With so much conflicting health information being fired at us from all directions. How can we know what to believe? How can we know we’re getting accurate advice? Who should we listen to? Here is our take on the never ending debate of coconut oil – Is it really healthy?
We all know that coconut oil is 92% saturated fat and we’ve heard and read multiple times that saturated fat is the artery clogging and unhealthiest of the oils. However, it’s not that simple when it comes to coconut oil.
Coconut oil is unusual in that it contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) that are well-proven to speed metabolism and assist in fat loss. So to round it all up, Coconut oil is high in healthy saturated fats that have different effects than most other fats in your diet.Studies have found that there might be no association between high total cholesterol and heart attack and stroke risk.
Nutrition:
Serving size – 15 ml
Calories – 130
Total fat – 14gms (out of which 12gms is saturated fat)
Cholesterol – 0gms
Protein – 0gms
Carbohydrates – 0gms
Is it healthy?
Yes, you can certainly eat coconut oil, but be mindful of the amount you’re using. As with most things in life, moderation is key.The recommendation for saturated fat consumption is less than 10% of your total calorie intake. So for a 2000 calorie diet, this comes to around 20-22gms.
Until enough research comes out, it would be best to keep all saturated fat intake within the dietary guideline recommendations.