If you’re ever stranded on a deserted island, it may comfort you to know that coconut oil has a variety of uses ranging from cooking to skin care. People all around the world use coconut oil and in some cultures it’s extremely popular, but with 90% saturated fat, some people have serious concerns. Could coconut oil be a detriment to your health, or is it the missing ingredient for your next dinner?
Like butter, coconut oil is extremely high in saturated fat, containing around 90% saturated fat, 6% monounsaturated fat, and 2% polyunsaturated fat. However, it differs from other highly saturated fats, because it is mostly made up of medium chain triglycerides, absorbed directly by the liver, so they burn in a similar way to carbohydrate.
Can coconut oil help with weight loss?
Ultimately, it is the balance of calories in, versus calories out, which will determine weight gain, or weight loss. The simplest way to reduce calorie intake is to reduce the amount of fat in your diet. And gram for gram, coconut oil has more than double the calories of a carbohydrate or protein source.
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