The Trend of Coconut Oil, Coconut Milk, Coconut Water… Are there benefits or is this “The Trend Du Jour?” (March 2014)

It is hard to not walk into a grocery store and avoid passing various products made with coconut. Whether it is milk, nondairy cheeses, ice cream, oil or we hear Dr. Oz speak about it I couldn’t help myself want to write about this proclaimed “superfood”. It claims to be a protecting agent against Alzheimer’s, speaks about promoting weight loss and we now see athletes drinking coconut water instead of sports drinks. What is all the hype about?

I wouldn’t be doing my job as a registered dietitian if I didn’t educate you on the type of fat that coconut contains. Coconut oil is 92% saturated fat. This is the artery clogging fat which is solid at room temperature. I know you are probably thinking how could this be true? Coconut is natural, falling from trees. Those are true facts.  For over 70 years research has shown the connection between saturated fats and heart disease. The thought has been that saturated fat increases the LDL (bad) cholesterol which will then cause inflammation in the body which then leads to heart disease.  A recent review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2010) has a theory that saturated fat may not be the culprit in heart disease. There is still much research and debate whether coconut oil may be harmful for your health.

This hypothesis could be derived from the fact that our American culture consumes large amount of saturated fats from meat, butter, eggs and dairy products which all contribute to inflammation. It’s a natural response to assume that saturated fats are not the ideal choice for us. Although coconut oil is high in saturated fat it is also high in a beneficial component known as medium chain triglycerides (MCT’s).  Some experts claim that the benefits of MCT’s outweigh the saturated fat that coconut contains.

Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, Chair Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health says” While coconut oil raises LDL, it boosts HDL cholesterol, the good kind, better than other fats. Research so far, though is limited, so we still don’t know how it affects heart disease. The ability to boost HDL makes it less bad, yet it’s not the best choice of fat overall for heart heath, as any fat that raises LDL should be limited.”

We might wonder about the claims for relieving Alzheimer’s symptoms? There is no proof on this topic but one theory is that ketones (spilling protein into the urine) may improve the quality of life for Alzheimer’s suffers.  Also the study pertaining to weight loss with coconut oil was used on MCT oil in comparison to olive oil. Once again there is limited evidence to prove that coconut oil can help one lose weight. It comes done to changing their relationship with food.
Coconut water is a great electrolyte replacement source. It does not contain saturated fat and has potassium and less sodium than other sports drinks. It can be used for greater than 60 minutes of any aerobic activity.

Finally there are more effective fats to cook with in place of coconut oil. Let extra virgin oil, canola oil and corn oil be your top oils to cook with. Baking and salad dressings options include: soybean, sesame, flaxseed oil and sunflower are great. Bon Appetite!