Coconut oil...

[OldBaldHippie]

Trending...a fad?...oh what the heck...I ordered some from amazon to try...cook with it or just slug down a tablespoon or two...supposed to be good for you and help with weight loss...

[crazypants]

My sister is huge on food fads. She convinced me to start cooking with it. Then my girlfriend who is a dietitian talked to me about research showing how bad it is for you. I switched back to olive oil and canola oil.

[merigayle]

fad. I see people using it for everything, including sunblock, which sounds like a VERY VERY bad idea.

[crazypants]

OBH- Use it, but use it in moderation. It's lard, so use the same way you'd use butter. A small pat will get you far.

[leggova]

How is it lard? Lard is animal fat isn't it?

[GreenMan]

According to this, coconut oil's bad rep came from research on the partially hydrogenated kind -- you don't want hydrogenated oils. The virgin kind is a lot friendlier.

[harmony]

I use it for baking in one cookie recipe in particular.  Never tried it with anything else.

[The Turtle Whisperer]

It gets lots of press as a sex lube... so, if you don't like how it's working in the kitchen... 

[cgraz]

Isn't it the big thing for paleo cooking? Instead of using other kinds of oil or butter, cooking with coconut oil is preferred...

I have no idea why.

[merigayle]

Isn't it the big thing for paleo cooking? Instead of using other kinds of oil or butter, cooking with coconut oil is preferred...

I have no idea why.

that is how the cavemen cooked on their stoves, with coconut oil! duh!

[Run Amok]

I use it sometimes... But, it's not my fave. I still prefer olive oil for cooking.

[crazypants]

I use it sometimes... But, it's not my fave. I still prefer olive oil for cooking.

Olive Oil has been my standard oil.
I started toying with canola oil for veggies specifically because it has a higher smoke point, and I've been experimenting with using higher heat for a shorter time to flash the veggies and keep some crispness in them.

[onawhim]

I put it on my hair 

[caribougrrl]

Olive Oil has been my standard oil.
I started toying with canola oil for veggies specifically because it has a higher smoke point, and I've been experimenting with using higher heat for a shorter time to flash the veggies and keep some crispness in them.

I hate HATE the taste of canola oil.  I use sunflower oil when I don't want the richness of olive oil... and peanut oil for frying stuff.

[Run Amok]

I'm also not a fan of canola because of the controversy surrounding canola/rapeseed. I also choose sunflower.

I don't really have too much trouble cooking veggies quickly in olive oil and just don't hit the smoke point. I like most veggies just warm and still pretty firm in the middle.

[radial]

I've been cooking with it for the past 6 months or so.  It is more heat stable than olive oil, so it works better for frying stuff.  Also, you can just leave it sitting around at room temperature pretty much forever without it going bad.  I have a big jar of it that I leave out on the counter next to the stove and dip into whenever I need to keep something from sticking to a pan. 

[Dagstag v 2.0]

I like it. I make chocolate cashew milk and other nut milks and sometimes blend it in.

Also have used it in baking before.

[Magic Microbe]

Trending...a fad?...oh what the heck...I ordered some from amazon to try...cook with it or just slug down a tablespoon or two...supposed to be good for you and help with weight loss...

That is equivalent to eating butter. Not healthy.

and how can any fat / oil help with weight loss? That makes no sense.

[rocketgirl]

Aren't x calories from fat more satisfying/filling than the same x calories from carbs?

[Magic Microbe]

Aren't x calories from fat more satisfying/filling than the same x calories from carbs?

People say this but a calorie is a calorie. And are people really filled up by eating a spoonful of oil?

[merigayle]

the thought of taking a slug of oil makes me wanna wretch.

[Magic Microbe]

the thought of taking a slug of oil makes me wanna wretch.

Maybe that is how it helps with weight loss. 

[onawhim]

the thought of taking a slug of oil makes me wanna wretch.

It is solid at room temp though so it is more like eating butter.  Which probably does not help 

[diablita]

no no no 

[OldBaldHippie]

I just melted a spoonful, added some honey, juice and chia seeds in a glass and drank it...not bad...

[radial]

I take a slug of fish oil every morning.  I'm pretty sure it is more helpful than harmful.  Of course there are calories involved.  But is good nutrition solely about the calories?  If so, I'm going to get my daily allotment by eating ice cream topped with whipped cream and Grand Marnier. 

[Magic Microbe]

It is full of saturated fat which isn't really good for you.

