A review of the recent claims that coconut oil is bad for your health and the research regarding saturated fat and cardiovascular disease.
Coconut Oil in the News Again
A few weeks ago, the social media world was buzzing with headlines that a Harvard professor called coconut oil poison.
In a lecture called “Coconut oil and other Nutritional Errors”, a professor called coconut oil one of the worst things you could eat, and compared it to pure poison.
Needless to say that headline was shared everywhere.
Coconut Oil & Saturated Fat
Coconut oil is no stranger to controversy. It was a hot topic last year when the American Heart Association (AHA) advised against the use of coconut oil.
The AHA stated that saturated fats raise LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) which leads to an increased risk in cardiovascular disease (i.e. heart disease). They cited studies that show lowering saturated fats in the diet and replacing them with vegetable based oils rich in polyunsaturated fats lowered Cardiovascular Disease by 29%.
Since coconut oil contains more than 80% saturated fat, the AHA concluded that it should be avoided.
The Controversy
The issue is that coconut oil has a different composition than other types of saturated fat.
The saturated fat in coconut oil has a higher concentration of Medium Chain Fatty Acids (also called medium chain triglycerides, MCT for short) than other sources of saturated fats.
Limited research has shown that MCTs are less likely to be deposited as body fat compared to long chain triglycerides. Instead, MCTs are thought to go right to the liver to be delivered to the body for energy use.
However, the main MCT in coconut oil is called lauric acid. The trouble is that lauric acid isn’t fully metabolized and absorbed the same way pure MCT oils are. In fact, only a small percentage of lauric acid goes to the liver to be used for energy.
To confuse us even more, there are small studies that show coconut oil raises LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) but also raises HDL cholesterol (the good kind). Research also shows that while it does raise LDL cholesterol more than plant based oils, it doesn’t raise it as much as butter does.
The Trouble with Research
It’s very hard to conduct research studies on anything food and diet related because there are so many variables. A person’s diet, fitness level, genetics, sleep patterns, and stress levels all play a part in their health.
Examining one small aspect (such as intake of coconut and the risk of cardiovascular disease) doesn’t take into account a person’s whole health and well being.
We also can’t conclude that it’s one specific part of a certain food that leads to the risk of disease. Foods have so many complex parts, it’s difficult to draw concrete conclusions.
My Professional Opinion
So what does this mean in regards to coconut oil? First and foremost, I don’t believe it’s “poison”.
However, I do believe that people have the habit of taking something that is “healthy” and going extreme.
It happens all the time and coconut is just one of the newest “superfood” obsessions. Past culprits include pomegranate, açaí, and kale. Once they are touted as being the best, it’s added to everything to everything.
I believe that a well rounded diet that focuses on fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, lean protein, fresh fish and limited amounts of saturated fats and processed foods is a better way to go.
Bottom Line – More research is needed. Coconut oil probably won’t kill you if eaten in moderation and enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
