Why You Should Be Cooking with Coconut Oil Instead of Olive Oil

By
Connie Trowbridge

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This may surprise you but not all oils are for cooking. People are under the misconception that as long as oil is called for in a recipe, it’s all fair game. So not true. Some oils have certain purposes and are not always interchangeable due to their smoke point.

For the longest time the only cooking oil I ever bought was olive oil. I’d heard awesome stuff about it and if ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It wasn’t until I was cooking healthier meals that I realized most recipes called for coconut oil. Never did they mention any other type. I became curious as to why that was, and upon further research I realized that certain oils are for cooking, and others are for dressings and unheated recipes.

Olive oil has a very low smoke point.

Smoke point means how hot something can get before it starts to smoke, burn or even catch on fire. If the oil gets heated above it’s smoke point, you shouldn’t eat it or consume any food cooked with it. Not only will it taste like chalk at this overcooked point, it’s also really bad for you.

When oil gets heated beyond its smoke point, it starts to break down chemically. It loses most of its antioxidants, releases toxic chemicals in the form of smoke, and becomes filled with carcinogenic free radicals.

Why Coconut Oil is a Better Choice

Coconut oil is one of the healthiest of oils to use for all of your cooking needs and pleasure. I love coconut oil for everything! If I could have a love affair with it, I so totally would! Coconut oil is composed of medium chain fatty acids that are immediately converted into energy by the body. My main squeeze is one of the few oils that won’t turn rancid upon heating, like you just learned happens to our beloved olive oil.

Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, but because of its high lauric acid content, coconut oil does not behave in your body the same way other poor quality saturated fats do. Just be sure to use organic, cold-pressed, coconut oil.

*For those of you that don’t like coconut, or have an allergy, grapeseed oil is your next best cooking oil.*

8 Reasons I’m a Coconut Oil Addict:

  1. My squeeze is also cholesterol free
  2. Aids in weight-loss by speeding up your metabolism. Heck yeah!
  3. Lauric Acid in coconut oil increases your immune system and helps fight diseases (holla!)
  4. Lauric Acid helps prevent against some cancers (I’ll take some of that!)
  5. Increase thyroid health
  6. Increases your bone strength and aids in mineral absorption
  7. It’s antifungal properties have been shown to reduce candida and yeast in the body
  8. It’s antibacterial, antiviral and antimicrobial properties help fight infection and the flu

The Tropics best kept secret!

“Did you know that multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60 percent of their total caloric intake from fully saturated coconut oil have all shown nearly non-existent rates of cardiovascular disease?” –Dr. Joseph Mercola.

Now that’s what I’m talking about. They’re also lean, mean, booty busting machines! If that isn’t enough to convince you to have an oil change, I’ll leave you with this little tidbit… Super, smoking hot Victoria Secret model, Miranda Kerr, consumes coconut oil every day and credits it to maintaining her trim physique…ooh la la.

42 Healing Ways to Use Coconut Oil

Connie Trowbridge
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