Coconut oil isn’t poison, but it is more damaging than butter

monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oils. Coconut oil raised LDL (bad) cholesterol in all seven of these trials, significantly in six of them. The seven trials did not find a difference in raising LDL cholesterol between coconut oil and other oils high in saturated fat such as butter, beef fat or palm oil. Because coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol, a cause of CVD (cardiovascular disease), and has no known offsetting favourable effects, we advise against the use of coconut oil,” said the advisory, published in the journal Circulation.

GOOD FATS

Dietary fat is categorised into bad saturated and good unsaturated fat. While saturated fat raises total cholesterol levels and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol levels, unsaturated fats found in tree nuts, fish and seeds lower total cholesterol, LDL (or bad) cholesterol and triglyceride l evels, reduce inflammation and prevent heart disease.

Lowering saturated fat intake and replacing it with polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as canola, mustard, soybean, sunflower and safflower oils lowers heart disease risk by 30%, similar to the reduction achieved by using statin drugs for treatment, said the AHA advisory.

By the rule of thumb, oils that solidify at room temperature (around 20 degrees C) are unhealthy.

In the absence of scientific evidence confirming the health benefits of coconut oil, it’s best to limit its use for flavouring food, if at all.

For cooking, replacing coconut oil with healthy oils that do less damage is the healthy choice.