In recent years, olive oil has fallen out of favour in the media/blogsphere while coconut oil has taken over as a favourite. Some of the claims about coconut oil are a little over hyped. Sure it has it’s place, but unfortunately many of the claims are more marketing than science. So what’s healthier, coconut oil or olive oil? Here’s a bit of a comparison between coconut oil and olive oil and why i prefer extra virgin olive oil for most of my cooking.
A bit about coconut oil:
Coconut oil is a highly saturated fat, containing 93% saturated fatty acids. Saturated fat isn’t just one fat – it’s made up of a number of different fatty acids. One of the fatty acids found in coconut oil is lauric acid. Lauric acid increases cholesterol, but much of its effect is on the “good” HDL cholesterol. Consequently, oils rich in lauric acid, like coconut oil decreased the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol (1) – a positive when it comes to risk for heart disease. The downside of coconut oil is that it also contains large amounts of myristic acid which has been shown to increase the “bad” LDL cholesterol. Over all, coconut oil increases cholesterol – mainly the good HDL but it also increases LDL cholesterol.
Another reason some a drawn to coconut oil is the claim by coconut oil company that coconut oil helps with weight loss. They say this is because coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides. These are processed by the liver so a used as energy faster than other fats. Sure medium chain triglycerides found in coconut oil are used more readily as fuel in the body than long chain fats. But this doesn’t make coconut fat burning, as I’ve read in many blogs. Adding coconut oil to a meal or your smoothie will not magically make you burn more fat – you still have to burn off that extra energy it brings you! If you add it as an extra, you’re more likely to gain weight than lose it.
Coconut oil does have some antibacterial and anti viral properties, but this doesn’t mean it can fight bacteria and viruses within the body – more studies are needed. Also note garlic and honey have antibacterial properties. Claims that coconut oil can help fight viruses such as HIV, influenza and measles are simply false. If only it was that easy!
One of the main reasons some recommended coconut oil over olive oil was due to the claim that coconut oil had a high smoke point while olive oil had a low smoke point. The smoke point of oil is just that – the temperature at which the oil begins to smoke. This is important because heating oil above its smoke point produces toxic compounds and free radicals.
Smoke point of coconut oil:
Unrefined coconut oil = 177 ° Celsius
Refined coconut oil = 232 ° Celsius
Generally, coconut oil advocates that you go for unrefined coconut oil as it’s the least processed type.
Smoke point of olive oil:
The smoke point of olive oil depends on the type.
A good quality olive oil has a smoke point of 185 and 204 ° Celsius – and therefore higher than unrefined coconut oil
The beneficial phenolic compounds are not destroyed by heating either.
So aside from the smoke point, why do I prefer olive oil for most of my cooking?
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. It’s thought a diet high in monosaturated fats can help reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors by decreasing triglycerides (fats transported in the blod), lowering total and LDL cholesterol, decreasing inflammation and also increases HDL cholesterol. Extra virgin olive oil contains heart-healthy flavonoids (a type of antioxidants) and vitamin E.
Where I do use coconut oil:
Even though I prefer to use extra virgin olive oil, I do use coconut oil. It’s great for bliss balls and baking, and it can add a nice flavour to Asian style dishes.
For more reading, I recommend Dr Joanna’s post and The Sceptical Nutritionist also has an interesting post here
Featured image from here
What a great post. I really appreciate the balance of your discussion and completely agree with your conclusion. I have been sceptical of coconut oil and have sworn that the proven benefits of monounsaturated fats should not be ignored. As a health and nutrition nut, friends and family have asked me my opinion on coconut oil and have had shocked reactions when i have suggested that i feel coconut oil is hyped up and the truth is that mono fats are still superior. They have been sucked into the hype around coconut oil without learning about the body’s chemistry and the difference in fats and the body’s response to them. Thanks for bringing this information to the everday New Zealander.
Thanks Anna 🙂 It’s so easy to get caught up in the marketing claims. I’ve seen lots of talk about coconut oil yet quote studies using PURE medium chain triglycerides, which coconut oil is not, so it’s not relevant.
So true! I am also amazed by all the false marketing around coconut oil and other product too. That is what happens when you understand science (I have got a master degree in science not nutrition) but I realise that marketing often say stupid things about product not only food. But when it comes to weight loss people trust everything they read. The main thing is the variety of oil we eat to bring the best of each to our body. Like you I am using olive oil in cooking and I like to use other oil in salad like hazelnut oil or even butter on my morning toast. It is all about variety and quantity. Nice article!
Thanks Carine. Hazelnut oil sounds nice! I haven’t tried that before, I’ll have to give it a go 🙂