"It's a life-changing superfood!"
"It's dangerous for your health. Avoid it!"
Which headline have you heard about coconut oil? The truth is, they're both out there! The reason for this controversy is partly due to the type of fatty acids found in this tropical oil so many are puzzled by.
Fatty acids in Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is highly praised for its medium-chain fatty acids. This refers to the length of carbon chains found in the fatty acids.
Some fatty acid chains are long (they have 12 or more carbons on the chain). Some chains are short (they have 5 or fewer carbons on the chain. Medium-chain fatty acids are somewhere in the middle (typically 6 to 12 carbons).
You may be wondering, what difference does it make how long the carbon chain of fatty acids is? Short and medium-chain fatty acids are more readily absorbed. They can easily go straight to the liver to be burned. Longer chained fatty acids are packaged into protein molecules that are transported throughout the body. There is a greater chance of this fat being deposited in different parts of the body.
Coconut oil is tricky. Most of the fatty acid chains in coconut oil have 12 carbons. Is it a long chain or medium chain fatty acid then? Most researchers are classifying it as either or! One study reports that the majority of it (70-75%) is packaged into the protein molecules and transported throughout the body. The same cannot be said of typical medium chain fatty acids. Typically, 95% of medium chain fatty acids are directly absorbed and taken to the liver to be burned.
Coconut Oil Claims
If you've had any exposure to claims about coconut oil, you might be aware that is has been touted as an aid to weight loss. Is this true?
As discussed, medium chain fats go straight to the liver and get burned quicker, rather than getting deposited. Even animal studies show that rats fed medium chain fats have less accumulated fat compared to rats fed long chain fats. Human studies also show greater fat burning with medium chain fats than with long chain fats.
Most of these studies, however, involve medium chain fats made up of chains with 8 or 10 carbons. Remember, coconut oil is primarily made up of chains with 12 carbons. Only about 15% has shorter 8 to 10-carbon chains. That being said, you might not see the same amount of fat burn with coconut oil as other medium-chain fatty acids - such as MCT oil.
You would need to eat a whole lot of coconut oil to achieve the amount of 8-carbon and 10-carbon chains needed to start burning the fat and seeing a difference.
We definitely are in need of more well-designed studies to understand how great of an impact the medium chains in coconut oil have on weight loss. In other words, don't place all your weight loss hopes on coconut oil. You're better off focusing on keeping your blood sugar stable throughout the day and controlling portion sizes.
Coconut Oil in your Diet
Don't write off coconut oil, though. It still has its place in a healthy diet. In fact, researchers found that coconut products (coconut as a whole, coconut oil, and its cream) are linked with higher levels of the good HDL cholesterol. This does not mean that one should consume coconut oil to specifically raise HDL levels. In fact, nothing beats exercise and replacing most saturated fats with unsaturated fats. However, coconut oil in moderation can be a delicious and healthy part of a balanced diet.
If purchasing coconut oil, make sure to avoid any hydrogenated versions. These are high in trans fats, which are dangerous for health. Aim for raw, cold-pressed, unfiltered coconut oil.
Products that are cold-pressed, mechanical expeller-pressed, or centrifuged are less processed. Refined oils will typically use solvents to extract oil from the fruit. These are more processed.
If your diet is generally healthy, coconut oil in moderation is no major concern. If your diet is lacking, coconut oil won't work miracles.
The key is moderation and variety with any and all healthy fats.
Reference
Eyres, L., Eyres, M. F., Chisholm, A., & Brown, R. C. (2016). Coconut oil consumption and cardiovascular risk factors in humans. Nutrition reviews, 74(4), 267–280. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuw002
St-Onge MP, Jones PJ. Physiological effects of medium-chain triglycerides: potential agents in the prevention of obesity. J Nutr. 2002;132(3):329-332.