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coconut oil has been in the news a lot lately. No longer just for hipsters, it has been touted as the next big thing in healthy cooking, and is finding its way into supermarkets, recipe books and home kitchens.
One of coconut oil's winning qualities is its versatility. It is ideal for use in smoothies, salad dressings and desserts; it can be used to sauté, roast, pan-fry and deep-fry foods, as it is stable and can withstand very high temperatures, unlike some other oils, which oxidise at high heat.
Let's not forget its many health benefits, too. According to Susie Rucker, a nutritional therapist at Body With Soul in Singapore, coconut oil has fat-burning or ketogenic properties.
"It is composed of medium-chain fatty acids such as lauric and capric acids, which generate fat burning in the body, so it's good as a weight control aid," she says.
"In addition, it has been shown to minimise the risk of heart disease, as it helps increase the levels of good cholesterol. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, but the body does need small amounts of saturated fat in order to function optimally," she adds.