Coconut….I think of tropics, sun and deliciousness. Do you?
I made a coconut cake recently that used coconut flour and coconut fat (read the recipe here). It was mouthwatering.
So what about coconut fat – is it good for us? Here’s my overview:
I looked at The British Heart Foundation Website and they are saying that more research is needed and not to have coconut fat as an every day fat to replace plant oils.
Confused?
Well I did a bit of digging around and this is what I found:
–in a coco – nut shell (excuse the pun) coconut fat is not bad for us in fact it has positive effects on cholesterol – but from what I read – more studies need to be done on coconut fat before ‘population scale’ recommendations are made
-it has been found that when compared to other fats coconut fat does not raise LDL or total cholesterol to the same extent as butter BUT raises more than a plant oil such as olive oil
-consuming 30ml of coconut fat per day moderately increases HDL cholesterol (which is a good thing!)
-consuming 30ml of coconut fat per day has been linked to a decreased waist circumference in people who suffer with obesity (another promising result!)
-what’s also interesting is that many clinical trials (human and animal) have studied certain fatty acids and extrapolated the results to coconut fat which is incorrect to do so due to coconut fat having a differing composition than the fatty acids studied.
What’s Katie’s advice?
-Well you are not at risk for heart disease if you eat coconut fat, just like all fats, they must be eaten within context to a healthy diet FOR YOU.
-We need fats to be healthy! Don’t forget that.
-It’s so important to have a healthy attitude towards fats. I LOVE them.
-Do not replace extra virgin olive oil with coconut fat but use coconut fat as a second option to extra virgin olive oil and use more so than butter.
-Don’t forget all the other heart healthy fats to get into your diet (stayed tuned for more info on those!)
-So take charge, enjoy and don’t feel guilty about enjoying the coconut taste!
Did you like this blog? Do leave me a comment about your views on coconut fat! I’ve love to hear.
With love,
p.s I’d love it – if you would share this blog post as I would love to spread the coconut news 🙂
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I’ve been watching my weight for about 6 months and have seen some success. coconut oil was new to me and it does seem to focus some weight reduction around my mid-section. I put a tablespoon in my coffee in the morning. It tastes better than it might sound and seems to reduce cravings. This is just a “study-of-one” so who know what will work for you but I’m happy with it.
Katie,
Can you comment on the difference, if any, between cooking with olive oil and using it raw?
Hi Len!
That’s awesome you find a little coconut oil is helping you.
Regarding your question – do you mean if you used olive oil in a salad (uncooked) versus if you used a tablespoon to cook some onions?
Olive oil is a good oil to cook with as it’s heat stable. I have read the when you cook with olive oil it may decrease the level of antioxidants a fraction but they are not all destroyed. The key point is never heat any oil too much though – this is the real problem. Use extra virgin olive oil salad dressings and drizzle a little over food.
Katie