{"id":4645,"date":"2021-02-22T11:26:48","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T11:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theguthealthdoctor.com\/?p=4645"},"modified":"2023-03-17T15:19:28","modified_gmt":"2023-03-17T15:19:28","slug":"coconut-oil-superfood-or-superfad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theguthealthdoctor.com\/coconut-oil-superfood-or-superfad","title":{"rendered":"Coconut oil: superfood or superfad?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there was one food that has been equally idolised and demonised in the media, it\u2019s got to be coconut oil, right?<\/span><\/p>\n

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In fact, one public survey in the coconut oil heyday found 72% of people thought coconut oil was healthy, while 63% of health professionals disagreed, highlighting the big debate around coconut oil.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Skip ahead a year later to 2017 and the American Heart Association issued a warning over eating coconut oil, due to its role in raising LDL cholesterol (the so-called \u2018bad\u2019 kind).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Meanwhile, the coconut oil trend continued to grow, driven by claims about a whole bunch of health benefits – from using as a moisturising hair and skincare treatment to a tablespoon in \u2018bulletproof coffee\u2019 – but what does the science say?<\/span><\/p>\n

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In a (coco)nutshell<\/b>, the reality is there are pros and cons, and the evidence is a mixed bag depending on the specific area we\u2019re looking at, so let\u2019s avoid the \u2018good\u2019 or \u2018bad\u2019 labels.<\/span><\/p>\n

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If you like the taste (in frying, for example), there\u2019s no need to avoid it completely, but go for small amounts and don\u2019t be fooled by the health halo. The wild health claims aren\u2019t backed up by science and high intakes could impact your heart health.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s take a look at the research beyond the headlines.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What actually is coconut oil and it\u2019s nutritional value?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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Coconut oil is derived from coconuts (obviously!), made by pressing fresh coconut meat and composed predominantly of lauric acid, which is a saturated fatty acid (a building block of fat).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Nutritionally, coconut oil is almost 100% fat, with up to 90% being saturated fats. A good tip to spot a saturated fat is that it stays solid at room temperature, unlike fats that are higher in <\/span>un<\/i><\/b>saturated fatty acids that will stay as a liquid, like extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Most of the world\u2019s coconut oil comes from the Philippines. Traditional intake of coconut oil would be part of a whole diet rich in coconut which is high in gut-loving fibre – the oil wouldn\u2019t be eaten in isolation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The pros and cons: evidence for and against potential health benefits<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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Cholesterol and heart health<\/b><\/p>\n

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