The Best Coconut Oil Recipes You Need To Try (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to coconut oil to make it taste better? ›

Just grab some coconut oil and add cocoa powder, raw honey and vanilla extract to it.

Sadly, these are refined, bleached, and deodorized in an effort to create a palatable product that can be sold to consumers. Many coconut oils are even hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated! (Avoid these at all costs as the hydrogenation process creates synthetic trans-fats.)

There's no need to refrigerate coconut oil. It'll last a long time—up to two years—in your pantry. Just keep the lid on tight. Depending on how warm it gets where you live, your oil might go from solid to liquid in the jar.

The Bottom Line. Hands down, avocado oil is a healthier option for regular use than coconut oil due to its fat profile and antioxidant properties. Fenn agrees: "We have solid scientific data that supports minimizing saturated fat in the diet to reduce your risk of heart disease and Alzheimer's.

Refined coconut oil is better for cooking because it goes through more processing. It's flavorless and odorless and has a higher smoke point (400-450 F). It's more suitable for stir frying, sautéing, and roasting at high heat. Keep in mind that coconut oil is 100% fat and nearly 90% of that is saturated fat.

Coconut oil has become increasingly popular among people following the high-fat, very-low-carb ketogenic diet. Adding it to your coffee can help you reach or maintain ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body uses ketones — molecules produced from fat breakdown — as fuel instead of glucose, a type of sugar ( 1 ).

Because the shelf life of coconut oil varies depending on its form. Unrefined virgin coconut oil is the longest lasting, boasting a shelf life of up to 3 years when stored properly. On the other hand, refined coconut oil has a much shorter shelf life and should be used within 18 months of opening the jar or bottle.

This is similar to other popular cooking oils. The problem with coconut oil is that up to 90% of its fat content is saturated fat. That's the type of fat that raises LDL or “bad” cholesterol. LDL cholesterol collects in your blood vessels and raises your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.

Instead of butter or olive oil, use coconut oil for making your favorite recipes, like smoothies or even desserts. You can also use coconut oil as salad dressings. Ingesting coconut oil 20 minutes prior to mealtime may increase feelings of fullness, curb your appetite and help lose weight.

What happens if we apply coconut oil on face overnight? ›

Applying coconut oil on your face and leaving it on overnight can help smoothen any dry and rough patches on the skin. It will help moisturise dry skin and make rough skin texture smooth and supple.

For those at risk of or who already have heart disease, the AHA advises no more than 6% of total calories from saturated fat, or about 13 grams based on a 2,000-calorie diet. One tablespoon of coconut oil comes close to that limit, with about 12 grams of saturated fat.

The banned coconut oil brands were found to be of sub-standard quality, adulterated with palm and sunflower oils.

Since virgin unrefined coconut oil is minimally processed, it has more nutritional value than refined coconut oil.

The clear winner in this matchup is olive oil. That is because it is rich in good fat (polyunsaturated fat) and low in bad fat (saturated fat). Coconut oil contains 80 to 90 percent saturated fat. According to the experts, a tablespoon of coconut oil contains about six times as much saturated fat as olive oil.

Olive oil is a better choice for your health than coconut oil. Its health benefits are supported by more scientific evidence. It may lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers, and it is better suited for deep-frying.

Olive oil has more health benefits, such as lowering LDL cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and even some cancers. Extra virgin olive oil boasts a higher smoke point than coconut oil, making it suitable for deep-frying, baking and general high-heat cooking.

The healthiest oil to cook with is olive oil. It's versatile, being used in everything from frying to finishing. It's also rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, and polyphenols, all of which have shown protective effects against cancer and liver, heart, and neurodegenerative diseases (27, 28).