evidence: Coconut Oil vs Vegetable Oil [...] According to Palak Patel, a chef at the Institute of Culinary Education, swapping coconut oil for vegetable oil is straightforward: one cup of vegetable oil is equal to one cup of coconut oil when cooking and baking. However, when using coconut oil as a substitute for vegetable oil, there are a couple of things to consider and note. [...] Unlike vegetable oil, which contains trans-fat, coconut oil is made of medium-chain saturated fatty acids. Saturated fat is easily digestible, and when ingested, it gets transported to the liver, where it serves as a source of energy for the body.