Coconut Oil

dsak

I started eating Paleo about 4 weeks ago, and I noticed that coconut oil is used in a lot of recipes, and is supposedly better for you to use during cooking than olive oil. I've used it a number of times and while it's OK, it has a bit of a taste to it that I'm not a fan of. Maybe it's the brand I'm using... I don't know. Am I alone here, or are there others who don't like coconut oil? If you don't use it, what do you use (besides butter) when cooking???

strychnine7

While some might consider coconut oil as "better" than olive oil, I would say that olive oil is by no means bad for you. Go ahead and use olive oil, if it makes you happier, I say.

I use non-virgin olive oil for cooking most of the time (well, when I don't have enough bacon grease around). It's cheaper and easier for me to get than coconut oil.

shar140

It depends on what you're doing with it - olive oil is fine to use. Coconut oil is preferred over olive if you're cooking with it, due to the heat oxidizing some of the fat in olive oil.

But yes, butter or bacon grease are good alternatives, too. But butter can burn, it has a lower burn temp than olive oil or coconut oil. You can also try mixing the coconut oil and olive oils.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/defending-olive-oils-reputation/#axzz2UDjzW4P0
I guess I shouldn't worry as much about it?

ahviendha

if i don't use coconut oil, butter or olive oil then i use my unprocessed nitrate free bacon grease.

depends on what kind of flavor i want to infuse in what i'm cooking. butter or bacon grease for red meat, coconut oil for veggies, etc.

are you using virgin (unprocessed) cold pressed? that's what i use, and i love the light coconut flavor. but i love coconut anyways

i wouldn't worry so much about being adherent to whatever new primal/paleo thing people are talking about, just stay true to the tenets and do what you enjoy, and can sustain.

strychnine7

I just happened to check out www.cavemandoctor.com, and one of the scrolling archived articles, at the top of the page, happened to be one about cooking oils. I had never read it. Pretty good info, it looks like:

http://www.cavemandoctor.com/2012/05/27/checking-your-oil-the-definitive-guide-to-cooking-with-fat/

dsak

Thanks for the input.

I do love coconut, but not a taste of it with everything I eat. I do, however, enjoy olive oil... so I may stick with that for my cooking... along with butter and use coconut oil more sparingly.

Thanks for the link to Mark's Daily Apple and the discussion about Olive Oil!!!

craudi

You could always try refined coconut oil which has no flavor at all. I use that when cooking anything that I don't want a touch of coconut flavor in...like my morning fried eggs. Otherwise, just stick with what works for you (unless it's crisco or too much seed oil).

deanna198888

I have been Paleo for almost two weeks and it took a few days to get used to the taste of coconut oil. It is the only oil I have been using but I have been eating a lot of bacon and saving the grease so I cook with a coconut oil/bacon grease combo and it really covers the taste of coconut.