Is Coconut oil for Cooking Good? Dangerous Side-Effects, Benefits

on

Many households in India and America regularly use Coconut Oil for Cooking; Coconut Oil’s dominance in Southern Indian dishes is genuinely remarkable. Even though Coconut Oil is suitable for many things, there remains a big question mark on using Coconut Oil for Cooking.

American Heart Association is known for its credible workaround in creating healthy diet recommendations for the heart. The association recommends consuming less than 4 grams of saturated fats per teaspoon, but when we talk about coconut oil for cooking, it contains 12 grams of saturated fats per teaspoon. And hence, many cardiologists didn’t recommend cooking oil for cooking purposes.

Meanwhile, Other doctors argue that many people living in tropical locations are free from heart diseases and still use coconut oil regularly for cooking. Even the sources that support Coconut Oil consumption never highlight that people in tropical areas have an active lifestyle and consume no processed foods.

coconut oil for cooking
Coconut oil for cooking

We all know the impact of computers on our lifestyle; as humans move towards a sedentary lifestyle, it has become even more critical to choose the right oil for cooking purposes. A sedentary lifestyle is defined as a lifestyle where we are often sitting or lying down.

It has become essential for humans to choose a properly balanced diet based on their nutritional needs in this decade. That is why American Health Association recommendations hold a substantial value even to cardiologists who oppose their decisions.

Why Coconut Oil for Cooking is Bad for you

If you’re living a sedentary lifestyle, stop using Coconut Oil for any cooking or raw consumption. If you are usual to activities like these, using Coconut Oil for Cooking could be a bad idea for you –

  1. Suffering from any Blood Pressure related disease.
  2. Suffering from Cardiovascular (Heart) diseases.
  3. Suffering from Obesity.
  4. Consuming Fast Foods and Processed Foods on regular basis.
  5. Walking less than 4000 Steps in a day.
  6. Sitting regularly for more than 2 hours.
  7. Not burning calories or fat with an active lifestyle.

Interesting Fact: Coconut Oil is used to induce a heart attack in rats and mice for medical research purposes.

So we all know that there are many reasons to avoid Coconut Oil for cooking if you have a sedentary lifestyle. Also, those who’re customary to an active lifestyle should always reevaluate options among healthier oils like Ricebran Oil and Sunflower oil which are considered safe for consumption.

It’s important to use the correct oil for cooking for a healthy heart and good cholesterol. Although Coconut oil is recommended for several things, consumption in controlled quantities might help you if you’re suffering from some ailments.

Why Coconut Oil is Good for You

Centrifuged-Coconut-Oil-for-Face
Centrifuged-Coconut-Oil-for-Face

Even most credible resources didn’t recommend using coconut oil; it could be perfect for your health. If you’re suffering from any of the following ailments, consider getting a dietary recommendation from your nutritionist.

  1. Lipid Oxidation – Vitro LDL Oxidation
  2. Protein Oxidation

Virgin Coconut Oil has a beneficial role in improving antioxidant status and hence preventing lipid and protein oxidation. Polyphenol fraction of virgin coconut oil actually helps in reducing total cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, LDL, and VLDL cholesterol levels and improved HDL cholesterol.

Thus, even though severe health concerns relating to consumption regularly, controlled consumption can be recommended in some cases.

Coconut Oil for Cooking – Is it Healthy ?

For most people who’re living a healthy, active lifestyle and burns up as many calories as any other person on a tropical island would do, choosing any oil won’t make a significant impact.

While using Coconut Oil for Cooking, the extraction process of the oil matters a lot. There are more than five types of products available in the market. Always ask for Centrifuged Extra Virgin Coconut Oil if you’re insisting on using only this kind of oil for cooking purposes.

If you have an active lifestyle where you’re burning as many Fats as you’re consuming, then using Coconut Oil for Cooking could be alright for you. However, if you live a sedentary lifestyle, you can try moving to a healthier oil such as

  1. Sunflower Oil
  2. Rice Bran Oil
  3. Olive Oil

These types of Oils are readily available in the market and can be used for cooking purposes safely because the saturated fats level in each kind of oil is always less than 4 grams per tablespoon.

Benefits of Coconut Oil

Despite the unusual levels of saturated fats, the oil extracted from the pure process involving the least amount of heat has many beneficial properties.

  1. Source of Good Fats.
  2. Keeps You Hydrated with Laxative Properties.
  3. Improves Skin Health.
  4. Helpful in fighting bacterial infections on skin application.
  5. Fights Scalp Infections.

Most of the benefits of Coconut oil for cooking are linked with its users with an active lifestyle. However, the oil indeed has some great properties to assist you with hair and skin health. Hence its usage is recommended only then.

Side-Effects of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is not recommended for people suffering from heart and blood pressure issues. Coconut Oil for Cooking is also not recommended for those who are sedentary lifestyle as it may hurt your weight goals.

There are few apparent side-effects of using coconut oil for cooking are:

  1. Increase Bad Cholesterol.
  2. Increase LDL levels in Blood.
  3. Regular use may result in weight gain.
  4. May increase risk of heart diseases.

Thus consuming coconut oil for cooking is not recommended; you can use Coconut Oil for the Face or Coconut Oil for Hair if you want to use it.

If you are already experiencing heartburn or symptoms like irregular shifts in Blood Pressure after switching to Coconut oil, you should immediately consult your doctor.

And if you want to continue consuming Coconut Oil for cooking, make sure that your lifestyle is active enough to cope with the increased number of saturated fats in it. Saturated Fats are essential for the human body, but their excess may have disastrous side effects.

Can we use Parachute Coconut Oil for Cooking?

No. Parachute Coconut Oil cannot be used for cooking even though it’s a great product. Only using Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is recommended for cooking purposes.

Hence, you shouldn’t use Parachute Coconut Oil for cooking purposes unless it’s an extra virgin variant.

Which Oil is Best for Cooking

Rice Bran Oil, Sunflower Oil, and Mix Blends of Healthy Oils approved by the American Heart Association are considered the best Oils for Cooking. As a general rule, any oil with less than 4 grams of saturated fats per tablespoon is considered safe for human consumption.

Researches Used:

Beneficial effects of virgin coconut oil on lipid parameters and in vitro LDL oxidation | PMID: 15329324 | DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2004.04.010

Share this article
About Dr. Geetika Kothari

Dr Geetika Kothari M.R.C.O.G. (OBS and GYN). is notable gynecologist in Canada with experience of practically 12 yrs in OBSTETRIC and Gynecology extraordinary enthusiasm for managing High-Risk Pregnancy, Endoscopy and Fertility, All major and minor gynecological cases with Endoscopic medical procedure and Vaginal medical procedure with late advances. Dr Geetika Kothari is all around prepared in managing all instances of High-Risk Pregnancy and entangled conveyances. The primary region of intrigue are muddled Obstetrics, Adolescent Health, Fetal Medicine, all sort of Hysterectomy included Oncology medical procedure and Myomectomy, Endoscopic medical procedure, LAVH, TLH, and Laparoscopic barrenness medical procedure. She is equipped for taking care of all sort of obstetrics and gynae cases great antenatal, postnatal mind and advance common labor.

...

Leave a Comment