Olive oil versus Coconut Oil

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nelcyn2001
nelcyn2001 Posts: 8 Member
in Getting Started
i've read so much lately about Olive oil not being good for you and Coconut oil being better. But just a few years ago everyone was touting the health benefits of Olive oil. It makes me question the whole coconut oil thing as the newest fad.

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  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
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    @nelcyn2001 I get about 500-700 of my daily calories from coconut oil because when the body breaks it down it produces ketones that can be used for brain/muscle energy instead of glucose. It is anti bacterial, fungal and viral.

    https://examine.com/supplements/coconut-oil/

    Coconut oil is nothing magical be the false statements made about it have been cleared by current science.
  • nelcyn2001
    nelcyn2001 Posts: 8 Member
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    Thanks. I see that it says it can help obese people when they switch. But the effect is temporary. And this is such an expensive comodity. I seeno real benefit from switching. :) I appreciate your input.
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
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    i have both. i cook with coconut oil but olive oil goes on salads ! olive oil can be a little wacko when its heated.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Olive oil is mainly monounsaturated Oleic acid (C18:1) whereas the largest component of coconut oil is the saturated Lauric acid (C12) so there is a fundamental difference. Coconut oil also has ~20% of the medium chain MCTs that Gale refers to (C8 and C10) which don't really act like conventional fats in the body.

    Olive oil's good reputation arises from it being part of the Mediterranean diet and from associations with reduced heart disease when saturated fat is replaced with mono-unsaturated fat. The same evidence isn't there for Coconut oil because it isn't used at a scale sufficient for epidemiology to work and there haven't been many RCTs either.

    Some assume coconut oil is a "bad fat" because it's largely saturated, but it isn't the saturated fat demonised by the epidemiology of the last century.
  • braddougherty71
    braddougherty71 Posts: 4 Member
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    I agree, it's all a little confusing.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    It really doesn't matter. Go with what you like. I use olive oil a lot more often, but cook some with coconut oil where I find it adds to the taste (and some with butter for the same reason). I limit how much I use of all of those, because they are calorie dense and a little tends to suffice. I don't think there's anything magical about olive oil (it tastes good and I agree that it's because of the Med diet, which has overall benefits likely not particularly related to the olive oil), and I think the current trendiness of coconut oil also is not due to any particular benefit it will convey. But both are fine.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
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    p2bnhv7riiq6.jpg
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
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    These are two only two oils that I use, nothing else comes even close.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    edited March 2016
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    In addition to what has been said:
    Coconut oil has a higher smoking point than olive oil. From my understanding, if an oil begins to smoke, it is rancid and can be harmful to your health in the long run because it is carcinogenic. In any case, I use both oils. I tend to use olive oil for salads and sometimes when cooking. I use coconut oil when cooking some foods because I like the taste. If I think the taste is going to be overpowering, then I will use grape seed oil when cooking because it is very mild tasting. I tend to keep a jar of coconut oil around for making popcorn... and I use it as a moisturizer...

    Just to add, since you mentioned the cost - I don't find it any more expensive than extra virgin olive oil. Keep in mind that a little bit of coconut oil goes a long way.

    edited for grammar...
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Smoke point is not rancidity but there may be harmful compounds formed when oils are heater to destruction
  • nelcyn2001
    nelcyn2001 Posts: 8 Member
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    Loved.the cartoon. I have heard the flash point thing before. I really appreciate all the feedback!
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
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    yarwell wrote: »
    Olive oil is mainly monounsaturated Oleic acid (C18:1) whereas the largest component of coconut oil is the saturated Lauric acid (C12) so there is a fundamental difference. Coconut oil also has ~20% of the medium chain MCTs that Gale refers to (C8 and C10) which don't really act like conventional fats in the body.

    Olive oil's good reputation arises from it being part of the Mediterranean diet and from associations with reduced heart disease when saturated fat is replaced with mono-unsaturated fat. The same evidence isn't there for Coconut oil because it isn't used at a scale sufficient for epidemiology to work and there haven't been many RCTs either.

    Some assume coconut oil is a "bad fat" because it's largely saturated, but it isn't the saturated fat demonised by the epidemiology of the last century.

    So the palmitic acid in coconut is different than the palmitic acid in animal products?
  • CLK63
    CLK63 Posts: 23 Member
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    I started using coconut oil a few weeks ago for the many health benefits I had read about. Also it is supposed to help curb the appetite. I put 1 tsp in my coffee in the morning and I have found that I am not as hungry or craving food between meals as I used to be.
  • Slowfaster
    Slowfaster Posts: 185 Member
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    Love the cartoon! I use canola oil. I really don't like the taste of olive oil and I found cocoanut oil a bit of a bother because it was solid when I wanted to pour it on salad.

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