Harvard professor’s coconut oil comments create a furor in India

Chan School of Public Health. But coconut oil is also high

He asked the dean to in saturated fat, which is a take “corrective measures” leading cause of heart disNEW DELHI — When epidemiand retract the comments. ease. Last year the American ologist Karin Michels of HarMichels made “negative stateHeart Association advised vard gave a lecture on nutri- ments against the revered against the use of coconut oil tion in Germany this sumcrop of billions,” wrote Murbecause consuming it raises mer, she probably did not thy. a harmful form of cholesexpect to set off an internaIn an interview, Murthy terol, much like butter and tional incident. said the lecture by Michels palm oil.

But after she called coco- came up at a meeting last Rajesh Muralidharan, a carnut oil “pure poison” and month in Bangkok of the Asia diologist in Kerala, said his “one of the worst foods you Pacific Coconut Community, initial reaction upon learncan eat,” India decided to a gathering of officials from ing of the lecture by Michels fire back. 18 countries. “There was a lit- was “Oh, not again” and to

The comments by Michels tle bit of anguish,” he said. think of all the questions he sparked a mix of outrage and “I wondered what had made would face from his patients. incredulity in a country where her make this statement.” “The answer is that we coconut oil is a dietary staThe skirmish between India don’t have an answer,” he ple, especially in the south and Michels is part of the said. “What we try to tell them (Kerala, a state in southern larger war over coconut oil. is all oils have fat and to use India, can be translated as Starting in 2011, coconut as little as possible.” “land of the coconut tree”). oil went from a little-known A spokesperson for Har

The comments by Michels item in health food stores to vard’s School of Public are “unsubstantiated and a “superfood” that inspired Health declined to comment. inconsiderate,” wrote B.N. its own craze in the United Michels, who is an adjunct Srinivasa Murthy, India’s horStates, hailed for an array of professor at Harvard and also ticulture commissioner, in a unproven health benefits. a professor at the University letter emailed last week to Enthusiasts use it in smooth- of Freiburg, did not respond the dean of the Harvard T.H. ies and even in coffee. to a request for comment.