Coconut oil and weight loss

lynn1643
lynn1643 Posts: 36 Member
in Food and Nutrition
found this at Whole Foods and I am intrigued! It is about the same calories/fat at regular peanut butter. I was wondering if anyone else has tried using coconut oil in their diet and noticed any differences or weight loss. I would love to cook with it but someone in my family is allergic. I thought this might be a good substitution!


This seems to b e a controversial topic!
«1345

Replies

  • lynn1643
    lynn1643 Posts: 36 Member
    Bump
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    It's just an oil. It has the interesting property of being a semi-solid at room temperature and becoming liquid at skin temperature. If this gives you any ideas, you must have read The Joy of Sex.

    It is often used in my neighborhood as a skin cream, especially for people with dry skin - around the elbows and knees in particular.

    It doesn't taste like much of anything.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
    Oil, is the most calorie dense food you can eat, at 4 thousand calories a pound. I don't see anyone losing weight using oil in their food.

    Sorry.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    Yes it is controversial so I tend to be careful and not have too much but it is really good for any high temperature cooking which most oils aren't so I use it then.

    I'd love to know for sure if it's good to use more of it.
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
    The studies I have read on it (and there isn't much) all say pretty much the same thing. It's really good to use externally on the skin, but has no greater benefit than other healthy fats if ingested.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
    Yes it is controversial so I tend to be careful and not have too much but it is really good for any high temperature cooking which most oils aren't so I use it then.

    I'd love to know for sure if it's good to use more of it.

    I try never to use oil as it deters my weight loss (too many calories).

    As for cooking with it, I threw all my oil away. Cooking oil included. It just isn't worth all those calories.
  • jus_in_bello
    jus_in_bello Posts: 326 Member
    Oil, is the most calorie dense food you can eat, at 4 thousand calories a pound. I don't see anyone losing weight using oil in their food.

    Sorry.


    False. It's really good for your GI tract, skin, and has some healing properties. It's highly recommended for people with gluten issues as raw coconut oil can repair the damage done by gluten, we'll never been "healed" because it's an auto-immune condition but eating coconut oil healed me enough that I can eat eggs and dairy again.

    The brain needs fat to function and coconut oil is a great source, a table spoon a day is good, I have a friend who uses three table spoons a day and she's losing weight.
  • jus_in_bello
    jus_in_bello Posts: 326 Member
    Yes it is controversial so I tend to be careful and not have too much but it is really good for any high temperature cooking which most oils aren't so I use it then.

    I'd love to know for sure if it's good to use more of it.

    I try never to use oil as it deters my weight loss (too many calories).

    As for cooking with it, I threw all my oil away. Cooking oil included. It just isn't worth all those calories.

    Dude, how do you use oil? It's not that many calories if you use it in the correct amount, and it's incredibly good for your body, especially coconut oil!
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
    I put a TBSP of extra virgin coconut oil in my oatmeal every morning. Sometimes I have it again in the afternoon in my protein shake if I still need more calories. Doesn't hinder my weightloss at all that I've noticed, and it's delicious.

    If the coconut oil you have isn't flavorful, you aren't buying the right one! ;)
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
    Yes it is controversial so I tend to be careful and not have too much but it is really good for any high temperature cooking which most oils aren't so I use it then.

    I'd love to know for sure if it's good to use more of it.

    I try never to use oil as it deters my weight loss (too many calories).

    As for cooking with it, I threw all my oil away. Cooking oil included. It just isn't worth all those calories.

    Dude, how do you use oil? It's not that many calories if you use it in the correct amount, and it's incredibly good for your body, especially coconut oil!

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fats-and-oils/508/2

    It's a 100% fat.

    I think this discussion is over.
  • StevLL
    StevLL Posts: 921 Member
    Been having great success with the organic coconut oil. We use organic EVOO for most of our cooking and the coconut oil for making peanut butter as it has a nuttyl taste or as a carrier for essential oils etc. Yes it's high in calories, but our bodies do need a certain amount of fats derived from plants. I'm not losing weight super fast, but overall steady and I haven't given up any foods other than gluten and packaged products.

    I thinks it's great and Wal-mart has an organic coconut oil for about $8/16oz, so it's not bad. The Olive oil we get through Bountiful baskets and it's $24/gal.

    In small amounts oil is perfectly fine. It beats anything loaded with ingredients you can't pronouce that's considered low-fat.
    Moderation is the key to success, not denying yourself for the rest of your life. Of course that's just my humble layman opinion. :-)
  • orapronobis
    orapronobis Posts: 460 Member
    The information that I have on coconut oil comes from Dr. Mary Newport. Her husband has Alzheimers and in searching for something to help him, she discovered that the MCT's in coconut oil can get through the blood/brain barrier and nourish brain cells. Her husband has had significant and sustained cognitive improvement. You can read about her research and her husband's improvement in her book. I borrowed it from the library. The title is something like "Alzheimer's Disease. What if there was a cure?" She also has a website with information: coconutketones.com.

