Coconuts are classified as fruits, more specifically, as drupes. A drupe is a fruit that contains a hard, fibrous shell around the fruit's seed. All drupes contain three parts, an outer layer, a meaty middle layer and a hard, fibrous layer surrounding the central seed. Other common drupes include peaches, olives and mangos. Despite being a fruit, coconuts are high in fat, primarily saturated fat. However, similar to other plant foods, coconuts do not contain any cholesterol.
Fat and Cholesterol
One cup of shredded raw coconut contains nearly 28 g of total fat. One tablespoon of coconut oil has 13.6 g of total fat. While there isn't any cholesterol present in raw coconut flesh or coconut oil, of the 28 g of total fat in one cup of shredded coconut, nearly 24 g are in the form of saturated fat. Similarly, one tablespoon of coconut oil contains nearly 12 g of saturated fat out of 13.6 g of total fat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diets containing high amounts of saturated fat have been shown to increase the risk for coronary heart disease. It is recommended that you consume no more than 10 percent of your daily caloric intake from saturated fat.
Carbohydrates
Shredded coconut contains a little over 12 g of total carbohydrates per cup. This includes over 7 g of dietary fiber and nearly 5 g of sugar. Dietary fiber is an essential nutrient for good health. It is recommended that adults consume 28 g of dietary fiber daily based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Coconut oil, however, doesn't contain any carbohydrates, including fiber or sugar, because they are removed during the production process.
Vitamins and Minerals
A cup of shredded, raw coconut contains a variety of essential vitamins and minerals. The following vitamins can be found in coconut flesh: vitamin C, vitamin B-6, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate and choline. The following minerals are present in raw coconut flesh as well: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. Coconut oil doesn't contain the vitamins and minerals that raw coconut flesh contains, due to processing. However, there are trace amounts of iron, choline, vitamin E and vitamin K in coconut oil.
Coconut Flour and Cholesterol
According to a study published in 2004 in the "Journal of Medicinal Food," coconut flakes, as a part of a heart-healthy diet, helped lower cholesterol levels in individuals with moderately high cholesterol. Test subjects were either given corn flakes, oat bran flakes, corm flakes with 15 percent coconut flakes or corn flakes with 25 percent coconut flakes. The results showed a decrease in cholesterol levels in all test subjects, except those consuming only corn flakes. Furthermore, those eating the 15 percent and 25 percent coconut flake cereals showed lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Coconut flakes are made from coconut flour and contain both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, which may be responsible for the decrease in cholesterol levels.
Virgin Coconut OIl and Cholesterol
Another study, performed at the University of Kerala in India, explored the cholesterol lowering effects of virgin coconut oil. The results showed that the consumption of virgin coconut oil successfully lowered total cholesterol levels in test subjects. More specifically, LDL and VLDL, or very low density lipoprotein, cholesterol levels were lowered, as well as triglyceride levels. Furthermore, the HDL, or "good" cholesterol levels in test subjects had increased slightly. Despite virgin coconut oil's high saturated fat content, there are potential benefits in lowering cholesterol with the consumption of virgin coconut oil.
References
- The Library of Congress: Everyday Mysteries -- Is a Coconut a Fruit, Nut or Seed?
- USDA: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Saturated Fat
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Carbohydrates
- PubMed.gov: The Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Coconut Flakes in Humans With Moderately Raised Serum Cholesterol
- PubMed.gov: Beneficial Effects of Virgin Coconut Oil on Lipid Parameters and In Vitro LDL Oxidation
