Coconut oil and other tropical oils, such as palm oil and palm kernel oil, are solid fats that were commonly used in food processing in the late 1980s. Then largely unfounded worries that these oils were more detrimental than other high-saturated-fat oils resulted in food companies replacing them with partially hydrogenated oils made from soy, corn, sunflower, and rapeseed, notes the Harvard School of Public Health. While raw, cold-pressed coconut oil may be less threatening to your health than doctors and nutritionists once believed, it's still not the best oil you can choose.
Raw Cold Pressed Coconut Oil
Cold pressed coconut oil is made from the raw nut without the application of heat; manufacturers claim this makes the oil taste more flavorful and fresh. Coconut oil was once believed to be unhealthy for a reason: it's made up of about 90 percent saturated fat, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Coconut oil has more saturated fat than butter, beef fat and lard, which range from 40 to 64 percent saturated fat. Saturated fat and trans fat are intimately linked to obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other serious medical problems. However, coconut oil may not be as dangerous to your cholesterol levels as once thought.
Saturated Fat Concerns
About 50 percent of the saturated fat in coconut oil is of a medium-chain variety called lauric acid. Tufts Medical Center indicates that some scientists believe that lauric acid in coconut oil makes it less dangerous to heart health than the solid saturated fats found in meat and dairy products. The Harvard School of Public Health states that one of the more fascinating properties of coconut oil is that it appears to increase your high-density lipoproteins, or "good" cholesterol. Tufts, on the other hand, states that some research shows that coconut oil increases cholesterol levels in people with existing high cholesterol.
Experts Opinions
There are many unproven claims associated with coconut oil. MayoClinic.com nutritionist and blogger Katherine Zeratsky indicates that proponents of "coconut diets" assert that the oil increases your metabolism, gives you more energy, helps your thyroid work normally and even that it causes you to lose weight. MayoClinic.com endocrinologist Todd Nippoldt states that coconut oil will not cure hypothyroidism. As far as the weight-loss claims associated with the oil, Zeratsky states that studies show mixed results. Raw cold pressed coconut oil may not be harmful when used to add flavor to dishes you prepare at home. Willett recommends using coconut oil only now and then in your cooking --- and to use only a small amount when you do. Other types of plant-based oils, such as olive oil, are more healthful.
Other Information
Tufts Medical Center states that tropical oils are usually safe when applied topically. Coconut oil can sooth dry, itchy hands. Coconut oil may help prevent hair damage because it has the capacity to penetrate the hair shaft, making it desirable in hair care products. Keep an eye on your consumption of dietary fat to avoid weight gain and high cholesterol. The Cleveland Clinic indicates that your total fat consumption should make up between 25 and 35 percent of your daily calories; try to get most of your fat from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These include olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, peanut butter and other nut butters and seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Keep your intake of saturated fat at less than 7 percent of your total calories and try to avoid trans fat completely. (Ref 4, Res 1)
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Shining the Light on Trans Fats
- "Harvard Health Publications"; Ask the Doctor: Coconut Oil; W. Willett; May 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Coconut Oil and Weight Loss: Does It Work?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; August 2010
- Tufts Medical Center: Tropical Oils
- MayoClinic.com; Coconut Oil: Can it Cure Hypothyroidism?; T. Nippoldt, M.D.; June 2010
- "New York Times"; Cooking With Coconut Oil; T. Parker-Pope; March 2011
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