Is Coconut Oil Good For Me?

Is Coconut Oil Good for Me?

One of the most common topics I am asked lately involves coconut oil and its health benefits. Is it good to incorporate into my diet or will it cause heart health problems? For years, coconut oil has been frowned upon due to its high amount of saturated fat, also known as the “bad” fat. Containing a whopping 87% saturated fat content, that does raise some eyebrows.

What does research have to say about that? “Not all saturated fats are created equally”, with the key word here being created. Saturated fats that occur in other foods are generally “created” with a process called hydrogenation, whereas coconut oil has naturally occurring saturated fat. This is the key difference to keep in mind when choosing what type of fat to eat in your diet!

Coconut oil has been shown in studies to help improve heart health, boost the thyroid gland, increase metabolism, promote lean body and weight loss, and support the immune system. Sounds like a miracle oil, doesn’t it? But how does something with such a high content of “bad” fat do this? Coconut oil is the greatest source of natural medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are easily digested and immediately used by the liver for energy. They also boost the metabolism and help the body use fat for energy as opposed to storing it, making your body overall leaner.

With all of these health benefits shown from coconut oil, how do I incorporate it into my diet? It is the best oil to cook with due to its stable structure allowing it to withstand high temperatures. Not only can coconut oil be used for cooking, but it can be used for skin and hair as well. When utilized for skin it has shown anti-aging benefits and improvement of damaged hair.  

Remember, coconut oil is still considered a fat. Be sure to incorporate it into your diet, but remember fat does have calories, so watch your portions!