Should you eat coconut oil?

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Coconut oil gained popularity a few years ago, largely thanks to Instagram, where every second blogger promoting proper nutrition generously added this fragrant oil to their food. A fairly widespread opinion has formed that coconut oil is useful and even leads to weight loss and improved health in general. But is this really so? In 2019, scientists from the American Heart Association conducted a study related to the benefits and harms of coconut oil, and here's what they found out.

Among other vegetable oils, coconut oil stands out due to its high content of saturated fats. Saturated fats, unlike unsaturated fats, are very harmful to the body. They increase cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. So, one tablespoon of coconut oil contains 14 g of saturated fats (in lard and butter even less), while the daily norm is no more than 13 g.

What happens to the body if you abuse saturated fats?

In short, nothing good. The level of low-density lipoprotein, (LDL) or, simply put, “bad cholesterol”, increases dramatically, which causes a number of unpleasant consequences. LPG can build up in the arteries, limiting blood flow to the body's cells. With a regular excess of saturated fat, accumulated LDL can clog blood vessels, making it difficult for blood to flow, which can eventually lead to heart failure and increase the risk of stroke.

In short, coconut oil does no good for the body. It definitely won't help you lose weight, but it will have negative consequences – and gaining weight is not the worst thing that can happen. Fats are necessary for the body, and you cannot refuse them under any circumstances. As in the case of carbohydrates, you just need to clearly understand which fats you can and can't use. From vegetable oils, for example, nutritionists recommend choosing olive, rapeseed or linseed. Yes, they do not have the pleasant taste and smell of coconut oil, but they will bring only benefits to the body (if they are used again in reasonable quantities).