Using Coconut Flour to Reduce Cardio Vascular Risk

Cardiovascular risk can be reduced with coconut flour in these ways:

• Increasing insulin sensitivity (conversely decreasing insulin resistance)
• Improving cholesterol ratios between HDL and LDL
• Reduced weight
• Decreased blood pressure
• Decreasing oxidative stress

This article deals with the first two issues of insulin sensitivity and cholesterol ratios and will therefore be of interest to diabetics or those identified with pre-diabetic conditions.

Insulin sensitivity is a condition associated with diabetes  weight gain and in turn increased cardiovascular risk.  Too much processed starchy carbohydrate causes rapid rises in blood sugar levels.  Body cells become what is called insulin resistant.  In other words, they become unable to take up glucose.

Glucose not absorbed because of insulin resistance gets converted and stored as fat increasing cardiovascular risk.

However, the body and especially the brain craves carbohydrates as glucose levels drop.  Without this quick hit of glucose, fatigue sets in and thinking become fuzzy. Thus people feel the urge to binge out on junk and processed foods in order to satisfy this internal craving for a quick glucose “hit.”

A vicious self-perpetuating cycle is thus established.  People oscillate between extreme highs and lows of blood sugar. Coconut flour is a key ingredient, with its high fibre and low digestible carbohydrate, to control this vicious cycle of blood sugar oscillation.

Insulin is also a key regulator of other enzymes in the body.  In particular it activates that enzyme associated with cholesterol production in the liver.

Reducing insulin production reduces cholesterol production and in particular LDL cholesterol by decreasing the activation of this enzyme.

Of course the medical solution to this issue of poor ratios of HDL to LDL cholesterol is to prescribe statin drugs - drugs used to suppress the same enzyme that creates cholesterol.  Given that a some $10b per year industry hangs off this, it is not surprising that the pharmaceutical/medical industry is disinterested in simple dietary measures that would reduce the production of excess insulin.

However dietary changes using coconut flour in combination with other simple dietary modifications can achieve reductions in excess insulin and hence unhealthy ratios of HDL/LDL cholesterol.

Acknowledgements

Dr Bruce Fife Cooking with Coconut Flour

Dr Barry Sears Omega Rx Zone