A common discussion which comes up when discussing health foods are what the benefits are of different types of oil, and one of the most commonly discussed is vegetable oil and how it seems to not have many benefits in spite of being used so widely.
Some of these vegetable oils can contain polyunsaturated or monosaturated fats, and these can be healthy.
However, there are just as many vegetable oils which are instead made from trans fats which are generally considered to be quite unhealthy.
On top of this, the majority of vegetable oils which are not organic are sometimes processed using chemical solvents.
Because of all the potential issues which are associated with using vegetable oils, many people have opted for different types of oil to substitute for them.
However, some oils work better than others in different situations as a substitute.
One of the most commonly considered substitutes is coconut oil which has become more and more widely used in recent years.
Because of its recent popularity many people have wondered how well it would work as a substitute for vegetable oil.
So, if you are hoping to use coconut oil as a substitute for vegetable oil, but you are unsure of how well it will work, keep reading!
Quick Answer
Yes! You can use coconut oil as a substitute for vegetable oil in most situations and it will act the same in a recipe.
It does contain saturated fats, but these fats tend to be seen as a good fat by dietitians.
It is worth noting that coconut oil will usually need to be melted into its liquid form before you cook with it, and also it has a subtle taste of its own which you will taste if what you are cooking does not have a more dominating flavor.
Can You Use Coconut Oil Instead Of Vegetable Oil?
If you were unaware of the origins of coconut oil, it is made by extracting oil from the meat of the coconut.
It is worth noting that coconut oil does have saturated fats, so if you are trying to completely avoid these, this is not a good choice of an oil substitute.
However, the fats which are found in coconut oil tend to be much more neutral than those which are found in some other food.
It is also worth pointing out that coconut oil also has lauric acid in it which is usually seen as a good thing since, while it is a saturated fat, it instead raises the amount of ‘good’ cholesterol which is in your system.
If you are looking to substitute coconut oil for vegetable oil, you will want to use the same amount of coconut oil as you would vegetable oil.
However, you will need to take into account that in most climates, coconut oil will be solid when at room temperature, so before using it you will need to make sure to melt down the oil since most recipes which use vegetable oil are intending the oil to be in a liquid form.
You will also need to take into account the temperature of the other ingredients which you are using, as if they are too cold they will then make it, so the coconut oil starts to solidify again which can be a nuisance.
It should be pointed out that coconut oil is good at withstanding higher temperatures than most vegetable oils, so if the vegetable oil is being used in cooking at a high heat, or baking, this will be a perfect choice.
However, if you are cooking something which does not have a very dominating flavor, we should point out that coconut oil does have its own flavor unlike vegetable oil which tends to nearly always taste neutral.
The best way to describe the flavor of coconut oil is that it is rich and almost similar to vanilla but not as sweet, and of course similar to coconut.
This makes it a perfect choice when you are baking or making something with a complimentary flavor.
But, if you are cooking a more subtle savory dish, the flavor can be quite overpowering.
Other Alternatives?
So, while coconut oil will be a good substitute in most situations, as you can tell from our description, this is not always the case.
So, if you need another substitute, what can you consider?
Olive Oil
Olive oil is one of the most commonly used oils as well as vegetable oil, so because of this it is one of the first considerations made when working out what to substitute for vegetable oil.
It is one of the more healthy oils you can buy, and it is made from the fruit on an olive free.
The oil contains monosaturated fats which are quite healthy as they can make the chance of getting heart disease much lower as well as aid with regulating blood sugar.
However, it is worth noting that not all olive oil which is available to buy is high quality and some which you will find on supermarket shelves is actually fake!
So make sure when you are buying your olive oil you are getting it from a trusted source.
It is also worth pointing out that it does have a slight flavor which makes it not the best choice for baking.
It also has a much lower smoke point compared to oils like coconut oil which means it is also not going to be a great choice for cooking at a high heat.
Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil is sometimes sold as linseed oil and as you can imagine it comes from the seeds of the flax plant.
It has been shown to help with issues like constipation as well as lowering cholesterol levels. However, it is not heat stable so do not use it for cooking over heat
Summary
So, yes, you can use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, but make sure you take its flavor into account!
One of the most common things I talk to my clients about is calories, but so few of them actually know anything about them.
Calories is not a dirty word. If you remove emotion from it, it is simply a unit of energy.
We need calories to live and thrive, and knowing how many to consume is important to ensure that you’re living a healthy lifestyle.
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