My sister is a great cook and has an interest in food, nutrition and healthy lifestyle such things, and she asks me for nutrition advice pretty often. I am always happy to help her and any other family member who will listen (and those who don’t – maybe someday my Dad will believe me that there are other vegetables besides potatoes). Anyways, my sister sent me a text the other day asking if coconut oil was the healthiest oil to cook with. My initial response was, no, it has a ton of saturated fat! But since coconut oil seems to be one of those “trendy” foods with a bunch of questionable health claims I thought I’d look into it a little bit more.
Types of coconut oil
I didn’t know this before, but coconut oil comes in a few different types – refined and unrefined. Refined coconut oil is derived from the dried meat of the coconut and is usually bleached and deodorized during processing. This type of oil can also be partially hydrogenated (made solid), and this process yields trans fats. Note: any time you see a food or food ingredients that are partially hydrogenated, it means they will contain some trans fats. Remember, trans fats are the types of fat that can lower your HDL “good” cholesterol and raise your LDL “bad” cholesterol.
Unrefined coconut oil (or virgin coconut oil) is derived from fresh coconut meat and processed more quickly than refined coconut oil without need for bleaching or deodorizing. It also maintains more of a coconut flavor and smell.
Nutrition facts, benefits and comparisons
Both refined and unrefined coconut oils have similar nutrition profiles in terms of calories and fat, and are extremely high in saturated fat. In fact, they contain significantly more saturated fat than any other common cooking oil, and even more than butter. Check out this comparison with Canola oil:
Coconut Oil (1 tbsp)
Calories – 117
Fat – 13.6 grams
Saturated Fat – 11.8 grams
Canola Oil (1 tbsp)
Calories – 124
Fat – 14 grams
Saturated Fat – 1 gram
Saturated fat is the “artery clogging” fat that can increase total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease, and we should limit our intake to about 7% of total daily calories. So, if you consume about 2000 calories per day, saturated fat should be limited to no more than 16 grams daily – only a little more than one tablespoon of coconut oil!
Unrefined coconut oil does contain a special medium-chain fatty acid called lauric acid, and there are some claims in regards to potential anti-microbial, immune-boosting, anti-cancer effects it may have. Some of these effects are related more to topical use on skin and hair, but I did some digging on any recent reputable research supporting these claims specific to the consumption of coconut oil and there isn’t anything useful and concrete I can get behind just yet.
Being plant-based, coconut oils do contain some antioxidants. But, there is no research supporting claims to any special benefits from these antioxidants as compared to those from other foods. Antioxidants are more useful and beneficial in their natural state, like fresh fruits and vegetables, as opposed to pills or processed foods. In these cases, they do have potential anti-inflammatory effects and protective benefits against some diseases.
Cooking with coconut oil
Refined coconut oil has a higher smoke point – 450 degrees F as compared to 350 degrees F of unrefined coconut oil – so using it when cooking with high heat is best. Unrefined coconut oil can be used for lower heat sautéing and some baking, and since it maintains more of that delicious coconut flavor, can add a nice twist to some recipes.
Do I think coconut oil should be used instead of other oils? Not really. The high saturated fat content isn’t going anywhere, and there are no proven nutritional benefits otherwise. Coconut oil also tends to be a bit more expensive than traditional cooking oils (my favorite is Canola), so another good thing to keep in mind if you’re on a budget.
As always, though, everything in moderation. As long as it’s not partially hydrogenated, there’s nothing wrong with using coconut oil once in a while to spice up your recipes or try something new!
What are your thoughts? Ever try coconut oil?