Some facts about the use of oils

The article "Trans fats out, but others in," (Nov. 19, Daily Herald) from the Wall Street Journal, contains an incorrect statement about tropical oils.

Having worked several years in food technology, I can assure you that palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil, although saturated fats, actually tend to lower cholesterol levels. The reason is, these are short chain saturated fats. It is the long chain saturated fats which raise cholesterol.

This information had been known for years before the attack on these oils began. When a millionaire had a heart attack and was told that the saturated fats in the beef he ate contributed to his health problem, he undertook a highly publicized campaign against saturated fats without checking for scientific evidence. As usual, media jumped on the campaign, and tropical oils were the innocent victim.

My brother, a farmer, profited from the increased demand in soybean oil, and it took a few more years before media realized that we now had trans fats added to our diet instead of beneficial (and better tasting) tropical oils.

Emmit Lehman

Grayslake