Healthy Cooking Oil Myths and Facts

Healthiest cooking oil

From all the research that has been done to this point, coconut oil appears to be the best oil to cook with. It's the most harmless and nourishing all-purpose oil you can use.

Let's look at some of the myths aimed at coconut oil to demonize it and take away its rightful place as the undisputed "king" of all cooking oils.


Myth: Coconut oil is rich in cholesterol

Fact: For the "nth" time, coconut oil has NO cholesterol and has fewer calories than any other cooking oil. Please help me put this myth to rest.


Myth: Coconut oil increases cholesterol levels and causes heart disease

Fact: People who consume huge quantities of coconut oil like the Indians, Sri Lankans, the Polynesians, and my Bicolano brothers here in the Philippines, all have low cholesterol and rarely develop heart problems.


Myth: Coconut oil is a saturated fat just like animal fats

Fact: Many people, including doctors, don't know that there is more than one type of saturated fat. The saturated fatty acids in animal fats are all Long Chain Triglycerides (LCT) or Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFA).

Coconut oil is 92 percent saturated, mostly Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) or Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA), a rare and special type of saturated fatty acids. The absorption, transport, metabolism and uses of LCFAs and MCFAs are entirely different.


Myth: Olive oil is better than coconut oil

Fact: Not true. Olive oil is not even a healthy cooking oil. You should never cook with olive oil.

Its high unsaturated fat content (77 percent monounsaturated, 9 percent polyunsaturated) makes it extremely prone to oxidation (spoilage), which is involved in the development of many types of cancers.


Myth: Polyunsaturated cooking oils are the healthiest

Fact: False. Polyunsaturated cooking oils are the worse! They go rancid easily and promote cancer by generating huge quantities of free radicals that attack your cells.

Polyunsaturated fat consumption is associated with macular degeneration and encourages vitamin D deficiency. They have an acidifying effect on your body and when partially hydrogenated are transformed into harmful trans fats.