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Coconut oil
Coconut oil is derived from the dried pulp of the coconuts.
Types of coconut oil
There are 3 commonly used types of coconut oil:
- Virgin or Unrefined – this is extracted from coconuts without using high temperatures or chemicals.
- Refined – made from dried coconut meat that’s often chemically bleached and deodorized.
- Partially Hydrogenated – further processed and transforms some of the unsaturated fats (the good fats) into trans fats (the bad fat).
Benefits of coconut oil
Coconut oil is classified as lauric oil because the main fatty acid is lauric acid which can be classified as either a medium-chain or long-chain fatty acid.
Weight loss effects of coconut oil
Pure medium chain fatty acids, or MCTs, can increase metabolism and boost weight loss, according to a study conducted at Columbia University. However, the coconut oil that you find in your run of the mill supermarket or at the local health food store, no matter the type, is high in saturated fat–ranging between 82-92%! In fact, it’s considered a solid fat. One tablespoon of coconut oil adds up to more than 11 grams of saturated fats. The daily limit recommended by the American Heart Association is 13 grams. Most coconut oils typically have 13-14% percent of this medium-chain triglyceride. So, people would have to eat large quantities to replicate the results.
Is coconut oil good on a keto diet?
Since Coconut oil has no carbohydrates, with zero net carbs, it is considered an acceptable oil although the overall nutritional benefits and risks have to evaluated for other risks and benefits when it comes to saturated to unsaturated fat ratio. In general, coconut oil has to be consumed in small quantities given significant saturated fat in it, from a cardiovascular perspective.
Saturated versus unsaturated fat - which is better?
Lower intake of saturated fat coupled with higher intake of unsatured fats like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat is associated with lower rates of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD).
Other alternative cooking oils
Most common culinary oils including canola, corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, flaxseed, grapeseed, and extra-virgin olive oil contain significantly less saturated fat than coconut oil.
Portion | 100 g |
---|---|
Protein | 0 g |
Total lipid (fat) | 100 g |
Carbohydrate, by difference | 0 g |
Energy | 867 kcal |
Cholesterol | 0 mg |
Sodium, Na | 0 mg |
Fatty acids, total saturated | 93.33 g |
Nutritional information on Coconut oil
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Food Portal | Food | Nutrition | Diet | Keto | Glycemic index |
NB:Carbohydrate, by difference(total carbs-fiber) is also called net carbs
External links
WikiMD Resources - Coconut oil
Latest research (Pubmed)
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