My daughter who is a very healthy and very fit vegan had a blood test recently. The doctor told her that her cholesterol level was high. Her doctor also told her that artificial sweetener can raise cholesterol levels. I don’t know whether my daughter’s doctor told her that coconut oil can also raise cholesterol, but she’s decided she’s not going to eat coconut oil. My husband has had high cholesterol for about 25 years and has been on medication for most of those years. The GP did say that if there is high cholesterol in her heritage, that might be why hers is high. I can’t remember what the number was and I know what some doctors think is high other doctors think is okay. I love coconut oil and bake with it.
What do you all think about artificial sweetener and coconut oil?
Artificial sweetener
My cholesterol was high when I was vegetarian in my 20s and is lower ketogenic/ carnivore. Still high-ish, but better ratio. Carbs play a role in cholesterol. I’m sure there are others who can provide studies. I need to dash this morning.
Some people do react to coconut. It’s a rare sensitivity, but can cause inflammation.
Artificial sweeteners vary from sweetener to sweetener. What sweetener do you use?
My autoimmune conditions became much worse on a vegan/ vegetarian diet. You will find there are several “recovering vegetarians” here who may issue similar warnings. I requested my daughters that they not try it. I’m something of a tree-hugger and I’ve had three lifelong veg acquaintances have or die from serious neurological disorders. Brains need fat. Small sample size to be sure, but alarming all the same.
Best of luck finding a balance. It’s hard to find the right mix in a household with multiple diets.
A high cholesterol level is not in itself a risk. In fact, what research has shown to be the most reliable indicator of cardiovascular risk is the ratio of triglycerides to HDL, which in the U.S. should be 2.0 or less, and in the rest of the world 0.9 or less (it has to do with the units in which the numbers are expressed).
I haven’t heard that any artificial sweetener can raise blood sugar levels. There are other reasons to consider artificial sweeteners not entirely safe in the body, but if you need a sweet taste, an artificial sweetener is still better than real sugar.
There is no direct evidence to show that coconut oil is bad for people. Societies where it is part of the traditional diet are actually very healthy. Coconut oil is mostly saturated fat, which is why it is usually vilified. If you are eating it with sugar, that can be a problem, but on a sugar-, starch- and grain-free ketogenic diet, coconut oil, butter palm oil, beef tallow, and lard are the best and healthiest fats for cooking.
You get that our nutrients we take in can have a direct result on our cholesterol levels. The Big ones for that are Vit C (which is easy) but the other are B Vitamins, Proline and Lysine, which we mainly get from protein sources. There’s more, but those are the big ones. Vegan diets are nutrient deficient diets by design, and out of the laundry list of shortcomings it has nutritionally, B vitamins is a huge one for them, and their protein sources are both inferior, and incomplete in most cases. Even in the case of complete plant proteins, their amino profile is almost always bad, and add to that, plant protein are less bioavailable than animal ones. Everybody that for whatever reason decides to eat that way should 100% have micronutrients testing done yearly, make it a point to eat around 30% above an optimal protein level (which is incredibly hard for a vegan) to make up for the lowered bioavailability of their plant proteins, and their supplement stacks have to be pretty intentional to overcome all the shortcomings of eating that way.
I wouldn’t waste my time worrying about coconut oil or the potentinal of her being on of the few with an issue with the artificial sweeteners until it was verified she’s good otherwise.
This is a post where it would take a chapter of a book or maybe a book to depack. For instance, there’s this idea that “saturated fat” raises LDL. The problem is that “saturated fat” encompasses a ton of fatty acids, both even and odd chain. The fatty acids in coconut are also smaller, and typically that larger ones are the ones implicated in raising LDL.
The most “evil” saturated fat in this regard is palmitic acid (C16:0), which supposedly raises LDL. C16:0 means (basically) that there are 16 locations and the 0 means all of them are full. Saturated fats always have 0 at the end. Meanwhile, the “beneficial” saturated fat is stearic acid (C18:0), as it supposedly lowers LDL.
Here’s a list:
Coconut oil is generally of the smaller versions, lauric acid, capric acid, etc. Not sure what those supposedly do or do not do to LDL.
And there’s Pentadecanoic acid (C15:0), which is supposedly a new essential fatty acid and has quite a bit of research on it showing it is beneficial.
And LDL is influenced by genetics, how much you’re eating (fasting = higher LDL), etc.
I am fine with coconut oil and sugar alcohols (not like I consume much of either), I can’t eat the other sweeteners due to the taste but what I focus on is my apparent health. I haven’t the foggiest idea about my cholesterol or other numbers but as long as I feel okay, it’s enough for me. Some people have high enough numbers to shock doctors and they still may be perfectly fine and yes, sometimes it’s genetics and happens on various diets. If it’s just a high number with any other signs, it may not be a concern - but it’s just my attitude, of course many people aren’t happy with feeling healthy and want to make tests - but as I have read on this forum, the doctors’ idea about what is a good number isn’t always right, to put it lightly.
we use Natvia Stevia powdered sweetener. But my daughter only has sweetener when she eats what I’ve baked, so she’s not doing it always. When she first went vegetarian and then vegan, I made her promise me she would get good nutritional advice from a professional. She is very good at eating the ‘right’ food.
Her Cholesterol is 5.9 (in red) Triglyceride 0.5
HDL 1.79
LDL 3.86
Non HDL 4.11
Total/HDL ratio 3.3
My Cholesterol is 5.9 (in red) also
Triglyceride 1.2
After talking to her today her doctor has told her that artificial sweetener can raise cholesterol, but I don’t understand that. My daughter has decided herself not to have coconut oil as she has been told by her nutritionist that it’s not good for you.
We all know that most doctors and nutritionists who are not on the keto wagon are against fats anyway.
I just thought I’d put it to the forum to see what others’ opinions are.
Also some doctors have different ideas of high cholesterol. A doctor once told me my level was good at 5.5, but other doctors say it’s high.
Thank you all for your interesting replies.
According to AI, "Triglyceride ratios, particularly the triglyceride (TG) to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio, are calculated by dividing your triglyceride level by your HDL level and serve as a valuable tool for assessing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and insulin resistance. A low ratio suggests large, less harmful LDL particles, while a high ratio indicates smaller, more dangerous LDL particles and is associated with higher risk. While a specific universal “ideal” ratio is debated, a TG/HDL ratio of less than 2 is generally considered ideal. "
. I I’m hoping someone else weighs in, I believe the ideal ratio may be different depending on which units are used. But I think your ratios look fine. Total cholesterol is a measure of absolutely nothing useful, and any doctor carrying on about it in the absence of other markers is … In need of some reeducation.
From my earlier post:
A high cholesterol level is not in itself a risk. In fact, what research has shown to be the most reliable indicator of cardiovascular risk is the ratio of triglycerides to HDL, which in the U.S. should be 2.0 or less, and in the rest of the world 0.9 or less (it has to do with the units in which the numbers are expressed).
In this case, the OP’s daughter has a ratio of 0.67, so she is fine. She is well under the 0.9 limit.
I thought my daughter was fine too, I couldn’t understand why her doctor said her cholesterol was high, but she did say that if high cholesterol is in the family then it could just be genetics. My husband has had high cholesterol for years and is on medication
Dr Eric Westman allows for artificial sweeteners in his prescription strength keto treatment. He’s on YouTube. https://youtube.com/@adaptyourlife?si=juBvbuMj8dJoQnGd