Coconut oil v/s olive oil...which is better?

MizTerry
MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
in Food and Nutrition
There are great points to both for the skin and for cooking. I know coconut can take higher heat, but otherwise, which is better for you?

Replies

  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
    There are great points to both for the skin and for cooking. I know coconut can take higher heat, but otherwise, which is better for you?

    Better for what? I mean gram for gram they have the same number of calories, so for weight loss/gain they are equivalent. I can also tell you coconut oil is able to be absorbed by your hair much better than olive oil, so when I want to do a deep treatment, thats what I reach for. And coconut oil makes my pineapple upside down cake taste AMAZING. But for heart health, olive oil has more research to support. Doesn't mean non hydrogenated coconut oil isn't good, because the structure of it is different than your average saturated fat, but research is inconsistent and no longitudinal studies that I'm aware of have been performed. Coconut oil isn't exceptionally bad like earlier research made it out to be though, because that was on hydrogenated oil which is of course trans fat.
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
    Thank you.
  • alaskaang
    alaskaang Posts: 493 Member
    Both are great! For the most part, each has a distinct flavor which is more suitable to certain uses. I love coconut oil for frying squash, sweet potato pancakes and anything else with sweet tones. Olive oil is my go to for salad dressings, mayo and as a butter substitute.

    As far as one being better than the other, the only other thing I've heard is that coconut oil is supposed to be thermogenic and help with weight loss.

    As for non food use - I use both in making soap, olive oil in my bath and coconut oil on my hair. :smile:
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    different plants have different combinations of micronutrients. So if it's a choice between two plant foods, choose both.

    I can't get coconut oil so I cook in olive oil.
  • Shadowknight137
    Shadowknight137 Posts: 1,243 Member
    I find both rather tasteless.

    May as well cook with some lard, or butter. Mmm... Butter.
  • alaskaang
    alaskaang Posts: 493 Member
    I find both rather tasteless.

    May as well cook with some lard, or butter. Mmm... Butter.

    Lard is awesome! We use it whenever we deep fry wings - aka every party we go to. LOL
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
    virgin coconut oil is better for fat loss due to having 66% medium chain triglyerides.
    MCT's are used primarily for energy and are not stored as fat, for that reason they also help with muscle maintenance.

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