These days, coconut oil is everywhere. It’s often seen as a healthier alternative and is widely used in Paleo cooking. But what’s the real story?
Coconut oil is extracted from the flesh of the coconut by pressing. In cooler climates, it’s solid and thus referred to as “fat”; in tropical countries, it’s liquid and called oil. Most coconut oil comes from the Philippines, Indonesia, and India. Harvesting is done manually—or in some cases, by specially trained monkeys.
Coconut oil consists of more than 85% saturated fat. Current theory suggests that saturated fat raises LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, which in turn may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Half of the saturated fat in coconut oil is lauric acid. Some sources claim lauric acid protects against heart disease. However, lauric acid is actually the fatty acid that raises cholesterol levels the most. Although it raises “good” HDL cholesterol more than “bad” LDL, it cannot be ruled out that lauric acid increases heart disease risk in other ways. So far, there are no approved health claims for coconut oil from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Unlike other oils and fats, coconut oil contains hardly any vitamin E or vitamin K. Due to how coconuts are farmed and harvested, coconut oil has a medium to high environmental impact.
Because of all these factors, the Dutch Nutrition Centre advises not to consume coconut oil too often.