What's the Big Deal About Coconut Oil Anyway?

What's So Great About Coconut Oil?

Taylor Engelke, MS, RDN, CD

Nutrimental Healthcare

There’s been a lot of buzz about coconut oil

and how great it is for our health. Just how great is it

though? Coconut oil comes from the copra (or white, meaty part) of the coconut plant, mainly

from the West Coast Tall variety harvested in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Philippines. It’s

loaded with antioxidants and phytochemicals like phenols, flavonoids, tannins and saponins.

These are chemicals naturally found in a wide range of plants we eat which protect us from

diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke. Coconut oil also contains the much-debated

type of fat called MCT, which is short for Medium-Chain Triglyceride. This means that the

chemical structure of the fat has only a moderate number of carbons in its “backbone,” which

has been shown to be much more easily absorbed and used for energy by the body rather than

stored as extra body fat. The most abundant types of MCT’s found in coconut oil are lauric

acid and myristic acid. MCT’s have been especially beneficial in people who have Crohn’s

disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome or fat absorption concerns (following the gallbladder being

removed, for example) since the MCT type of fat doesn’t have to be broken down as much to

be used by the body.

Many studies have been done over the past 10 years researching what it is about

coconut oil that’s so beneficial, and much of the research has been conducted only in animals

with inconclusive evidence showing that coconut oil could help to reduce liver and kidney

disease complications, risk of heart disease and the development of type 2 diabetes, and

prevent gum disease. Coconut oil has been shown to stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria

in the gut to further fight off infection and digestive problems. Several studies have also

revealed that coconut oil helped to improve brain function in people suffering from dementia

and Alzheimer’s disease.

However, just like any other type of fat, coconut oil can add up to a lot of calories

very quickly and should still be eaten in moderation with other foods. Using a small amount a

few times per week has shown to be enough to gain the benefits of the antioxidants it

contains. There’s also the source to consider: commercial coconut oil that has been expelled

(or mechanically pressed out) without the use of high heat or chemicals to remove the oil

from the plant will retain the most beneficial phytochemicals and last the longest on the

shelf. Try a brand that says “Expeller Pressed” on the label for the best results to your health.