Ask Best Health: Is coconut oil safe?
Not sure about the health claims of coconut oil? Find out whether it’s safe cooking ingredient for you
By Lesley Young
Coconut oil is becoming an increasingly popular cooking ingredient. It’s beginning to appear on mainstream grocery store shelves and it won’t be long before you’re tempted to cook with it yourself. But if you think you recall hearing some health concerns about coconut milk or oil—you probably did. It (and palm oil) contain the highest saturated fat of all plant-based oils (think olive, corn and safflower oils), according to Linda Kennedy, registered dietitian with FitNut Consulting in Calgary, Alta. Remember, too much saturated fat can raise LDL-cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) levels. So here’s what you need to know before you add this oil to your grocery list.
What is coconut oil?
Coconut oil is extracted from the meat of the coconut. In tropical regions of the world, it is a primary source of fat. Because it is heat stable (has a high smoke point), it makes an excellent cooking and frying oil, adds Nicole Fetterly, a registered dietitian in Vancouver.
Virgin coconut oil is a very “clean” oil, according to Kennedy. “The way a lot of other plant-based oils are refined leaves them laden with chemicals. For example, producers use bleach to create that nice clear oil appearance we appreciate. All the processing then requires the addition of deodorizers.”
Supporters of coconut oil contend that it contains a number of health benefits including antimicrobial effects, which inhibit the growth of bacteria, as well as potential heart health benefits. They say that coconut meat, milk and oil have nourished populations around the world for generations.
So why the controversy?
Coconut oil is composed of medium-chain fatty acids or triglycerides (unlike most fats in our diets which are long-chain). “The medium-chain fatty acids are more easily processed by our bodies,” says Kennedy. But she adds that the jury is out on whether it has a beneficial effect on cholesterol. Any other therapeutic claims made by coconut oil enthusiasts are not backed by science, she says.
One thing everyone seems to agree on is that the use coconut oil in processed foods, such as crackers, cookies and nondairy creamers, is bad for you. The process of hydrogenating the fat turns it into a trans fat, which definitely up your risk for heart disease.
Bottom line
Most health organizations, including the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation and the United States Food and Drug Administration agree that saturated fats should be limited in our diets and kept to less than 10 percent of our daily total calorie intake. For an average woman, that works out to about two to four teaspoons a day. Kennedy points out that those teaspoons need to include all the hidden fats you might be consuming.
“If you’re going to include coconut oil in your diet, it absolutely must be 100 percent, cold-pressed,” she says. “Use it in moderation and be cautious, like you should be with any saturated fat.”
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Web exclusive, August 2011
Your article assume that there is only one way to enjoy the oil of coconut. Eating coconut like other nuts, or using it without heat or adding chemical allows one to enjoy the oil as well. Thanks
I recently read an article and also it was on a news channel that a doctor has reversed her husband's alzheimer disease by giving him virgin coconut oil.
What the article fails to mention is that all other vegetable oils are easily damaged by heat making them toxic when used for frying. Coconut oil is made up of a large molecule which is not damaged by heat. Lard is also a very large molecule and is not damaged by heat. Saturated fat is needed by the body and is not as unhealthy as it is made out to be. Coconut oil is good for the thyroid and many body systems. My son lost fifty pounds on the Paleo diet and consumes four tablespoons per day of coconut oil. He has had many health improments which he attributes to the coconut oil. Remember, corn oil was invented to fatten cattle, it worked but was discontinued when many of the cattle died.
I'm certainly no expert but from what I have read, coconut oil got bad reviews mainly because the products tested were the corporately massed produced and chemically injected to ensure shelf-life. The extra virgin coconut oil that you can only get in health food stores, it seems, have no trans fats and is cholesterol free.
The article recommends that coconut oil should be 100% "cold pressed". From my readings "cold pressed" is not necessarily produced without heat and that "cold processed" involves no heat and is the better product. Is this just a play on words?
I mainly use virgin coconut oil to heal cuts,rashes or dry skin. I've also massaged it into sore muscles before bed. I prefer to try natural remedies over man-made. I've been using it for over 3 years now. Originally, I bought it to rub into our old black cat for moisturizing her flaky skin. Her coat was beautiful after using it and her breath improved from licking it off her paws.
Several years ago coconut oil was used exclusively in the popcorn sold in movie houses. It was very tasty as I remember. Then a health group had it banned because it was something like ten times higher in bad cholesterol than butter. Why was this point not mentioned in the article?
This is a great article. Sadly one thing is missed. You need fat in your diet to lube the intestines. If you don't eat enough fats your bowels will back up. Eating HEALTHY fats is the key. Cold pressed is best along with real butter.