For me it is THE BEST and that's because more than 62% of its saturated fatty acids are medium chain fatty acids (capric, caprylic, caproic, myristic, and lauric acid). And that's exactly what makes it healthy as well as a stable cooking/frying oil.
Medium chain saturated fatty acids consists of 6-12 carbon atoms, whereas long chain fatty acids contains more than 12 carbon atoms. So what's good about medium-chain saturated fats (MCFs) compared to long-chain fats (LCFs)? Aren't they all bad since there saturated?
No! They are not the same. The secret lies within its method of digestion.
MCFs passively diffuse from the GI tract to the portal system without the aid of bile salts for digestion. LCFs takes a longer route and are absorbed into the lymphatic system. The quickly and easily absorbed MCFs are readily available for immediate energy requirements instead of stored as fats in the body.
Research studies have shown that MCFs containing oils like coconut oil are helpful in weight control efforts not only because they are minimally stored as fats but also because MCFs have sown to enhance metabolism to burn more calories, increases good cholesterol levels (HDL/high density lipoproteins) and lowers bad cholesterol levels (LDL/low density lipoproteins).
Moreover, because coconut oil is saturated (with the healthy type of saturated fatty acids, don’t forget!), it's also very stable during frying and will not get easily oxidized. Unsaturated fats are unstable and will readily undergo oxidation producing free radicals that keep on attacking other unsaturated fatty acids and give rise to rancidity due to volatile compounds that are formed during the process.
Medium chain saturated fatty acids consists of 6-12 carbon atoms, whereas long chain fatty acids contains more than 12 carbon atoms. So what's good about medium-chain saturated fats (MCFs) compared to long-chain fats (LCFs)? Aren't they all bad since there saturated?
No! They are not the same. The secret lies within its method of digestion.
MCFs passively diffuse from the GI tract to the portal system without the aid of bile salts for digestion. LCFs takes a longer route and are absorbed into the lymphatic system. The quickly and easily absorbed MCFs are readily available for immediate energy requirements instead of stored as fats in the body.
Research studies have shown that MCFs containing oils like coconut oil are helpful in weight control efforts not only because they are minimally stored as fats but also because MCFs have sown to enhance metabolism to burn more calories, increases good cholesterol levels (HDL/high density lipoproteins) and lowers bad cholesterol levels (LDL/low density lipoproteins).
Moreover, because coconut oil is saturated (with the healthy type of saturated fatty acids, don’t forget!), it's also very stable during frying and will not get easily oxidized. Unsaturated fats are unstable and will readily undergo oxidation producing free radicals that keep on attacking other unsaturated fatty acids and give rise to rancidity due to volatile compounds that are formed during the process.