Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

A place to discuss health and fitness, including healthy diets, etc.
Dharma Flower
Posts: 1035
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2016 9:03 am
Contact:

Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Dharma Flower »

I've been replacing animal fat in my diet with 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil a day. I like to spread it over toast. Is there any evidence to the claim that coconut oil speeds up metabolism and improves thyroid function?
Admin_PC
Former staff member
Posts: 4860
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:17 pm

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Admin_PC »

There was an article about this recently:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nat ... 402719001/
Dharma Flower
Posts: 1035
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2016 9:03 am
Contact:

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Dharma Flower »

Admin_PC wrote:There was an article about this recently:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nat ... 402719001/
This is what the article says, "The problem is St-Onge's research used a "designer oil" packed with 100% MCTs. Traditional coconut oil only contains about 13 to 15%."

From what I've read, most coconut oil today is 50% lauric acid, which is a medium chain fatty acid:
Nearly 50 percent of the fat in coconut oil is of a type rarely found in nature called lauric acid, a “miracle” compound because of its unique health promoting properties. Your body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoa properties. (6)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercol ... 21453.html
Lauric acid or systematically, dodecanoic acid, is a saturated fatty acid with a 12-carbon atom chain, thus falling into the medium chain fatty acids, is a white, powdery solid with a faint odor of baby oil or soap. The salts and esters of lauric acid are known as laurates.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauric_acid
User avatar
Sādhaka
Posts: 1276
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 4:39 pm

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Sādhaka »

Here's a post of mine from another thread:

Sādhaka wrote:Yeah it's best to eat a little of everything, and not obsess.

There are some useful guidelines though:

Eat 100% organic if possible.

Too much dairy is bad, especially if it's not grassfed & unpasteurized.

The body does not process gluten and unsprouted grains very well, contributing to inflammation.

Eat vegetables and especially fruits.

It's good to eat a lot of good fats: unprocessed olive oil, avocados, ghee, grass fed butter, unprocessed coconut oil etc.

Processed/white salt, processed/white sugar, processed/white flour is bad for you etc.
Unfiltered, raw, organic coconut oil is fine.

If the aha, fda, etc. big pharma shills want to regulate things so much, then why haven't they banned high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, and hydrogenated oils? Yet coconut oil is "unhealthy" for you. Just lol
Last edited by Sādhaka on Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Grigoris
Former staff member
Posts: 21908
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 9:27 pm
Location: Greece

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Grigoris »

It's just an oil. Like all foods, if used in the right quantity at the right time it is healthy. If misused or overused...
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
Dharma Flower
Posts: 1035
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2016 9:03 am
Contact:

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Dharma Flower »

Grigoris wrote:It's just an oil. Like all foods, if used in the right quantity at the right time it is healthy. If misused or overused...
Some oils might be healthier than others. There have been articles in peer-reviewed journals suggesting the benefits of coconut oil. In the very least, vegetable fats are healthier than animal fats, as far as I've heard.
jkarlins
Posts: 561
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2016 10:58 am
Location: Amesbury, MA USA

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by jkarlins »

also it's a nice lotion- mix with olive!
User avatar
Thomas Amundsen
Posts: 2034
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:50 am
Location: Helena, MT
Contact:

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Thomas Amundsen »

Sesame oil is pretty nice, too :)
jkarlins
Posts: 561
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2016 10:58 am
Location: Amesbury, MA USA

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by jkarlins »

totally!
Dharma Flower
Posts: 1035
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2016 9:03 am
Contact:

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Dharma Flower »

tomamundsen wrote:Sesame oil is pretty nice, too :)
I like it in Asian food.
User avatar
Grigoris
Former staff member
Posts: 21908
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 9:27 pm
Location: Greece

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Grigoris »

tomamundsen wrote:Sesame oil is pretty nice, too :)
Especially for frying.
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
User avatar
Sādhaka
Posts: 1276
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 4:39 pm

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Sādhaka »

Coconut oil (unfiltered or cold-pressed, raw, & organic of course) is also the best oil for Ayurvedic oil-pulling.
Dharma Flower
Posts: 1035
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2016 9:03 am
Contact:

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Dharma Flower »

Since I am watching my weight, I can't justify all the fat and empty calories in coconut oil. Next time, if I want to spread something on my toast, it will be with non-fat cream cheese. If I use coconut oil again, it will be a small amount to grease a frying pan for cooking.
jkarlins
Posts: 561
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2016 10:58 am
Location: Amesbury, MA USA

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by jkarlins »

Grigoris wrote:
tomamundsen wrote:Sesame oil is pretty nice, too :)
Especially for frying.
sure, or dipping sauce, or throw a little on a cold noodle salad
User avatar
Grigoris
Former staff member
Posts: 21908
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 9:27 pm
Location: Greece

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Grigoris »

jkarlins wrote:
Grigoris wrote:
tomamundsen wrote:Sesame oil is pretty nice, too :)
Especially for frying.
sure, or dipping sauce, or throw a little on a cold noodle salad
The black one is good for these uses, the white/light sesame oil is better for cooking.
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
jkarlins
Posts: 561
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2016 10:58 am
Location: Amesbury, MA USA

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by jkarlins »

ok chef
User avatar
Grigoris
Former staff member
Posts: 21908
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 9:27 pm
Location: Greece

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Grigoris »

jkarlins wrote:ok chef
Strangely enough, I used to be a professional cook and chef's assistant in the past... Mainly though, I just love food!

Black sesame oil has a stronger and nuttier taste than the white one and is hideously more expensive. That's why it is used raw and not for cooking.

In stir-fry, for example, we drizzle some black sesame oil over the food when it is ready for serving so that it maintains the taste.
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
jkarlins
Posts: 561
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2016 10:58 am
Location: Amesbury, MA USA

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by jkarlins »

Well, I'm with you on loving food. I've done some food service work too. Cooking, baking, prep, dishes.

I've spent a fair amount of time in kitchens, more than I'd like. It's been a learning experience, though, and I guess I've learned a few recipes etc along the way. Right now my wife works part time in a Thai restaurant. I consider myself super lucky, in that once a week I get to drop her off, go into the kitchen, and share the staff meal. Real Thai food, pungent, spicy, amazing.
User avatar
Sādhaka
Posts: 1276
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 4:39 pm

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Sādhaka »

Dharma Flower wrote:Since I am watching my weight, I can't justify all the fat and empty calories in coconut oil. Next time, if I want to spread something on my toast, it will be with non-fat cream cheese. If I use coconut oil again, it will be a small amount to grease a frying pan for cooking.
My understanding is that good fats like coconut oil, olive oil, grass fed butter, ghee, avocado, etc. actually help you to manage weight.

The name "fat" in good fats can be misleading making you think that you'll get fat by eating them; but it's not the case.

Also when you read the nutrition info on the label of foods, the label almost never includes the micronutrients, bioflavonoids, etc. giving the wrong impression that the food in question is only empty calories.
User avatar
Grigoris
Former staff member
Posts: 21908
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 9:27 pm
Location: Greece

Re: Is Coconut Oil Overrated?

Post by Grigoris »

jkarlins wrote:Well, I'm with you on loving food. I've done some food service work too. Cooking, baking, prep, dishes.

I've spent a fair amount of time in kitchens, more than I'd like. It's been a learning experience, though, and I guess I've learned a few recipes etc along the way. Right now my wife works part time in a Thai restaurant. I consider myself super lucky, in that once a week I get to drop her off, go into the kitchen, and share the staff meal. Real Thai food, pungent, spicy, amazing.
I LOVE Thai food!
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
Post Reply

Return to “Wellness, Diet and Fitness”