For the past few years, there has been a lot of media attention placed on the great health benefits of the Mediterranean diet with olive oil. During that same period, a lot of negative attention was placed on coconut oil stating that it is unsuitable in a healthy diet.

Coconut oil comes from pressing the flesh of the coconut, yielding a fresh coconut milk emulsion that is approximately 40% oil. Coconut oil received negative attention because it is one of the few vegetable oils that are saturated. A large majority of nutritionists and doctors advise that saturated fats raise cholesterol levels and therefore should be avoided.

Olive oil comes from pressing tree ripened olives. It has a distinctive fruity, olive flavour and comes in various levels of purity. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat.

There have been studies showing the positive heart health benefits of olive oil. Typically, coconut oil has been taken to task as having an unhealthy impact on the heart. However, one study contradicts this theory. When coconut oil was fed as 7% of the energy to patients recovering from heart attacks, the patients had greater improvement compared to the untreated controls.-1 In addition, populations that consume coconut oil regularly versus other oils have lower rates of heart disease:

“Coconut oil is a saturated fat that is of the medium-chain fatty acid variety. Thus making it actually GOOD for YOU. Medium chained fatty acids are absorbed directly for quick energy, and contribute to the health of the immune system. They are not stored in the bodies cells, therefore, are not stored as fat. Coconut oil actually speeds up the body’s metabolism, making it an excellent partner in weight loss.” (Vibrant Healthy Living Now!)

Some researchers postulate that coconut oil may be one of the most useful oils to prevent heart disease because of its antiviral and antimicrobial characteristics.-2 It has also become a favorite among athletes and those serious about fitness:

“One health benefit of coconut oil that many health buffs and fitness enthusiasts wish to reap from its use is that it promotes faster metabolism of the human body. This means faster burning of body fats.” (From Organic Coconut Oil)

Both olive oil and coconut oil are great choices for your cooking needs. They can provide distinctive health benefits and coconut oil may not be the terrible oil it was once thought to be. Coconut oil is available from your local health store or click here to purchase from Physician’s Preference.

1. JAMA 1967:202:1119-1123

2. Am J Clin Nutr 1981:34:1552

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 11th, 2006 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Health & Wellness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.