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Coconuts. Sweet, tasty coconuts...
Is it really packed full of health benefits as we have been lead to believe?
Jenny Meyer, a registered dietican at MME Dietitians and Jade Seeliger, Registered Dietitian (SA) from Nutritional Solutions, shares some insight.
The latest food trend is labelling certain foods as "Superfoods", following a celebrity being snapped sipping, or eating it. Although we are quick to munch on these foods as they gain popularity, a range of food is needed for a healthy and balanced diet. 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 oils, still contains a high level of calories so it is important to control your portions.
- Coconut oil contains some medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are healthy fatty acids that are absorbed easily. Still, 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) for 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 byproducts, released when cooking or heating at high temperatures. Coconut oil releases less toxins than olive oil and sunflower oil, but more toxins than canola or avocado oil.
Good to know:
- 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.
