Long Chain Fatty Acids
|
Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFA) are the fats that make you fat and the fats that clog your artery walls. Coconut oil rich in Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA) does not.
Hard to Digest
All fats and oils are composed of triglycerides (three fatty acids joined together).
When you eat fats containing Long Chain Triglycerides (LCT), they pass through your stomach and releases into your intestinal tract where most of their digestion takes place.
LCTs require digestive enzymes and bile to digest and break into individual fatty acids called LCFAs or long chain fatty acids.
These LCFAs are then absorbed into your intestinal wall where they are mixed with cholesterol and protein to form triglyceride-rich lipoproteins called chylomicrons.
Chylomicrons are discharged into your bloodstream and transformed into low-density lipoproteins (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. As part of lipoproteins, long chain fatty acids travel your entire body.
During circulation, small particles of fat are released from the chylomicrons into your bloodstream. "This is the source of the fat that accumulates in fat cells, making you fat. And this is the source of the fat that stockpiles in artery walls, obstructing your arteries."
I would venture to say that almost all of the vegetable oils you consume are LCFAs, and to a lesser extent polyunsaturated fatty acids or PUFAs. This is especially true if you're on a typical Western diet. In America, it's very easy to eat too much LCFAs and PUFAs.
Coconut Oil is Easy
The process is different when you consume a healthy cooking oil containing rare Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) such as coconut oil.
MCTs do not require digestive enzymes and bile to digest. They digest so easily that by the time they exit your stomach, MCTs are already fully broken down into individual Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA).
As they enter your intestine, MCFAs are quickly absorbed into the portal vein and sent straight to your liver where they are used to generate energy.
If you are thinking MCFAs bypass the entire lipoprotein phase and do not circulate in the bloodstream to the extent that other fats do, then I'm glad – "YOU'RE GETTING IT!" That's how quick-digesting and efficient MCFA-packed coconut oil is.
Upgrade Your Immunity
As an added bonus that's even more impressive in my opinion, MCFAs also strengthen your immune system by destroying a multitude of disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, etc. Learn how to boost immune system with coconut oil.
There are extremely few sources of MCFAs and coconut oil is the world's most generous source, by far. MCFA-rich coconut oil doesn't collect inside fat cells to the degree that LCFA-oils such as soybean oil, olive oil and most others do.
Coconut oil is mainly used to produce energy to power metabolism, not excess body fat and not arterial plaque.
Return from Long Chain Fatty Acids to Coconut Oil Home
Didn't find what you were looking for? Use this search feature to find it.
