Over the past few years there have been recent discussions around the potential benefits of using coconut oil for cooking. Many health claims have been made about coconut oil such as losing weight, helping with chronic illnesses, and killing certain gut bacteria. However, coconut oil is rich in saturated (bad) fats and are commonly linked with a higher risk of attaining heart complications and are also higher in energy content, making weight control more difficult.
The Australian Heart found recommends limiting coconut oil as its composition is made up of 85-90% saturated fat. This content increases total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and plays havoc within our arteries causing the risks of cardiovascular problems. Saturated fats are not an essential nutrient of the human diet.
It is encouraged that when individuals are looking to lose weight or lower the risk of heart disease, eating a healthy well-balanced diet that provides good amounts healthy dietary fats is necessary. The most common straight forward suggestion would be to include extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) into your cooking or any other type of vegetable-based oil. EVOO is full of unsaturated fatty acids and has the complete opposite effect on our cardiovascular health in terms of reducing cholesterol and helping our arteries.
Some further benefits of EVOO:
- Anti-inflammatory effects
- Can reduce risks of cardiovascular complications
- Reduce risks of strokes
- Not associated with overweight or obesity
It should be noted that a lot of misinformation is easily spread, and you should always seek to gain your dietary advice from a qualified nutritionist or dietitian. Be sure to start to include EVOO in your daily diet and make the swap from coconut oil.
This week’s recipe: Is going to be a salad dressing with a focus on EVOO as the base. It contains a heap of herbs and Dijon mustard that will provide this dressing with a tangy taste that will compliment most salads and you get to enjoy the health benefits from the olive oil that is used, enjoy!
Jump over to this week’s recipe!
If you have any questions about your diet or would like one-on-one dietary advice from your Able Dietician, send us a message letting us know what you’re after and we’ll be in touch to help you achieve your goals!
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