{"id":100805,"date":"2021-02-12T12:46:03","date_gmt":"2021-02-12T17:46:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.oviahealth.com\/guide\/100805\/fertility-coconut-oil-controversial\/"},"modified":"2022-11-30T23:46:44","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T04:46:44","slug":"fertility-coconut-oil-controversial","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.oviahealth.com\/guide\/100805\/fertility-coconut-oil-controversial\/","title":{"rendered":"Coconut oil: the (controversial) crowd-pleaser"},"content":{"rendered":"

Of all the oils<\/a>, chances are you\u2019ve heard the hype about the benefits of coconut oil – it\u2019s going through quite a bit of a media craze right now. But is coconut oil all that it\u2019s cracked up to be?<\/p>\n

Coconut oil: the good, the bad, and the bad<\/h2>\n

For nearly every new product that carries the “contains coconut oil” label, there\u2019s a legitimate counterargument for why coconut oil might not be the best thing since sliced bread. The truth is that coconut oil is good for a lot of things, but there are some misconceptions about its health benefits that you should know about too.<\/p>\n

The good: a versatile, plant-based source of fat<\/h3>\n

Fans of coconut oil definitely have a lot to be happy about. Coconut oil has a delicious, nutty flavor that allows it to be used as a tasty topping. Coconut oil also stays solid at room temperature, which allows it to be used in a variety of recipes (both food related and not – for example, many people make their own deodorant with coconut oil). And coconut oil is a plant-based source of fat, so it contains things like antioxidants and other healthy substances and can be eaten by people who choose not to consume animal byproducts.<\/p>\n

The bad: overhype<\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t get us wrong – coconut oil has undeniable health benefits. But certain claims just don\u2019t have enough research behind them yet, which means that for the time being, they\u2019re just claims, and nothing more. Coconut oil has been labeled as a \u2018miracle food\u2019 and a potential cure for diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s, heart disease, and obesity. But no long-term studies exist show that it can perform such incredible feats. So for the time being, we\u2019ll keep words like \u2018miracle,\u2019 \u2018superpowers,\u2019 and \u2018cure\u2019 on the sidelines.<\/p>\n

The bad: questionable effect on cholesterol<\/h3>\n

Coconut oil has extremely high levels of saturated fat. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, it\u2019s about 92% saturated fat, which makes it higher in saturated fat than other oils and fats. Despite this, coconut oil is still considered healthy because some studies have shown that coconut oil raises both \u2018bad\u2019 (LDL) and \u2018good\u2019 (HDL) cholesterol levels simultaneously.<\/p>\n

But does this mean that it\u2019s good for your cholesterol? Many experts don\u2019t think so. According to a statement from the Harvard School of Public Health, vegetable oils are still healthier because they have a lot less saturated fat and, when consumed, lower your \u2018bad\u2019 cholesterol while raising the \u2018good\u2019. In this same statement, it\u2019s suggested that while coconut oil is \u2018less bad\u2019 than other foods with the same saturated fat content, it\u2019s not healthier than other vegetable oils.<\/p>\n

The bad: it doesn\u2019t magically help with weight control<\/h3>\n

Some people claim that eating a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil daily helped them lose weight. While it\u2019s nice to imagine that this would be a quick fix to any weight loss solutions, coconut oil doesn\u2019t have any fewer calories<\/a> than other oils and fats. It\u2019s about 117 calories per tablespoon. As experts from Mayo Clinic state, eating too much coconut oil could directly counteract any weight loss efforts that you\u2019ve been making.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chances are you’ve heard the hype about the benefits of coconut oil – but is it all that it’s cracked up to be? Coconut oil does have a lot going for it, but there are some misconceptions about its health benefits that you should know about too. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":159702,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ovia_author_name":"","ovia_author_prefix":"","ovia_author_image":"","ovia_content_type_id":"176","ovia_product_mode":"2","ovia_days_from_signup":"28","ovia_days_from_lmp":"","ovia_days_from_baby_birth":"","ovia_days_from_enroll":"","ovia_health_module_days_from":"","ovia_article_for_email_days_from":"","ovia_health_module":"","ovia_legacy_id2":"","ovia_ttc":"","ovia_article_subtype":"","ovia_health_symptom":"","ovia_partner_id":"","ovia_partner_custom_group":"","ovia_legacy_category":"124","ovia_legacy_category2":"","ovia_content_url_id":"100805","ovia_include_share_buttons":"","ovia_fertility_goal":"2,1,3,4","ovia_secondary_module":"","ovia_trimester":"","ovia_child_age":"","ovia_share_image":"","ovia_more_menu_image":"","ovia_button1_url":"","ovia_days_from_postpartum":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"fert-category":[37,33,34],"preg-category":[],"parent-category":[],"fert-tag":[231,237,191],"preg-tag":[],"parent-tag":[],"class_list":["post-100805","article","type-article","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","fert-category-general-health","fert-category-health-and-wellness","fert-category-nutrition","fert-tag-fertility-disorders","fert-tag-fertility-nutrition","fert-tag-patient-self-advocacy"],"yoast_head":"\nIs coconut oil actually bad for you? | Discover the truth<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Is coconut oil bad for you? 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