Heir to the throne

I love hearing feedback from readers (if for no other reason than I know someone is paying attention). And recently I’ve heard from several of you wanting to know more about a topic that’s been plaguing me for years.

This contentious issue started long before I started writing the Reality Health Checks and my Logical Health Alternatives newsletter. In fact, it actually began back when I wrote The Hamptons Diet.

You see, my primary goal with The Hamptons Diet book was to set the record straight on fats and oils once and for all.

The whole concept of “fat” in this country is completely misunderstood. And, the so-called “facts” that are out there are devastatingly misleading. So that’s what I dedicated the majority of time and research to when I was writing the book.

And I still firmly believe that the chapter on fats and cooking oils is–bar none–the definitive work on the subject, to date.

And in that chapter, I advocate the use of macadamia nut oil, which–based on my extensive research (not to mention my professional and personal experiences)–I feel is the healthiest cooking oil on the planet.

So why am I telling you all this?

Because there are many people out there who disagree with me and believe that unprocessed coconut oil is the best option. I’ve been getting questions about it for nearly a decade now–including the ones I received recently from a few of you. And the confusion is understandable: There can only be room for one champion–so which is it?

While I’ve never done any official studies of my own, I can safely say that, after having read through years of research papers on this subject, macadamia nut oil has it all.

It is the highest in healthy monounsaturated fats. It has a high smoke point, which means you can cook with it without the oil turning rancid (olive oil, on the other hand, can only be heated to 350 degrees Farenheit). And it has true clinical research proving that it can help reduce cholesterol and speed up your metabolism (in other words, it actually help you lose weight).

So how does coconut oil stack up to all that?

Well, I’m not denying that it has its share of health benefits. For instance, it contains lauric acid–an amazing anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral extract found exclusively in coconut oil and in breast milk.

And it does have a slightly higher smoke point than macadamia nut oil.

But the fact is, coconut oil has no hard medical data supporting its use. And I just can’t, in good conscience, recommend something based almost solely on anecdotal evidence when there is no research to support it.

Because unlike Michael Jackson, the self-proclaimed King of Pop and Howard Stern, the self-proclaimed King of All Media, the controversy of coconut oil vs. macadamia nut oil must be fought in the laboratory. And there, macadamia nut oil wins the title every time.

Simple as that.