Monosaturated Fats and
Saturated Fat Coconut Oil:
Which is Healthier?

But I also believe that some foods are the best of their kind. And when it comes to Fats, nothing is healthier than coconut oil!

All fats and oils are made of fatty acids. One way of classifying fatty acids is by saturation. A dietary fat can be saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.

Each fatty acid consists of a chain of carbon atoms, and each carbon atom can carry up to two hydrogen atoms.

Saturated fats have two (maximum) hydrogen atoms latched onto each carbon atom. Monounsaturated fats are missing a pair. And any higher than a pair of hydrogen atoms missing are called Polyunsaturated fats.

Because it's not lacking any hydrogen atoms, saturated fat coconut oil is very stable. Coconut oil is highly resistant to oxidation and free-radical formation, which makes it an excellent cooking oil.

Due to one missing pair of hydrogen atoms, monounsaturated fats have a weak link in their carbon chain which can have a striking impact on your health, particularly your blood pressure. Polyunsaturated fats like soybean oil have two or more missing links, so the effects can be that much greater.

In a study published in "Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology," Larsen and associates found that monounsaturated fats like olive and canola oils raise blood pressure by increasing platelet stickiness.

On the other hand, 92 percent saturated coconut oil, even when hydrogenated, exhibits less of an effect than corn oil, another unsaturated fat.

Larsen, L. F., et al. Effects of dietary fat quality and quantity on postprandial activation of blood coagulation factor VII. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. 1997;17(11):2904-2909.

McGregor, L. Effects of feeding with hydrogenated coconut oil on platelet function in rats. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 1974 May;33(1):1A-2A.