Use coconut oil for weight loss?
Plus, learn about another even tastier oil for weight loss!

Yes, you can--and SHOULD--use coconut oil for weight loss. The research proves that there is a strong connection between coconut oil and weight loss, so go ahead and include it in your weight loss diet. The connection between omega 3 and weight loss is also strong, but there's another even tastier oil that's beneficial for weight loss: macadamia nut oil. I'll fill you in about each of these oils, but first a primer on Good Fats vs. Bad Fats...




















You can find these GOOD fats in your local health food store (and some grocery stores), or you can buy them online. As with my other articles, I've included links to the best online sources to save you money and time. I've made it easy for you to use coconut oil for weight loss, plus the other oils that are proven to help you lose weight!

Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

You've probably heard of "trans fats" and "hydrogenated fats". This isn't just media hype: these are REALLY bad fats. They contribute to a whole host of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Trans-fats are formed when vegetable oils are "hydrogenated", which means that the oil was chemically altered so that it is more stable at room temperature. Read labels, and you'll see that these types of fats appear in many products.

The second category of bad fats include vegetable oils such as canola, corn, and safflower. The reason they are "bad" is because they are high in Omega 6 fatty acids, which are ok in moderation, but when consumed in excess (which most of America does), it throws off the all-important balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Most people in the U.S. consume WAY too many of the Omega-6 fatty acids. Look at the ingredients list in all the packaged products, and you'll see them filled with vegetable oils.

GOOD fats are those with Omega-3 fatty acids (from whole flax seeds, walnuts, and fish oils), monounsaturated fats (from olive and macadamia nut oils), and medium chain triglycerides/MCTs (from coconut oil). These oils are all proven to help you lose weight.

So you want to increase your intake of oils with Omega-3 fatty acids and decrease your intake of Omega-6 fatty acids. There are a few vegetable oils that have low levels of Omega 6 fatty acids, and those include extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and macadamia nut oil. You're already well aware of olive oil, so I'll discuss the other two oils next. I'll begin with a discussion of using coconut oil for weight loss.

Extra virgin coconut oil:

Coconut oil has a high smoke point, so it is safe for sauteing and frying. Use it in place of butter (and certainly no other vegetable oil--except for the next oil that I'll discuss, macadamia nut oil).

I also use it in my baking recipes as a replacement for butter. It has even more saturated fats than butter, though, so that can change some recipes. (For example, I can't use coconut oil as a replacement for butter in my flour-based Better Pie Crust recipe, so I stick with butter.)

Macadamia nut oil:

Another benefit of macadamia nut oil is that it has a high smoke point, so it is safe for sauteing and frying. And its flavor...yum! It has just a hint of nuttiness, and a buttery texture.

Macadamia nut oil also has more monounsaturated fats than olive oil! Research proves the benefits of monounsaturated oils on cholesterol levels, as well as weight loss. To quote a study conducted in 2004, "Increasing foods rich in monounsaturated fat may be more effective at long-term weight loss than a low fat diet".

Summary

Use coconut oil for weight loss, plus macadamia nut oil, and to a lesser amount, olive oil. Remember that the coconut and macadamia nut oils should be the only ones that you cook with.

Next, go through your kitchen, and throw out all of the following oils, and any product with these oils in the ingredients list:

o margarine
o Crisco
o canola oil
o corn oil
o anything with the word "hydrogenated" (even "partially hydrogenated")

You may end up tossing a lot of things in your kitchen, but don't fret. Your health (and weight) will improve! It's just not worth the bad health effects for anyone in your house to eat these dangerous fats.

So go ahead and use coconut oil for weight loss, as the link between coconut oil and weight loss is clear. Next, remember that the connection between monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and weight loss is also strong, so include macadamia nut oil in your diet.

My recommendation is to use coconut oil and macadamia nut oil as your primary fats. For salad dressings, it's ok to mix olive oil and macadamia nut oil. Butter is also acceptable, but try to get organic butter. Even better is butter from grass-fed cows, but that can be difficult to find (and expensive).

Then, be sure you're getting plenty of Omega 3 fats from safe fish sources, or a fish oil supplement. Click here for information about omega 3 and weight loss.

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