New research is suggesting that coconut oil may help prevent macular degeneration. On the other hand, a diet consisting of soybean, corn, and other processed vegetable oils can increase your risks of developing macular degeneration.
Over the past few years several studies have linked polyunsaturated vegetable oils with AMD. The research shows that people who eat polyunsaturated vegetable oils get the disease twice as commonly as those who don't.
Even more convincing was a recent study where those eating a lot of vegetable oil progressed toward macular degeneration at 3.8 times the rate of those eating a little vegetable oil. Saturated fat has the lowest risk, and the higher the degree of saturation the better.
The macula sits at the back of the eye. The oils that you eat become part of your eye. Polyunsaturated vegetable oils are very susceptible to lipid peroxidation. Peroxidation is a chemical process that causes fats to become rancid. These rancid oils end up interfering with normal cell function, leading to macular degeneration.
When oils become rancid, they create destructive free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that literally rip other molecules apart, causing irreversible damage to cells. Our only means of self-defense against free radicals are antioxidants.
Antioxidants help prevent lipid peroxidation and the formation of free radicals. Our bodies make antioxidants from the nutrients in our diet. The most common antioxidant nutrients are vitamins C, E, beta-carotene, and the mineral zinc. Lutein, another antioxidant nutrient, has been shown to be effective in slowing the progression of AMD. For this reason, a vitamin regimen high in antioxidant nutrients and especially lutein has been recommended as a possible means to treat macular degeneration.
Saturated fats are very resistant to peroxidation. A high concentration of saturated fat in eye tissue can protect against lipid peroxidation associated with AMD. Coconut oil is higher in saturated fat than any other dietary fat. For this reason, it is very stable and highly resistant to peroxidation. It is so stable that it acts as a protective antioxidant and helps protect against the formation of free radicals.
The oils you need to watch out for are the types people normally use every day - soybean, safflower, corn and other polyunsaturated oils, including margarine and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Even canola oil, a monounsaturated fat, isn’t safe. Olive oil is better because it has a higher percentage of saturated fat.
It’s not just the oils you use in cooking or salads. Packaged convenience foods and junk foods are loaded with hidden polyunsaturated oils. Look at the ingredients in any sauce, dip, bread, cracker, cake mix, or frozen dinner. Vegetable oil is hidden in all of them. Most of us have been consuming these processed foods from the time we could walk.
Saturated fats are very resistant to peroxidation. A high concentration of saturated fat in eye tissue can protect against lipid peroxidation associated with AMD. Coconut oil is higher in saturated fat than any other dietary fat. For this reason, it is very stable and highly resistant to peroxidation. It is so stable that it acts as a protective antioxidant and helps protect against the formation of free radicals.
The oils you need to watch out for are the types people normally use every day - soybean, safflower, corn and other polyunsaturated oils, including margarine and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Even canola oil, a monounsaturated fat, isn’t safe. Olive oil is better because it has a higher percentage of saturated fat.
It’s not just the oils you use in cooking or salads. Packaged convenience foods and junk foods are loaded with hidden polyunsaturated oils. Look at the ingredients in any sauce, dip, bread, cracker, cake mix, or frozen dinner. Vegetable oil is hidden in all of them. Most of us have been consuming these processed foods from the time we could walk.
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