in German, has now been watched nearly a million times.
The talk about coconut
People, especially Indians, have been using coconut oil for thousands of years. The professor's remarks have therefore shocked most Indians, who believe coconut oil is a naturally occurring fat which offers multiple health benefits.
Michels, however, insists that the belief that coconut oil is healthier than other oils is "absolute nonsense”. Sometime back, many large public health organisations, such as Canada’s Heart and Stroke Foundation, noted that coconut oil is high in saturated fat and advised its limited use.
How are most Indians, who practically use coconut oil for several chores, surviving?
From using it from cooking to applying as hair oil to using its benefits for massages, coconut oil has by far been a significant part of our lives. The Indian society has blindly used and followed this as a tradition.
Many believe that the saturated fat in coconut oil is made up of fatty acids that are easier to digest than the long-chain fatty acids in other oils such as butter. Coconuts form a regular part of the diet of people in the tropics and subtropics. These helps fight diseases, promote oral hygiene and help burn more fat. Coconut oil can prevent hair damage, moisturises skin and acts as a sunscreen. Also, the consumption helps gain endurance. Coconuts are a rich source of vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, selenium, sodium and phosphorous.
Rujuta Diwekar, India's leading nutritionist, tweeted on the controversy. She asked why we are so obsessed with approval from the West for consumption of our traditional foods. She wrote how the actual question we should be asking is "why is there not even a passing reference to native foods, regional cuisines in our syllabus?".
The Asian Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) issued a statement on the same writing how Professor Michels' comment is not only contrary to the truth but also "damaging to the welfare of millions".
What nutritionists say
Rujuta Diwekar, in her Facebook post, commented on the controversy and referred to her conversation on the same which she made earlier. She said it's the oil, which has been consumed here since ages, that has varied uses. She also mentioned how we should stop getting brainwashed for things that we know better about traditionally.
https://www.facebook.com/rujuta.diwekar/posts/10155787007513424?__xts__<0>=68.ARC1rL8gXRPYsSVD9GQZlJuzlyDfD1RUfOei7sWbwO6MLsFlzzv3yIJKimjjr6fxFQHaIWRPrz5GEKHh9CLiMPxv9zvixBXGRnUwfgN-kyOCLS1hMlFtwm-w1Tjfsq1DkD6ziD8&__tn__=-R
We asked Dr Manjula Singhla, a senior nutritionist, as to why so much attention is drawn to coconut oil. She clearly stated that coconut oil is a superfood and there is no reason why we must stop its consumption. However, she suggested that we must use it moderately just like any other essential commodity. She also advised that basing our judgements on just one study is not a solution and would only harm the discussion.
Luke Coutinho, another nutritionist, took to Facebook to clear the entire false notion surrounding coconut oil. He said such studies are falsely confusing people and should not be taken seriously.
https://www.facebook.com/LukeCoutinhoOfficial/posts/2189349181315106?comment_id=2189396884643669¬if_id=1535179154876003¬if_t=feed_comment
Now, the British Nutrition Foundation has jumped in to clarify Michels statements. “Coconut oil can be included in the diet, but as it is high in saturated fats, it should only be included in small amounts and as part of a healthy balanced diet,” said the British Nutritional Foundation.
Indians beg to differ
Professor Michels' comment made a lot of people furious and they tweeted their thoughts on the same. While many referred to the high quality coconut-driven life in southern India, many dismissed the study, calling it baseless.
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