    Coconut oil, like all oils is very high in calories, so you have to calculate it into your daily totals. If you do decide to start using coconut oil, check out the baking aisle at Walmart. They carry the LouAnn brand, and it is the lowest price I have found anywhere, inluding the internet.
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    I love coconut oil. I use it all the time. I use it anywhere I would normally use butter just to use something different. (I still use butter too)

    I also use it on my skin and it smells delicious.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
    Oil, is the most calorie dense food you can eat, at 4 thousand calories a pound. I don't see anyone losing weight using oil in their food.

    Sorry.


    False. It's really good for your GI tract, skin, and has some healing properties. It's highly recommended for people with gluten issues as raw coconut oil can repair the damage done by gluten, we'll never been "healed" because it's an auto-immune condition but eating coconut oil healed me enough that I can eat eggs and dairy again.

    The brain needs fat to function and coconut oil is a great source, a table spoon a day is good, I have a friend who uses three table spoons a day and she's losing weight.

    If coconut is that good for you, eat coconuts.
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
    Yes it is controversial so I tend to be careful and not have too much but it is really good for any high temperature cooking which most oils aren't so I use it then.

    I'd love to know for sure if it's good to use more of it.

    I try never to use oil as it deters my weight loss (too many calories).

    As for cooking with it, I threw all my oil away. Cooking oil included. It just isn't worth all those calories.

    Dude, how do you use oil? It's not that many calories if you use it in the correct amount, and it's incredibly good for your body, especially coconut oil!

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fats-and-oils/508/2

    It's a 100% fat.

    I think this discussion is over.

    http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/why-your-body-needs-some-fat-to-be-healthy.html

    Well. Yeah. NOW it is. :laugh:
  • meglet175
    meglet175 Posts: 98
    Healthy fats are an important component of any diet. My youngest son's ADHD symptoms are much improved if we make sure to get good fats in his diet. Peanut butter and fish oil supplements have been effective, but after reading all these posts, I'm going to pick up some coconut oil and swap it out for some of the other oils we use in cooking.
  • jesusHchris
    jesusHchris Posts: 1,405 Member

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fats-and-oils/508/2

    It's a 100% fat.

    I think this discussion is over.

    That's it folks, end of discussion! We all know that there is a direct path from your mouth to belly and butt. Any fat you eat squeezes into this track and is deposited there directly. Thanks for pointing this out.

    (I use it on toast, delicious)
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Yes it is controversial so I tend to be careful and not have too much but it is really good for any high temperature cooking which most oils aren't so I use it then.

    I'd love to know for sure if it's good to use more of it.

    I try never to use oil as it deters my weight loss (too many calories).

    As for cooking with it, I threw all my oil away. Cooking oil included. It just isn't worth all those calories.

    Dude, how do you use oil? It's not that many calories if you use it in the correct amount, and it's incredibly good for your body, especially coconut oil!

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fats-and-oils/508/2

    It's a 100% fat.

    I think this discussion is over.

    http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/why-your-body-needs-some-fat-to-be-healthy.html

    Well. Yeah. NOW it is. :laugh:

    BOOM! Love it! Thanks for ending it with something that indicates it is OK TO EAT FAT!
  • rudegyal_b
    rudegyal_b Posts: 593 Member

    It doesn't taste like much of anything.

    thats only if you get regular coconut oil, the extra virgin kind tastes like coconuts
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
    yeah, if you do a google scholar search, you will find studies. The weight loss part has pretty much been debunked. It does, however, have anti-microbial properties. Still, it is really good to use on the skin.

    THAT BEING SAID. If you buy the partially hydrogenated coconut oil, you are ingesting trans fat. You must use raw coconut oil in order to get the health benefits.

    The only people I know who use it cook with it because of the subtle flavor it adds. Not for health reasons.
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
    For example, if these so called "health experts" that admonish fat are correct, and a low-fat diet is the solution to good health, then why did traditional Pacific Islanders who typically obtained 2/3 to 3/4 of their total daily calories from fat (mostly from coconut fat), remain virtually free from heart disease, obesity, and other modern degenerative diseases (that is, until Western dietary influences invaded)?
    http://www.truthaboutabs.com/dietary-fat-article.html

    Or maybe NOW it is...
  • TheDeviation
    TheDeviation Posts: 149
    Coconut oil is great to cook with or add to foods. It does add a nice little taste (hard to describe) to otherwise bland foods. In fact, before the health gestapo stepped in, they used to make movie theater popcorn with it. If you've ever popped corn at home, you know the oil makes a difference.

    A bonus of coconut oil is it's (really) low melting point. This means you can lightly cook your foods or easily add it to other prepared foods.

    Yes it's higher in saturated fats than, say, olive oil. Saturated fats are not evil. Do some research/reading and you'll see the many roles they play.

