Posted on August 18, 2021 by
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Coconut oil had become quite the rage in everything from hair and beauty products to cooking. Often branded as a seemingly better-for-you, coconut oil is popping up as a common ingredient in health foods. But contrary to popular belief, coconut oil is not the “good fat” everyone has it out to be.
According to a report from the American Heart Association, it turns out, coconut oil is actually worse for you than lard or butter. Beef lard is made up of 50% saturated fat compared to butter at 63% fat. Meanwhile, coconut oil comes in at a whopping 82% saturated fat content.
The American Heart Association report also included a review of seven clinical trials examining the relationship between coconut oil and heart disease. Findings from all seven studies were the same: Coconut oil raises levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol in the blood.
So what does this all mean for your heart? Cori Russell, M.D., a cardiovascular specialist at Henry Ford Health explains why there is reason for concern.
“Saturated fats, often found in meat and dairy products as well as coconut oil, can increase LDL levels in your blood,” says Dr. Russell. “This in turn increases your risk of heart disease, peripheral artery disease and stroke.”
Eating foods that contain coconut oil can increase your risk for heart problems. Fatty plaque buildup causes the artery walls to harden and narrow, making it difficult for blood to deliver the oxygen and nutrients your organs need. Over time, an artery in your head, neck or heart may become blocked or burst open (rupture), causing a heart attack or stroke.
To make matters worse, just a little coconut oil is all it takes to max out your daily saturated fat. One tablespoon has 11 grams, which is close to the 13-gram limit recommended by the American Heart Association. Staying within these dietary guidelines is one of many ways to stick to a heart healthy diet.
“Many patients have switched from olive oil to coconut oil based on the false belief that it's healthier,” says Dr. Russell. “On the contrary, I would recommend that coconut oil be used sparingly and not for health benefits.”
Maintaining a healthy diet is one of many things you can do to take care of your heart. A healthy diet should include fat, but options with less saturated fat that are better for your heart, such as olive and vegetable oils. If you have a favorite dish that calls for coconut oil, limiting your portion size can help you stay within the recommended daily limit of saturated fat. You can also focus on eating foods with heart-healthy fats like olive oil, avocados and nuts.
To schedule an appointment with your primary care provider or find a heart expert at henryford.com or by calling 1-800-436-7936.
Dr. Cori Russell is a cardiologist who sees patients at Henry Ford Medical Center – Pierson Clinic in Grosse Pointe Farms.
Coconut oil: You can’t browse social media -- or the grocery store shelves -- these days without running across it. The sweet-smelling tropical staple is rumored to slow aging, help your
heart and thyroid, protect against illnesses like Alzheimer’s, arthritis and diabetes, and even help you lose weight. People are using it in everything from smoothies to bulletproof coffee, a mug of java spiked with coconut oil and butter. Should you sign up for an oil
change? Coconut oil is made by pressing the fat from the white “meat” inside the giant nut. About 84% of its calories come from saturated fat. To compare, 14% of olive oil’s calories are from
saturated fat and 63% of butter’s are. “This explains why, like butter and lard, coconut oil is solid at room temperature with a long shelf life and the ability to withstand high cooking temperatures,” says registered dietitian Lisa Young, PhD. And it’s the reason coconut oil has a bad rap from many health officials. But there may be a saving grace. Coconut oil’s
saturated fat is made up mostly of medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs. Some people say your body handles them differently than the longer-chain fats in liquid vegetable oils, dairy, and fatty meats. The American
Heart Association says to limit saturated fat to no more than 13 grams a day. That’s the amount found in about one tablespoon of coconut oil. Fans of coconut oil point to studies that suggest the MCT-saturated fat in coconut could boost your HDL or “good” cholesterol. This, they claim, makes it less bad for your heart health than the saturated fat in animal-based foods like
cheese and steak or products containing trans fats. But it also raises your LDL “bad” cholesterol. A quick cholesterol lesson: “But just because coconut oil can raise HDL cholesterol doesn't mean that it’s great for your heart,” Young says. “It’s not known if the rise in beneficial cholesterol
outweighs any rise in harmful cholesterol.”Good News, Bad News
Is It Good for Your Heart?
At best, she says, coconut oil could have a neutral impact on heart health, but she doesn’t consider it heart-healthy. Yes, some recent studies have questioned the role saturated fat plays in heart disease. Yes, there have been headlines hailing the return
of butter. But it’s still a good idea to choose your fats wisely. A 2015 Harvard study found that replacing calories from saturated fat in your diet with calories from refined carbs like white bread and soda won’t lower heart disease risk. But swapping saturated fats like coconut oil and butter with unsaturated options -- like those in nuts, seeds, and
liquid vegetable oil -- will. What does that mean for you? While Young suggests using cholesterol-free coconut oil to replace butter or lard when you’re cooking or baking, she says you should get most of your fat from unsaturated sources including olive oil, avocado, and nuts. Coconut oil fans point out that people in places like Polynesia and Sri Lanka eat high amounts of coconut products daily but don’t seem to have high rates of heart disease. But there’s more to the story. “It’s likely that other factors like genetics, overall diet and daily physical activity may act to neutralize any negative impact that a high coconut intake can have on heart health,” Young says.
Can It Help With Weight Loss?
Many people think so. A quirk of MCTs like the ones in coconut oil is that your body processes them slightly differently than other dietary fats. You’re more likely to burn off their calories than convert them to body fat. So eat spoonfuls of coconut oil and watch the fat melt away, right? Not so fast.
Coconut is high in calories. You can’t just add it to your diet without cutting back elsewhere and expect to lose weight, Young says. “You definitely don’t want to think of it as a freebie food that you can eat as much of as you want.”
There’s a claim that coconut oil can reduce the mental losses from Alzheimer’s disease by providing an alternate energy source for your
brain. But right now the evidence is mostly word-of-mouth and not from research. Coconut oil does have antioxidants, compounds that may help reduce the risk of disease. But Young says you’ll likely get a bigger antioxidant bang for your buck from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. You may also see coconut butter -- coconut flesh that’s been pureed into a creamy spread. It
has more fiber than the oil. Coconut flour is another higher-fiber option that you can use when baking. While coconut oil shouldn’t be considered off-limits, it doesn’t quite live up to the hype, either. “This is another case of it if sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” Young says. It’s fine to add small amounts to your diet. But keep the focus on healthier fat sources along with vegetables, fruits,
whole grains, and lean proteins. If you want a product with the most flavor, look for jars labeled virgin. That means it’s made with a process that will help it keep more of its tropical taste.What Else Can It Do?
What’s the Bottom Line?