Should you use Coconut Oil for cooking: Good, Bad or Ugly?

Much before the world began dubbing coconut oil for cooking as a healthy ‘wonder food, it has been the eye of the storm amidst denigrating controversies around its relationship with a much more misunderstood parameter – Cholesterol.

Today, we have Adam Reeve, well-known fitness trainer & wellness writer, to share all that needs to be known about using coconut oil for cooking.

Coconut oil is now touted as one of the present day superfoods & let’s see if the hype online has anything to do with it. 

Diets like Keto erroneously encourage dieters to consume more fat & fewer carbohydrates. Thanks to this, you might be more inclined to add it to your diet plan. As much hype as it has, it’s best to be informed about its expectations and limitations before using it. 

Additionally, you can use coconut for many other functions apart from cooking. There’s coconut oil for skin and hair because of its moisturizing qualities. However, you need to note which type works for what. 

For example, try the Ezekiel bread keto recipe with coconut oil. It’s one of the most nutritious breads enjoyed by many ketogenics. Also, what’s cooler than grinding your flour from grain?

But, there’s always been a campaign to defame it as the primary contributor to harmful cholesterol levels. Is this true, or is it all hogwash? It would make sense to excavate this well-crafted strategy of the food industry over the decades.

Brief History into the Campaign to Defame Coconut Oil

Once upon a time, coconut oil had lost most of its charm as many believed it was a significant cause of bad cholesterol. The truth is it contains numerous amounts of saturated fats known as triglycerides. 

For a long time, people got it all wrong when understanding triglycerides in coconut oil. During the Great Depression of 1929-1939, the US government was in a frenzy to get more taxable goods. Sadly, it was one of the few that experienced the most excise tax due to the US.

For this reason, many people opted to turn to more locally available like cottonseed & corn, which were clearly affordable. 

After the depression, the lifestyle started changing as people ate out more and relying on frozen dinners when at home. Also, women were no longer staying at home & had jobs, hence spent less time cooking. 

At the same time, saturated fats began bearing the brunt of unhealthy food choices that many people avoided. Numerous studies took place, showing the link between saturated fats and heart disease. It all led to heavy lobbying in the 60’s against saturated fats in vegetable saturates in the country. Also, there was more talk about coconut oil & cholesterol. 

Additionally, those made in the US had a bigger market than imports like coconut oil. With more profits at their disposal, they began a heavy campaign against these in a bid to monopolize the market. Now it was the main culprit that led to bad cholesterol. For decades, these soybean companies brainwashed people with false media campaigns. 

All this lasted until the year 2000 when a research center came around and started busting myths about this healthy alternative. It explains why, today, more people are embracing it for its numerous functions.

Types of Coconut Oil & its Basic Extraction Process 

Coconut oil has managed to make a dramatic comeback and is available today in numerous types. You can get it as:

• Expeller pressed
• Partially Hydrogenated
• Fully Hydrogenated
• Refined
• Non-hydrogenated
• Hydrogenated
• Extra Virgin

All these types are available in stores & vary in quality. You can also try & make your batch at home using 2 methods:

Dry Method

You start by extracting flesh from the shell. After that, you completely dry it out by heating using low heat. Follow this with pressing using a machine to extract it. 

Wet Method

Again you begin by extracting the wet coconut meat. You use a pressing machine to extract the oil and milk. Once that’s done, you use a fermentation machine to separate it from the milk. 

Why Coconut Oil is the Best Oil for Cooking

Before you decide which coconut oil is best for cooking, you must grasp why coconut oil is the best of all others. 

Now that many myths around it no longer exist, you can safely understand it’s the best. Coconut oil health benefits are good enough to be your compass when deciding on this. 

Coconut oil for the skin is a great motivator, but you can also cook with it for healthier options. For example, in keto meals, it can aid in burning fat. Also, it helps you curb hunger and get more good cholesterol. 

Different Aspects behind Cooking with Coconut Oil

As you now decide to trade other oils for coconut oil, get to learn more about cooking with it. Coconut oil, in fact, is great for your heart & can be used for cooking numerous meals at home. However, you must note essential aspects like a smoking point. For example, smoking points vary depending on the type of coconut oil. Refined ones smoke at 400F, while extra virgin smokes at 350F. 

Conclusion

Today, it’s at the top of the list for many people in the Western world as the primary cooking ingredient. Though it had a rough start, many are now opting for it as a healthier option for cooking & many other functions.

Let us know if you have any questions by leaving a comment below. 

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