Skip the coconut oil

Are you using coconut oil and thinking it is a healthy choice?  Many people I talk to and a number of students in my classes think coconut oil is healthy.  Not true.  If you are using coconut oil, there are many healthier choices.  A recent article on getpocket.com says, Stop cooking with Coconut Oil . 

Why do some people think coconut oil is good for your health?

The article notes that two studies in 2003 claimed coconut oil would reduce your belly fat.  Not only that but coconut oil would rev up your metabolism.  Based on these claims, some health advocates pushed coconut oil and a surprising number of people listened to them.  People started cooking with coconut oil, adding coconut oil to smoothies, and even adding some to their morning coffee.  More claims were provided as to how eating coconut oil would improve your memory , lower cholesterol, boost your immune system and even promote good digestion.    

And those pushing coconut oil were very successful in convincing Americans that coconut oil was healthy.  A survey of 2,000 Americans in 2016, found that 72% said coconut oil was healthy, 15% said no it wasn’t healthy and 13% didn’t know.   My husband says he would have to answer, “don’t know” as he doesn’t know much about coconut oil.  How would you answer that question?

That sounds good so what is the problem?  

Why should you avoid coconut oil?

The problem with coconut oil is its saturated fat content.  Harvard.edu notes coconut oil “contains more than 90% saturated fat”.    Many people don’t realize that saturated fat is worse for your heart than cholesterol.  Saturated fat raises the bad cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease.  In fact, coconut oil has even more saturated fat than butter which has 60% saturated fat.  In a study, the American Heart Association noted that lowering intake of dietary saturated fat and replacing this fat with vegetable oils high in polyunsaturated fats reduced heart disease by about 30%.   Another article, Coconut Oil and Heart Health, stated:

“Coconut oil may be viewed as one of the most deleterious cooking oils that increases risk for cardiovascular disease.  Even in comparison with palm oil, another tropical oil with high saturated fat content, coconut oil increased LDL cholesterol.  Replacing coconut oil with nontropical unsaturated vegetable oils, especially those rich in polyunsaturated fat, will have a health benefit.” 

What are some cooking oils high in polyunsaturated fats that would be good for your health?

One time I was in the grocery store and saw a young couple pick up a bottle of cooking oil, look at it and put it back.  Then they picked up another bottle of cooking oil, looked at it and put it back.  I wanted to go up to them and ask if they needed help choosing a healthy cooking oil.  What would I have recommended?  A cooking oil high in polyunsaturated fats.  Why?  Because polyunsaturated fats help lower the bad cholesterol, LDL.  As noted above, LDL is related to heart disease so lowering it is a good thing.  What healthy cooking oils high in polyunsaturated fats does the American Heart Association recommend?  

• Safflower oil
• Sunflower oil
• Corn oil
• Soybean oil

Two other oils high in polyunsaturated fats are walnut oil and cottonseed oil.

How can you be sure to include these oils in your diet?  The American Heart Association has some suggestions (adapted from AHA) 

• Salad dressings – make your own salad dressings with one of the above heart-healthy oils
• Cook with these oils – bake, broil, grill, sauté, stir fry using one of these oils
• Have a cast iron pan?  Season it with one of the above oils
• Read ingredient labels – look for these oils in the foods you buy.  Why are Sunchips healthy?  Not only are they whole grain, but they are made using heart healthy oils such as Sunflower oil.

When you go to the grocery store this week, pick up some cooking oil that is good for your heart.  We now use both Olive Oil and Corn oil in our kitchen.  Olive oil for things like salads and corn oil for sauteing foods.  Have some left-over coconut oil?  It makes a good skin moisturizer.  My daughter used to use it on her dog to make its coat nicer.  WebMD notes coconut oil is “possibly effective” in treating eczema.    

Read ingredients and look for heart healthy oils. 

Sources:  , Stop cooking with Coconut Oil , claims , survey of 2,000 Americans in 2016 , Harvard.edu , noted , Coconut Oil and Heart Health , cooking oils , suggestions , Sunchips , eczema   Image Sources:  Coconut oil , Heart Healthy oils , Sunchip ingredients