Why Is Coconut Oil Bad For The Body?

2023 Author: Henry Pass | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-07-31 03:04

Coconut oil gained its popularity a couple of years ago thanks in large part to Instagram, where one in two nutritional bloggers generously added this aromatic oil to their food. There is a fairly widespread belief that coconut oil is beneficial and even conducive to weight loss and better overall health. But is it really so? In 2019, scientists from the American Heart Association conducted a study on the benefits and harms of coconut oil, and here's what they found.

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

What happens to the body if you overuse saturated fat? In short, nothing good. The level of low density lipoproteins (LDL) or, more simply, "bad cholesterol", rises sharply, which entails a number of unpleasant consequences. LDL can build up in arteries, restricting blood flow to the body's cells. With a regular excess of saturated fat, the accumulated LDL cholesterol can block blood vessels, blocking blood flow, which can subsequently lead to heart failure and increase the risk of stroke.

In short, coconut oil has absolutely no benefits for the body. It will definitely not help you lose weight, but it will have negative consequences - and weight gain will be even the most harmless. Fats are essential for the body, and in no case should you refuse them. As in the case of carbohydrates, you just need to clearly understand which fats you can eat and which you can't. From vegetable oils, for example, nutritionists recommend choosing olive, rapeseed or flaxseed. Yes, they do not have a pleasant taste and smell of coconut oil, but they will only benefit the body (if you use them again in reasonable quantities).