Coconut and rice bran oils are specialty oils used for cooking and for their purported health benefits. Coconut oil contains high levels of saturated fat, a fact that remains controversial among nutrition and health experts. Rice bran oil contains 42.5 percent oleic acid -- the same fatty acid in olive oil -- and 39 percent linoleic acid -- an omega-6 essential fatty acid. Coconut oil has a smoke point of 350 degrees Fahrenheit, while rice bran oil has a smoke point of 490 F, making it more stable for cooking at high temperatures. Both oils offer scientifically proven health benefits.
Coconut Oil Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Coconut oil reduces pain and inflammation, according to a study on laboratory animals published in the 2011 issue of the journal "Medical Principals and Practice." Scientists compared the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of two types of coconut oil produced by different methods: one by standard drying and one by fermentation. The researchers used morphine and aspirin as analgesic and anti-inflammatory standards and found that each of the oils significantly relieved pain and inflammation. Both coconut oils were found to be effective at relieving acute but not chronic inflammation.
Coconut Oil Antimicrobial Properties
Coconut oil helps speed recovery from pneumonia in children, according to a study published in the journal "Chest," October 2008. In the study, 40 children with pneumonia took 2 mL per 1 kg body weight of coconut oil, along with intravenous antibiotic therapy, for three days and showed faster return to normal respiratory rates compared to a group that did not receive coconut oil. Respiratory congestion was also more rapidly resolved in the coconut oil, as determined by fewer sounds, called crackles, on physical examination. The researchers concluded that coconut oil is an effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of pneumonia in children.
Rice Bran Oil and Cholesterol
Rice bran oil lowers low-density lipoprotein, the bad form of cholesterol, according to a study published in the November 2010 issue of the "Journal of Indian Medicine." Study participants, all with elevated cholesterol, used a blend of 80 percent rice bran oil and 20 percent safflower oil for three months. Rice bran oil reduced LDL levels significantly, with 82 percent showing LDL levels lower than 150 mg/dL compared to 57 percent of the control group showing similar results.
Combined Effects
A combination of coconut oil combined with rice bran oil provides blood thinning properties, according to a study published in the September 2010 issue of the journal "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids." The study compared coconut, rice bran and sesame oils alone and in various combinations and found the most effective results, with 37 percent reduction in clot formation, were obtained with coconut and rice bran oil combined.
References
- "Medical Principals and Practice"; In Vivo Antinociceptive and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Dried and Fermented Processed Virgin Coconut Oil; Z.A. Zakaria, et al.; March 2011
- "Chest"; The Effect of Virgin Coconut Oil Supplementation for Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children Aged 3 to 60 Months Admitted at the Philippine Children's Medical Center: A Single Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial; Gilda Sapphire Erguiza, et al.; October 2008
- "Journal of the Indian Medical Association"; LDL Cholesterol-Lowering Activity of a Blend of Rice Bran Oil and Safflower Oil (8:2) in Patients with Hyperlipidaemia: A Proof of Concept, Double Blind, Controlled, Randomised Parallel Group Study; H. Malve, et al.; November 2010
- "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids"; Lowering of Platelet Aggregation and Serum Eicosanoid Levels in Rats Fed with a Diet Containing Coconut Oil Blends with Rice Bran Oil or Sesame Oil; M.B. Reena, et al.; September 2010
- RiceBranOil: Why Rice Bran Oil?
- Cooking For Engineers; Smoke Points of Various Fats; Michael Chu; June 2004
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