Overview
When trying to lose weight, your diet is important. You need to eat a diet that puts you in a calorie deficit, where you are consuming fewer calories than you burn. There is often a debate over which oil is best to use for cooking when trying to lose weight, as many oils are calorie dense or contain harmful ingredients. But coconut oil may be the best choice for cooking.

Calories
Most common cooking oils contain similar amounts of calories -- between 113 and 120 per tablespoon of oil. Coconut oil contains 120 calories per tablespoon, so it is at the higher end of the scale. But considering you will only consume it in small amounts, the extra calories are negligible.

Fats
The fat in coconut is predominantly saturated. While saturated fat is often believed to be linked to heart disease, it plays a vital role in cell growth and hormone production. It is a stable fat, meaning it won't be denatured or turn rancid when exposed to high temperatures, which can happen with unsaturated fats. While polyunsaturated vegetable oils may be a popular choice for cooking, they have been linked with reducing levels of good HDL cholesterol, and have a poor omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, which may contribute to obesity, heart disease and ill health, according to nutritionist Brian St. Pierre.

Health Benefits
About half of the saturated fat in coconut oil is lauric acid, which is a medium chain triglyceride, or MCT, fat. MCTs are thought to provide benefits to exercisers, as they are quickly converted to energy once ingested. Nutritionist and bodybuilder John Meadows says the fat in coconut oil is anti-viral and anti-microbial, and also promotes fat burning.

Types
Choose the coconut oil that best fits your budget, but even a lower-quality oil like refined, bleached and deodorized contains MCTs and lauric acid, though in a slightly lower quantity than unrefined extra virgin coconut oil, which is the purest form you can get. The only type to avoid is fractioned coconut oil, which has had all the MCTs removed. Despite all its beneficial properties, coconut oil is still calorie dense, so stick to between 1 and 3 tablespoons per day.



             Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/388246-which-cooking-oil-is-best-for-weight-loss/#ixzz1Ft9ZSLeE



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