Rant of The Day: Charlatans

Rant of the Day: 

A leading "self-appointed" cutting-edge nutritionist posts a comment on their Fitness Page about "refined coconut oil" being the real deal. Their justification? Because it doesn't taste or smell of coconut and because it doesn't contain cellulose which can irritate the lining of the gut.

I replied with a few statements: 

• If cellulose is a carbohydrate (polysaccharide) and therefore does not exist in coconut oil.  An 100% oil i.e. fat does not contain carbohydrate;
• If cellulose irritates the gut, that's a lot of vegetation we need to avoid immediately;
• Refined (pure) coconut oil is usually heat treated, uses toxic chemicals (such as hexane), is filtered, bleached and processed to produce a much cheaper and less nutrient-dense product than extra-virgin or virgin coconut oil;
• In the majority of cases the less that is done to food, the healthier it is likely to be.

Her fans ask for clarity and a response based around my points.  They ask who is right, as one No reply from her.

I then gave more details depending on the question - with a caveat to do their own research, to use some (un)common sense judgement and not just to take my word for it.

The nutritionist's response? To delete all my comments and all questions relating to my comments (about 20 in total). Nothing like asking your readers to stop questioning and to give advice without any consideration for those who are actually genuinely interested in making better decisions about their health. 

It's not about being correct it is about wanting your audience to be better informed.  If I change my opinion from a previously held view due to improved information this is a blessing not a curse...

If it is important to you, always question, never just accept.

If you are teaching take note of the following:

"Who dares to teach must never cease to learn" -John Cotton Dana