[radial]

Fish oil isn't full of saturated fat.  I'm not sure where that idea comes from.  Or maybe you are talking about coconut oil?  The fats in coconut oil are mostly saturated, but there is some question about whether those particular fats are more helpful than harmful.  Google around, and I think you'll find that the thinking is getting a little more sophisticated than the old school view that all forms of saturated fat are bad for you. 

[Magic Microbe]

Fish oil isn't full of saturated fat.  I'm not sure where that idea comes from.  Or maybe you are talking about coconut oil?  The fats in coconut oil are mostly saturated, but there is some question about whether those particular fats are more helpful than harmful.  Google around, and I think you'll find that the thinking is getting a little more sophisticated than the old school view that all forms of saturated fat are bad for you. 

Every single major health organization worldwide disagrees with you as do the actual peer reviewed scientific studies and reviews.

[Dagstag v 2.0]

Everything I have read says that it's not terrible as long as you don't drink a cup every day.  Something about how the studies done on it used hydrogenated oil, which has a different effect on the body than unrefined oil?  I don't know, I'm not a doctor.

[GreenMan]

Everything I have read says that it's not terrible as long as you don't drink a cup every day.  Something about how the studies done on it used hydrogenated oil, which has a different effect on the body than unrefined oil?  I don't know, I'm not a doctor.

Yeah those were the studies that got publicity in the '90s when movie popcorn was first coming under scrutiny.

According to Wikipedia, there ARE differences among saturated fats -- those in unhydrogenated coconut oil are mainly lauric acid and medium-chain triglycerides, which may be less damaging than other sat fats. This is way outside my area of expertise, though.

[onawhim]

Has anyone tried that coconut cream?  Omg it is good.   

[Magic Microbe]

Yeah those were the studies that got publicity in the '90s when movie popcorn was first coming under scrutiny.

According to Wikipedia, there ARE differences among saturated fats -- those in unhydrogenated coconut oil are mainly lauric acid and medium-chain triglycerides, which may be less damaging than other sat fats. This is way outside my area of expertise, though.

May be is the key word. There is little to no real research saying this.

And honestly taking an oil just for supposed health benefits is a bad idea. Use a bit to cook with...fine but throwing it in everything or straight up eating it because it is a new fad is asking for trouble.

[radial]

Every single major health organization worldwide disagrees with you as do the actual peer reviewed scientific studies and reviews.

Every single one?  Dang, I'm good! 

[Magic Microbe]

Every single one?  Dang, I'm good! 

It does in fact appear so.
When the science is there I may be convinced but it just isn't.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/coconut-oil-and-health

[Dagstag v 2.0]

Has anyone tried that coconut cream?  Omg it is good.

What is this you speak of?!

[radial]

It does in fact appear so.
When the science is there I may be convinced but it just isn't.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/coconut-oil-and-health

Interesting article, but I didn't see the part where it suggests that eating coconut oil "is equivalent to eating butter."  In fact, it quotes one researcher as saying, "Coconut oil is better than butter and trans fats."  So even though the scientific research on the subject is still a little thin, apparently there is enough evidence for some scientists to say that coconut oil is a healthier option for frying stuff than butter, margerine, bacon fat, Crisco, or any number of other less healthy choices.  Good enough for me. 

[Magic Microbe]

Interesting article, but I didn't see the part where it suggests that eating coconut oil "is equivalent to eating butter."  In fact, it quotes one researcher as saying, "Coconut oil is better than butter and trans fats."  So even though the scientific research on the subject is still a little thin, apparently there is enough evidence for some scientists to say that coconut oil is a healthier option for frying stuff than butter, margerine, bacon fat, Crisco, or any number of other less healthy choices.  Good enough for me. 

You are misinterpreting what I said. I was implying that you should never eat a fat just for intended health benefits because there really is no proof that there is any. Replacing less healthy options is a different animal yet it is still considered "healthier" to eat fats like olive oil than coconut oil. There was some talk of eating it straight. That is not a good idea.

[droopy]

 MCTs * are metabolized differently than most other fatty acids. There have been a few studies that show that there can be very specific situations were this is advantageous. IMO (with little basis) those situations are do not apply to a whole lot of people.

* Medium Chain Triglycerides = over 50% of coconut oil and about 0% of most other oils **

**Except for horse milk, but that's not my bag.

[Natasha]

A friend just texted me that it's good for avoiding Alzheimer's. I don't know where she got this info.

[diablita]

A friend just texted me that it's good for avoiding Alzheimer's. I don't know where she got this info.

an SMS?