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Is coconut good or bad for the heart?
Q. I have heard that coconut is bad for the heart and that it is good for the heart. Which is right?
A. Viewed in isolation, coconut and coconut oil can't be considered heart-healthy foods. A 2-ounce piece of fresh coconut contains more than 13 grams of saturated fat - nearly two-thirds of the recommended daily limit for the average person. Ounce for ounce, coconut oil delivers more saturated fat than butter, lard, or margarine. Feeding studies in humans, monkeys, and rabbits show that coconut oil substantially elevates LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Viewed in context, though, coconut may not be so bad. Some food companies are testing coconut oil as a replacement for the once-ubiquitous partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, which contain hefty amounts of dangerous trans fats. Both coconut oil and trans fats increase LDL. But while trans fats reduce protective HDL, coconut oil has a powerful HDL-boosting effect.
Don't take this as a ringing endorsement of coconut oil - I would much rather see food makers get rid of trans fats in our food supply by using unsaturated fats than by substituting coconut or palm oil. But when a hard fat is needed, coconut oil is an acceptable alternative, at least until better ones come along.
As you may know, books such as The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil and Coconut Cures claim that coconut can prevent heart disease, dissolve kidney stones, control diabetes, protect against cancer, enhance the immune system, and maybe even prevent AIDS. There is no good evidence to back up these claims.
Do you need to avoid coconut? No. Fresh coconut is delicious, shredded coconut livens up pastries and granola, and who can resist a spicy coconut curry, or a piña colada at a beach party? But to take the best care of your heart and blood vessels, think of these as treats rather than as everyday choices.
- Walter C. Willett, M.D., Dr.P.H. Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Heart Letter Editorial Board
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| Last updated: | August 22, 2006 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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