Is coconut oil good for health?

Coconut oil has been trending for years, and enthusiasts recognize it for all its health and nutritional benefits. Take a quick look at the internet and you can easily understand why. Celebrities and influencers hail coconut oil as something of a miracle: shedding belly fat, suppressing appetite, boosting the immune system, fighting dementia, and cleaning teeth.

In contrast, coconut oil has been called “pure poison” by Karin Michels, professor at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. She warns that coconut oil has a greater risk of heart health effects than lard.

The fact is, it’s pure fat, literally 100% fat. Ninety percent of that fat is saturated fat, which is why coconut oil solidifies at room temperature or cool. The Mayo Clinic reminds us that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued by the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of calories per day. day. The American Heart Association recommends staying under 7% of daily calories.

Why? Saturated fats tend to raise the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in your blood. High cholesterol levels can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Saturated (and unsaturated) fats are made up of small molecules called fatty acids. Of the many types of fatty acids, three are found in coconut oil. Lauric acid makes up almost half. Two other types, myristic and palmitic, make up the rest.

All three increase LDL and HDL cholesterol. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is called “good cholesterol,” because it absorbs excess cholesterol in the blood and carries it to the liver, where it is broken down and eliminated from the body. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as “bad cholesterol,” can build up in the walls of blood vessels, causing them to become narrower. If a blood clot gets stuck in a narrowed artery, it can cause a stroke or heart attack.

But we keep reading that coconut oil is a “good fat”.

Coconut oil is made by pressing fresh or dried coconut meat. Oil from fresh coconut is called virgin and oil from dried coconut (also called copra) is called refined, although the terms are not regulated. Coconut oil contains no cholesterol, small amounts of vitamins and minerals, and no fiber. It contains a beneficial amount of plant sterols, which can help block the absorption of cholesterol in the body, but the amount of coconut oil found in a typical serving is too small to be healthy.

Additionally, many of the health claims you may have seen for coconut oil refer to research using a special formulation of coconut oil made from 100% medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), not oils. Commercial coconuts are available on supermarket shelves.

MCTs have a shorter chemical structure than other fats, so they are absorbed and used by the body fairly quickly. Once digested, MCTs go to the liver, where they are quickly used for energy. The theory is that this rapidly absorbed form promotes satiety and prevents fat storage.

All of which leads to the conclusion that using coconut oil in moderation can be part of a healthy diet. And there are so many amazing uses for coconut oil that don’t involve eating it.

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