How Does Coconut Oil Affect Cholesterol?
Will the saturated fats in coconut oil raise your cholesterol? More to the point, does this matter? Nutrition Diva gives us an update on the latest research.
A while back, I dedicated an episode to the benefits of coconut oil. Despite breathless reports of “miraculous” powers, I found scant evidence that coconut oil will melt off the pounds, balance your hormones, boost your immune system, or raise your IQ.
On the other hand, coconut oil is a very stable oil. It doesn’t easily oxidize, spoil, or go rancid. It has a high smoke point and does not produce harmful chemicals when heated. This is because coconut oil is a highly saturated fat–which, in some circles, is considered a bad thing. Saturated fat, after all, is said to raise cholesterol levels and heart disease risk.
Proponents of coconut oil argue that the saturated fats in coconut oil are not harmful to your heart. And at the time of my original article, there was very little research one way or the other. Lately, several of you have asked whether any newer research has come along to settle the question. This week’s show takes a closer look at what we’ve learned about the fats in coconut oil.
What’s in Coconut Oil?
Saturated fat is not a single nutrient but an entire family of fatty acids. All fatty acids have a sort of spine or backbone made up of linked carbon molecules. This carbon “backbone” might have only 8 carbons or as many as 18. Lauric acid, for example, has 12 carbon molecules in its backbone; stearic acid has 18.
Chain length makes a big difference in how various fatty acids act in the body.
Chain length makes a big difference in how the various fatty acids act in the body, including how they affect cholesterol levels. Lauric acid, for example, raises LDL cholesterol levels. Stearic acid, on the other hand, has no effect on cholesterol levels.
About 70% of the fats in coconut oil are saturated fatty acids known to raise cholesterol. Another 14% or so are shorter-chain fats called MCTs, whose effects on cholesterol appear to be neutral. About 3% of the fat is stearic acid, which also doesn’t affect cholesterol. Coconut oil also contains small amounts of mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, which are not thought to raise cholesterol. (See reference.)
See also: What Are MCTs?
How Does Coconut Oil Affect Cholesterol?
Based on its fatty acid profile, we could probably expect that replacing your olive oil with coconut oil might increase your cholesterol levels. There are lots of studies showing that coconut oil raises cholesterol in lab rats and other animals, but critics complain that these studies were done using a highly processed form of coconut oil and not the “extra virgin” coconut oil that’s currently popular. The processing, however, does not change the fatty acid composition of the oil.
But what about in humans?
Well, since my original episode on coconut oil, there has been one new study in humans. Researchers in Malaysia found that LDL cholesterol increased 8% on a diet rich in coconut oil vs. a diet rich in olive oil. Now, Malaysia is a major exporter of coconut oil so when the researchers wrote up the results for publication, they didn’t mention cholesterol in the title or abstract, choosing instead to focus on parameters where the coconut oil diet had no ill effects.
Is Saturated Fat Really Bad for Your Heart?
In any case, in terms of cholesterol and lipid metabolism, the saturated fats in coconut oil seem to affect the body exactly the way you would expect them to. But lately, this whole idea that saturated fat causes heart disease is starting to come under increasing scrutiny. Recent reviews have failed to find a strong link between saturated fat intake and disease risk (or mortality), and the medical establishment is slowly starting to rethink its position on this.
For me, the frustrating thing is that researchers and policy makers insist on looking at nutrients in isolation, without enough consideration of the context in which they are eaten. After all, if I tell you to eat less of something, you’re probably going to eat more of something else instead. And what you replace a food with is just as important as what you’re cutting out.
Is your effort to reduce saturated fat causing you to eat more sugar? I’m not sure that’s a net gain. Are you using coconut oil to replace trans fat-laden hydrogenated vegetable oils? That’s probably a step in the right direction!
Does Coconut Oil Have a Place in a Healthy Diet?
I don’t see why a healthy diet can’t include some coconut oil. But I wouldn’t recommend consuming coconut oil as your primary source of fat. Monounsaturated fats (such as those found in olive oil and avocado) and polyunsaturated fats (such as those found in flax and fish) also have clear health benefits that I wouldn’t want you to go without.
See also:
How Much Fat Should You Eat?
What’s the Optimal Balance of MUFAs, PUFAs, and Saturated Fats?
Images courtesy of Shutterstock
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About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.
