Is coconut oil a super food?
In recent times coconut oil has been touted a super food, close in the wake of coconut water and a glut of other so-called super foods that have vied for our attention over the years.
What health claims are made for coconut oil?
An Internet search of the benefits of (ingested) coconut oil reveals a multitude of health claims. These include potential heart benefits, boosting metabolism, weight loss, improving digestion, preventing stomach and digestion-related problems including irritable bowel syndrome and strengthening immunity.
Isn’t coconut oil high in fat?
Although derived from plants, coconut oil is high in saturated fat. For comparison, one teaspoon of olive oil contains 4.5g total fat of which 0.6g is comprised of saturated fat, translating into a 13% saturated fat content. One teaspoon of coconut oil contains 4.5g total fat of which 3.9g is saturated fat (87% saturated fat).
What do the experts say?
The American Heart Association (AHA) published a new review on dietary fats and heart disease recently, leading to headlines suggesting that coconut oil is worse for you than butter, lard, and beef drippings. The review reported that coconut oil increases blood levels of both good (HDL) cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol. In excess LDL can build up in arteries and studies suggest an indirect link between LDL and heart disease.
Can I still eat coconut oil?
Evidence based reviews such as the AHA one recommend lowering saturated fats in your diet if you consume too much saturated fat (eating junk food, processed foods etc). Ideally we should be eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, eating fewer processed foods, avoiding saturated fats to reduce heart disease risk and opting instead for vegetable oils. Hence, coconut oil should be avoided or used as an occasional treat, keeping overall consumption levels low.