Babassu oil vs. Coconut oil — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on May 28, 2023

Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian

Summary

Babassu oil and coconut oil can be used interchangeably. They increase the risk of overall cardiovascular mortality since they are high in saturated fats. Coconut oil contains higher amounts of saturated fats, whereas babassu oil is richer in monosaturated oils and vitamin E.

Table of contents

Introduction

What's The Actual Difference?

Smoke point

Usage

Nutritional content comparison

Calories

Carbs and proteins

Fats

Vitamins

Health impacts

Cardiovascular health

Vitamin E benefits

Miscellaneous

References

Introduction

This article is a comparison between babassu and coconut oil. Both are vegetable oils processed and used for several purposes. This article will compare these two oils' nutritional content and health impacts. In addition, it is essential to know about their smoke points since they are used in cooking.

Babassu oil is extracted from the babassu palm and is used in the culinary, industrial, and pharmaceutical spheres. In comparison, coconut oil is extracted from coconuts, and similarly to babassu oil, it has culinary, industrial, and pharmaceutical usage.

Babassu and coconut oils are often used interchangeably since they share several similar properties.

Both oils melt on contact with the skin at room temperature.

What's The Actual Difference?

Coconut oil has a sweet, nutty aroma and a thicker viscosity, whereas babassu oil is nearly scentless and has a lighter consistency.

Aside from texture, content, and function, the look of babassu oil is similar to that of coconut oil, as it is light in color.

Smoke point

Babassu oil and coconut oil have similar properties, and their smoke points are nearly identical. They are mainly used for skincare products and can be used in cooking, but not high-temperature frying. They are not used for deep frying.

Usage

Babassu oil can be used as a moisturizer since it is a lightweight oil; it absorbs into your skin faster than coconut oil. This also makes it less messy and may protect your skin better than coconut oil because babassu oil keeps moisture and dries with an invisible layer that acts as a barrier against skin pore pollution. Babassu oil is safe for all skin types, while coconut oilit is best for dry skin.

Both can be used as hair masks, but coconut oil must be washed out to avoid greasiness, whereas babassu oil can be kept in the hair due to its texture.

Nutritional content comparison

Calories

Both have nearly the same amount of calories, approximately 884 calories for babassu oil and 892 calories for coconut oil.

Carbs and proteins

The carb and protein profiles of both oils are negligible.

Fats

Per 100g of each oil, we have 100g of fats; however, their distribution of types of fats is different.

They are mainly composed of saturated fats. 81g of saturated fats for babassu oil and 82.5g of saturated fats for coconut oil. The amount of saturated fat is very high.

However, babassu oil's monounsaturated fats are higher than coconut oil. Their polyunsaturated fats are negligible.

Vitamins

Babassu oil is richer in vitamin E.

Health impacts

Cardiovascular health

Coconut oil and babassu oil are considered “healthy fats” since they come from vegetables. However, that is wrong. Both these oils are packed with saturated fats, which increase the risk of atherosclerosis and dyslipidemia. Overall, these oils should not be considered healthy for cardiovascular health.

Vitamin E benefits

Babassu oil is richer in vitamin E. Babassu oil has anticarcinogenic, antioxidative, and immune-boosting properties due to its rich vitamin E profile. (3)

Miscellaneous

These oils have several benefits for skincare and other cosmetological points. However, this article focuses on how these oils affect the body regarding their consumption. (4)(5)

References

Author name: Jack Yacoubian

Education: Haigazian Medical University

Last updated: May 28, 2023

Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian

Infographic

Infographic link

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Babassu oil

Coconut oil

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+∞%
Contains more IronIron	+∞%
Contains more ZincZinc	+∞%

~equal in Magnesium ~0mg

~equal in Potassium ~0mg

~equal in Copper ~0mg

~equal in Phosphorus ~0mg

~equal in Sodium ~0mg

~equal in Manganese ~0mg

~equal in Selenium ~0µg

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Babassu oil

Coconut oil

Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E

+17263.6%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin A ~0IU

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B1 ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B2 ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B3 ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B5 ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B6 ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

~equal in Folate ~0µg

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Babassu oil

Protein: 0 g

Fats: 100 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 0 g

Other: 0 g

Coconut oil

Protein: 0 g

Fats: 99.06 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 0.03 g

Other: 0.91 g

Contains more WaterWater	+∞%
Contains more OtherOther	+∞%

~equal in Protein ~0g

~equal in Fats ~99.06g

~equal in Carbs ~0g

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Babassu oil

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 81.2 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 11.4 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 1.6 g

Coconut oil

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 82.475 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 6.332 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 1.702 g

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat

+80%

~equal in Saturated Fat ~82.475g

~equal in Polyunsaturated fat ~1.702g

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.


Rich in minerals
Lower in price
Lower in Saturated Fat
Lower in Cholesterol	Equal
Lower in Sugar	Equal
Lower in Sodium	Equal
Lower in Glycemic Index	Equal
Rich in vitamins	Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient			Opinion
Calories	884kcal	892kcal
Fats	100g	99.06g
Calcium	0mg	1mg
Iron	0mg	0.05mg
Zinc	0mg	0.02mg
Vitamin E	19.1mg	0.11mg
Vitamin K		0.6µg
Trans Fat		0.028g
Choline		0.3mg
Saturated Fat	81.2g	82.475g
Monounsaturated Fat	11.4g	6.332g
Polyunsaturated fat	1.6g	1.702g
Omega-3 - ALA		0.019g
Omega-6 - Linoleic acid		1.676g

Which food is preferable for your diet?

Low Calories diet

Low Fats diet

Low Carbs diet

Low Glycemic Index diet

is better in case of low diet


Low Calories diet
Low Fats diet
Low Carbs diet	Equal
Low Glycemic Index diet	Equal

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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).

Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score

29%

Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

Comparison summary

Which food is richer in minerals?

Coconut oil is relatively richer in minerals

Which food is cheaper?

Coconut oil is cheaper (difference - $1.3)

Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?

Babassu oil is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 1.275g)

Which food contains less Cholesterol?

The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)

Which food contains less Sugar?

The foods are relatively equal in Sugar (0 g)

Which food contains less Sodium?

The foods are relatively equal in Sodium (0 mg)

Which food is lower in glycemic index?

The foods have equal glycemic indexes (0)

Which food is richer in vitamins?

It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.