    If a tbsp will make or break your calories for the day, you probably need to pay more attention to what you're eating.
    Oil, is the most calorie dense food you can eat, at 4 thousand calories a pound. I don't see anyone losing weight using oil in their food.

    Sorry.
    Just cooking or using oil doesn't make you fat. It doesn't matter what oil it is. Quit spouting off falsehoods.
    I try never to use oil as it deters my weight loss (too many calories).

    As for cooking with it, I threw all my oil away. Cooking oil included. It just isn't worth all those calories.

    Dude, how do you use oil? It's not that many calories if you use it in the correct amount, and it's incredibly good for your body, especially coconut oil!
    Wondering the same thing. People are scary on here.
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
    BOOM! Love it! Thanks for ending it with something that indicates it is OK TO EAT FAT!

    but it is common knowledge that healthy fats are......um............wait for it.....................healthy.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
    Yes it is controversial so I tend to be careful and not have too much but it is really good for any high temperature cooking which most oils aren't so I use it then.

    I'd love to know for sure if it's good to use more of it.

    I try never to use oil as it deters my weight loss (too many calories).

    As for cooking with it, I threw all my oil away. Cooking oil included. It just isn't worth all those calories.

    Dude, how do you use oil? It's not that many calories if you use it in the correct amount, and it's incredibly good for your body, especially coconut oil!

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fats-and-oils/508/2

    It's a 100% fat.

    I think this discussion is over.

    http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/why-your-body-needs-some-fat-to-be-healthy.html

    Well. Yeah. NOW it is. :laugh:

    So go ahead and eat 100% fat and see if you lose weight. There is essential fat found in plants, but we are talking about oil that is 100% fat.

    If you are bone skinny, yes you need fat. How many here are bone skinny? I read the page and it doesn't give any recommendations as to how to eat it if you are at a certain level of health and weight. So I repeat, oil, when we talk about calories, is too high and not worth it.

    If you want to ingest oil that clogs up your arteries and packs in the calories, go for it.
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
    PS. I am losing weight and not just using oil, but using COCONUT oil in my food.

    Consider yourself DEBUNKED. :bigsmile:
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,607 Member
    I LOVE COCONUT OIL. hawaiian tropic is my favorite. I love the way it smells.. like summertime... I love the greasy ooze.. luvluvluv coconut oil..
  • StevLL
    StevLL Posts: 921 Member
    We use it in our coffee too, but it's important to get the cold pressed oil that hasn't been heated to be exracted.
    Fats are not the enemy, huge amounts of anything are!

    Ps... it's great for a massage oil and well,....:bigsmile: :blushing: :devil: that could lead to excercise!
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
    PS. I am losing weight and not just using oil, but using COCONUT oil in my food.

    Consider yourself DEBUNKED. :bigsmile:

    I am willing to bet you are eating healthy foods along with that coconut oil AND I bet you throw in a little exercise here and there. SMH
  • micheleyarbrough
    micheleyarbrough Posts: 4 Member
    I just used it tonight on my chicken fired steak and made amazing gravy with it. Only buy organic coconut oil. It boosts metabolism and gives you energy. I replace coconut oil with other oils even in baking. I just started MFP so I don't know if it's affected my weight
    loss.

    Jordan Rubin on Coconut Oil
    Here's why I recommend coconut oil:

    Foods cooked in coconut oil taste better longer. If left at room temperature unsaturated oils turn rancid fairly quickly. However, even after one yeaer at room temperature, coconut oil shows no evidence of rancidity. Coconut oil is packed with antioxidants, and it also reduces the body' need for vitamin E.
    Coconut oil stimulates thyroid function which, in turn, stimulates conversion of production of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol into the anti-aging prohormones and hormones pregnenolone, progesterone and dehydropeiandrosterone (DHEA). These valuable agents prevent heart disease, senility, obesity, cancer and other diseases associated with premature aging, as well as chronic, degenerating diseases.
    Another benefit from coconut oil's unique ability to support thyroid function is weight loss. In the 1940s, farmers tried coconut oil to fatten their animals but discovered that it made them lean and active and increased their appetite, notes an expert. Whoops! Then they tried an anti-thyroid drug. It made the livestock fat with less food but was found to be a carcinogen (cancer-causing drug). In the late 1940s, it was found that the same anti-thyroid effect could be achieved by simply feeding animals soybeans and corn.
    Coconut oil protects against cancer. Generally speaking, animals fed unsaturated oils develop more tumors.
    Coconut oil has tremendous antiviral properties. Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids such as lauric, caprylic, and capric acids. Of these three, coconut oil contains 40-55 percent lauric acid which has the greatest antiviral activity of these three fatty acids. Lauric acid is so adept at fighting viral pathogens it is present in large quantities in breast milk. The body converts lauric acid to a fatty acid derivative (monolauric), which is the substance that protect infants and adults alike from viral, bacterial, or protozoal infections.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    I like to add some to peanut butter, mix it up, and chow down when I need to get caught up on calories for the day.

Categories