The truth about coconut oil

Coconuts. Sweet, tasty coconuts. 

Is it really packed full of health benefits as we have been lead to believe? 

Jenny Meyer, a registered dietican working in private practice at MME Dietitians and Jade Seeliger, Registered Dietitian (SA) from Nutritional Solutions, shared some insight into the benefits. Before you start drizzling your food with coconut oil, let’s take a look at its nutritional and negative effects.

Cooking with coconut oil:

• Coconut oil, like most other oils, still contains a high level of calories and for weight loss purposes, it is important to control your portions.
• Coconut oil contains some medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are healthy fatty acids that are absorbed easily, but there is a larger percentage of the long chain fatty acids, that it neutralises this small beneficial MCT amount.
• Choose sources of unsaturated fatty acids (such as olive, canola and avocado oil) as they have a beneficial effect on health.

Use coconut oil safely:

• Coconut oil is made up of 75% lauric (C12), myristic (C14), and palmitic acids (C16). These have been shown to raise total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Sources of unsaturated fatty acids (such as olive, canola and avocado oil) are a better choice for everyday use.
• Aldehydes are toxic by-products, which are released when cooking or heating at high temperatures. Coconut oil releases less toxins than oils such as olive oil and sunflower oil, but more toxins than oils such as canola or avocado oil, when heated, which are healthier and cheaper options. 

Good to know:

• Remember that the intake of other plant oils and unsaturated fats in your diet should be given preference over coconut oil. 
• Virgin coconut oil is less refined and contains fewer chemicals.
• Consult with a nutritionist or dietician before adding new foods to your diet.

- (Aaqeelah Floris, Health24)