For years, coconut oil has been labeled as a fat to completely avoid, but like other saturated fats, the truth about coconut oil is not so simple as saying “coconut oil is a saturated fat… therefore coconut oil is bad.” Learn about the coconut oil uses and benefits below.
Although I recommend you avoid consuming hydrogenated tropical oils on a regular basis, these processed and chemically-altered oils are not the same as pure virgin coconut oil, which is now actually being promoted as “health foods” and “weight loss aids.”
So what is the truth? At the date of me writing this, there really isn’t enough evidence to give you any definitive recommendations at this stage. However, what I can do is answer the top ten questions about coconut oil. After you take this information into consideration and discuss it with your physician or registered dietician, then you can more intelligently decide what to do in your own situation.
Coconut Oil Uses and Benefits – Common Questions
Are all saturated fats like coconut oil bad?
No. It’s overly simplistic to say all saturated fats are bad. Saying that coconut oil is “bad” just because it is saturated is too simplistic for the same reason that saying all saturated animal fats are “bad.” However, it doesn’t mean saturated fats are “good” either. Click here to learn more about saturated fats.
What are the health benefits of coconut oil?
Fresh Natural organic coconut oil has some interesting and scientifically supported healthful properties including antimicrobial, antiviral and antioxidant traits. Some sources also claim benefits for thyroid function.
Why is coconut oil so controversial?
Well, the literature and opinions on saturated fats are actually very mixed and conflicting, but over time, it’s becoming more and more clear that the effect of one’s dietary saturated fat consumption on health depends on numerous other factors, including genetics, lifestyle and what else an individual is eating.
You need to ask yourself, are you consuming saturated fats in a diet full of refined and processed food (typical Western diet), or in a well balanced diet of natural foods with generous amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, with a good ratio of omega 3 to omega 6, and no intake of trans fatty acids? What does the rest of your diet look like? Are you physically active?
For example: Lets compare the Eskimo diet of fish and whale blubber with the Western diet of processed food, trans fats and saturated fats. While, both diets are high in saturated fats, the Eskimo may be healthy and the westerner sick. (Udo Erasmus once said that he believes that if you ate only good fats, your fat intake could be as high as 60% of your calories and you would never die of a fat-related disease and he mentioned the Inuit/Eskimos as an example.)
Is it safe to use processed coconut oils?
Short answer, NO. Organic, natural and unprocessed coconut oils are very different to processed, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated tropical oils. Hydrogenated oils and trans fatty acids of any origin are unhealthy, very dangerous and should be avoided as completely as possible. The tropical oils palm oil and palm kernel oil are very commonly used in their hydrogenated form in a wide variety of food products. Watch out for them on the labels and avoid them as much as you can.
What do most doctors recommend regarding coconut oil?
Many doctors and GPs in the medical community will not recommend adding coconut oil, especially in large amounts, until evidence is more conclusive. The alternative and natural health people love it. The rest are still on the fence with it. Regardless of which group your doctor falls into or which you listen to the most, the claims and buzz for coconut oil as a health or weight loss “miracle” made by the “alternative health” sector are often over the top and usually exceed the scientific evidence supporting it. Many claims are made for coconut oil. Some may be valid and some not. Advertising claims for coconut oil should be scrutinized scientifically and independently of each other.
MCT’s and metabolism?
Coconut oil contains MCT’s (medium chain triglycerides) which are not processed the same as other fats and may be more thermogenic. Proponents of MCT and coconut oil will refer to the scientific literature showing that MCTs are more thermogenic and will be more readily oxidized in the liver and skeletal muscle than other fats. However, MCT oil as supplements have been around a long time and never panned out in the real world as an effective weight loss aid. Its not that MCT’s are of no potential use to the dieter, but in healthy people, they just dont seem to have dramatic effects. In theory, MCT’s should be helpful to a weight loss diet, but in prctice they are neither needed nor all that effective in healthy people.” I tried MCT oil myself a few years ago and it gave me nothing but a very upset stomach (note: I did not try coconut oil, only straight MCT oil)
Does coconut oil help weight loss?
There is mixed scientific support for weight loss. Weight loss claims for coconut oil are mostly anectodal and often over hyped. I’ve heard crazy ridiculous claims made, such as “adding 6 tablespoons of coconut oil to my diet and making no other changes, will cause sudden rapid weight loss”. Remember there is no such thing as “free calories”. Fats are more calorie dense and will contribute to your daily energy requirement. Too much fat can put you into a surplus. Take everything in balance! Here’s a quote from Glenn Rothfeld, MD,(Tufts university school of medicine) that says it well:
“I think coconut oil is promising, but I wish it weren’t promoted as “eat coconut oil and lose weight. The problem for me is the lack of research.”
Is coconut oil OK for cooking?
Yes. Coconut oil is heat stable, so it can be used as a cooking oil. (your other best choice for cooking oil is olive oil).
Should I supplement with coconut oil?
Well, if you’re going to add fats as a supplement, make sure you focus on the essential fatty acids first. Unless you’re taking coconut oil as a supplement for a specific health purpose at the recommendation your doctor or trusted health advisor, or as a cooking oil (may improve flavor of some dishes), then as a dietary fat supplement, evidence suggests focusing on the essential fatty acids as a first priority:
- Flaxseed oil or an oil blend that contains flaxseed oil – As part of a balanced diet of natural food that also contains fatty fish.
- Omega 3 fish oil. – If fish is not consumed in the diet. Both evidence and common sense suggest not using specific oil as a supplement to the exclusion of others on a long term basis.
Recommended Content: Supplements Guide (click here)
It’s likely that in the future, nutrition experts will be recommending balance and variety in fats just like in other foods like fruits and vegetables which each contain their own phytonutrients and micronutrients with unique benefits. Less and less, evidence-based experts will be promoting one fat source or food as “magical.” With the fats, just keep in mind that although some fats are more thermogenic and aid in fat loss, they still contain calories that must be accounted for, so if you decide to use a variety of fats, it’s a good idea, but only up to the point where you are still obeying the laws of energy balance.
We should keep an eye on continuing research and understand that the evidence could still point either way. It’s best to look at the primary research and keep in mind that every expert and author is a human being that has opinions and biases.
References:
Eyres L et al, Coconut oil consumption and cardiovascular risk factors in humans. Nutrition Reviews. 74(4):267-80. 2016, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
George Health – Coconut Oil Uses and Benefits