Is Coconut Oil better than Olive Oil for your health? New facts…

Is coconut oil really the “cure all” that it’s been hyped up to be? A recent article in the Washington Post presents some new facts that shows that although “Coconut may taste good,” extra virgin olive oil may be better for you.

Here are some excerpts from Ellie Krieger’s article…

Although it’s been more than five years since coconut oil began its meteoric rise in the U.S. marketplace, the confusion about it has not waned a bit. “Should I switch to coconut oil?” is consistently one of the most common questions that come across my desktop. I spoke with the lead researcher, Laurence Eyres, chairman of the Oils & Fats Specialist Group at the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry, for further insight.

The study found that coconut oil, which is 92 percent saturated fat, raises LDL (bad) cholesterol less than butter does, but significantly more than unsaturated plant oils do.

So when it comes to heart health, Eyres puts it plainly: “It would be dangerous, and rather silly, to replace your extra- virgin olive oil with coconut oil.” [our emphasis] Coconut oil has a lot going for it from a culinary perspective. It has a lovely, distinctive flavor that gives dishes a sumptuous tropical taste. Like other saturated fats, it is very stable in heat, so it is good for stir- frying and sauteing. (Contrary to a common myth, monounsaturated fat such as olive oil is also quite stable in heat, and good-quality olive oil is excellent for high-heat sauteing. )

But one of the biggest things coconut oil has behind it right now, unfortunately for the consumer, is a lot of marketing hype that makes it out to be a miracle food. “There is nothing wrong with coconut oil in moderation, but it is not a cure for everything or a wonder fat,” Eyres says.

When it comes to coconut oil’s impact on cholesterol, you often hear the argument that even though coconut oil raises LDL, it also raises HDL (good) cholesterol, resulting in a neutral — even beneficial — overall effect. But Eyres says butter raises HDL, too, and with coconut oil, “it’s particularly the rise in small LDL particles that are worrisome because they promote the formation of plaque in arteries.

Touching on a broader issue facing the nutrition community, there is considerable discussion as to whether saturated fat, even with its cholesterol-raising effect, is truly problematic and how much it actually contributes to heart disease. It’s a debate you can’t miss, considering all of the “butter is back” cover stories in recent years. But there is wide agreement that even if saturated fat turns out to be neutral when it comes to heart disease, unsaturated fats, especially antioxidant-rich oils such as olive oil, are actually protective, so there is good reason to make them your go-to fats.

So, go ahead and use some coconut oil in a vegetable saute or add shredded coconut to a smoothie — if you do that instead of grabbing takeout for dinner or snacking on chips, you’ll be ahead of the game. Just don’t buy into the coconut as cure-all hype, and do stick to unsaturated oil [like extra virgin olive oil] for everyday cooking.

The Best Choice for your health is Galilee Green Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Get yours now!