Which Is The Healthier Option For Cooking, Coconut Oil or Olive Oil?

Which Is The Healthier Option For Cooking, 

Coconut Oil or Olive Oil?

The Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has been thought of a poor dietary choice due to high levels of saturated fat that leads to increase in blood cholesterol. However, that’s not the case entirely. It has a good impact on your good cholesterol, also known as, HDL. Coconut oil have MCTs that are slightly different than saturated fats as they are processed more efficiently for energy instead of being stored.

Oils and the Cooking Process

Smoke points is the burning point where the oil produces clearly visible bluish smoke. All the oils present have different smoke points that differ from one another. 

When an oil is heated beyond its smoke point, the main structure of fat will start to break down that is known as denaturing. This process will not only cause the production of toxic free radicals but also let oil lose its nutritional value. Free radicals are known to be harmful to health as they damage the cell leading to prevention of normal cell functioning. Without the normal function, it can contribute to disease and illness.

Saturated Fat and the Smoke Point

According to one claim, saturated fats have higher smoke points. Although, this claim has not yet proven. Coconut oil has smoke point of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Whereas oils like virgin olive oil, hazelnut, sunflower and avocado oils are known to have a higher smoke points but are unsaturated points. So, the claim can easily be rejected.

Cooking with Coconut Oil

As we have established that the smoke point of coconut is 350 degree Fahrenheit that means that coconut oil heated below this temperature can be of great use but becomes toxic to humans when heated above this temperature. Apart from that, it is still high in fat and carbs so moderation must be achieved for a healthy lifestyle.

Coconut Oil and Saturated Fats

The fat in coconut oil is 90 percent saturated fat. Fortunately, 72 percent of this fat comes from medium chain fatty acids.

The Benefits of Coconut Oil

Olive oil is not only high in vitamin E and antioxidants but also has monounsaturated fat unlike coconut oil which is six times high in its saturated fat content.

Olive Oil and Monounsaturated Fats

A quarter of fat present in olive oil is monounsaturated fat which has been recognized by the American Heart Association has heart friendly fat. Monounsaturated fat lowers your bad cholesterol also known as LDL cholesterol levels. As mentioned above it is a good source of vitamin E and polyphenolic compounds that will fight and prevent inflammation in the body.

Smoking and Melting Point

As mentioned earlier that smoke points are the safe points for an oil, beyond that value the oil becomes toxic and hold no nutritional value to human beings. The smoke point of olive oil is 280 degree Fahrenheit which is comparatively low than that of coconut oil which is 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Another difference is the melting point of the both oils. Olive oil is liquid at room temperature and becomes solid when left in fridge. However, coconut oil is either a solid or liquid at room

When to Use Olive and Coconut Oil

Olive oil can be used for cooking vegetables and meat at low temperature. However, it is recommended to use the less-expensive olive oil then the high quality virgin olive oil that can be used for seasoning of your meals or preparing homemade salads.

Olive oil taste doesn’t go any good to baked goods but coconut oil imparts a good flavor to them. What you can do is replace the fats in your recipe with coconut oil. By fats, it means your margarine, shortening or vegetable oil.

Which Is The Healthier Option For Cooking, Coconut Oil or Olive Oil?

To sum up, both are considered healthy options. However, limited studies are there to prove coconut oil as a healthy food. Therefore, its best to stick to olive oil. A tablespoon of both have about 120caloires and 14grams of fat according to USDA.