Coconut Oil – Healthy or Hype?

By : Jodie Shield | 0 Comments | On : October 16, 2015 | Category : Adults, Seniors, Teens

Discover why coconut oil has become a big “fat” deal!

By: Jodie Shield, RDN

Everybody these days seems to be going cuckoo for coconut oil. This tropical oil, notoriously high in saturated fat, use to be at the top of America’s most unwanted fat list. Nowadays, coconut oil has a healthy reputation with cure-all claims that it can help you lose weight and prevent everything from dermatitis to heart disease. As a Registered Dietitian, all of this coconut oil confusion was making me nuts. Is coconut oil a villain or hero? Much to my surprise based on the latest research, coconut oil lies somewhere in between the two extremes.

Keep in mind, there are two main types of coconut oil: refined and virgin.

• Refined coconut oil is extracted from dried coconut meat and requires some chemical refining. This type of processing destroys natural heart-healthy components like phenols and antioxidants. In addition, refined coconut oil is often hydrogenated which produces trans fatty acids known to raise blood cholesterol. Most of the studies done in the 90’s used refined coconut oil.
• Virgin coconut oil is largely free of refining as it is removed from coconut milk by a process called wet extraction. Most of the current research into the health benefits of coconut oil uses virgin coconut oil

Will coconut oil help you lose weight? Maybe. Oil extracted from fresh coconut contains high levels of medium-chain fatty acids, such as lauric acid. Some preliminary research shows that the body absorbs these medium-chain fatty acids differently in that they go directly to the liver to be used for energy rather than stored as fat.

Will coconut oil prevent heart disease? Stay tuned. Some short-term studies have suggested medium-chain fatty acids do not raise blood LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) as much as long-chain fatty acids. However, more research is needed since saturated fat has been shown to raise blood cholesterol. And the fact remains: coconut oil has twice as much saturated fat (92%) compared to lard (41%).

Bottomline on coconut oil . . .

• Listen to the experts. Currently, most health professional organizations including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and American Heart Association (AHA) are still recommending that healthy adults limit eating foods with saturated fatty acids including coconut oil.
• Fresh is best. Eat fewer processed foods especially those made with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated coconut oil such as cereals, baked goods, biscuits, and salty snack foods.
• Go fish! Eat more fish especially those with heart-healthy fats such as salmon, sardines, tuna, herring, and trout. Goal: Aim for twice a week.
• Keep an eye on portion size. All fats whether saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated, are highly concentrated sources of calories providing 9 calories per gram. Fact: 1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil provides about 13.6 grams of fat and 117 calories.
• Select virgin coconut oil. Until more research is available, enjoy coconut oil in moderation.