Over ten years ago, there was a media battle to turn people and food industries off tropical oils. This included palm kernel and coconut oil, as many industries had previously cooked with these saturated fats. Soybean oil was considered the ‘healthier’ oil, but soon there became an increase in overweight and obese individuals and previous occurrences of heart disease and obesity, so it could not be blamed on the tropical oils. Saturated fat was used in food as a preservative as it prevents against rancidity. Today, hydrogenated fats are in most processed foods and are a prime contributor toward heart disease. Hydrogenated fats are liquid fats that are then hardened and added to products to texture and preserve.
Vegetables oils are primarily made of up polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil is primarily a monounsaturated fats. This is a long chain fatty acid, and while it is beneficial for the heart, it will oxidize and create free radicals when cooked at high temperatures. Keep olive oil for drizzling on salads and pizza. It is high in oleic acid. The body does not easily break down long chain fatty acids and this can lead to weight gain, over the long term.
However, saturated fats like butter and coconut oil do not have to be stored in the fridge. They are the perfect cooking oil, as they can be heated to very high temperatures without the risk of oxidation. In addition, butter is a short chain fatty acid, while coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid. The chemical structure of both butter and coconut oil makes them very easy for the body to break down. When the body consumes short chain or medium chain fatty acids, the energy is used immediately. It is not conserved.
Before you make up your mind as to which oil is the healthiest, do your own research into saturated fats and you will find that the people who eat a coconut rich diet have a lower risk of heart disease than western society. Alternate your oils dependent on meals, but choose either butter or coconut oil for frying, and olive oil for salads and pizza.
